In large public or commercial areas, such as warehouses, shipyards, railway yards, highways, parking lots, stadiums, and other similar places, high mast lighting solutions, also known as HMLs, are typically used as sources of illumination. These are on-site lighting fixtures of a specific kind, and they are the kind that is installed at significantly extended heights in order to illuminate massive areas. High Mast Lighting Systems, also referred to as HMLs, are typically employed to illuminate expansive areas such as large warehouses, shipyards, highways, parking lots, stadiums, and other similar locations. High mast lights are typically mounted on poles that are between 40 and 150 feet in height, and each pole typically has between four and six lights mounted on it. When it comes to lighting up large areas, one of the most effective methods is to use high mast lighting. These lights are positioned at significant heights so that they can illuminate a wide area in an even manner.
In addition to this, they are operated by a motorized mechanism, which simplifies both the process of installing them and the subsequent maintenance. Before you go out and buy High Mast Lighting fixtures, there are a few important things you need to keep in mind, including the following:
The Cost Of Energy
In order to adequately and consistently illuminate a large commercial space, a greater amount of light output is required. Because the amount of light produced is directly proportional to wattage (W), it is necessary to use lights with a higher wattage for larger areas. In the past, outdoor high mast lighting solutions typically relied on high-wattage high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps or halogens, both of which contributed significantly to the monthly cost of the electricity. LEDs, on the other hand, brought a novel change and an efficient solution to this problem when they were first introduced. Even though the initial cost of installing HIDs or halogens is relatively low, the cost of installing LEDs proves to be more cost-effective and energy-efficient in the long run, as stated by the leading manufacturers of commercial lighting.
Maintenance
High mast lighting solutions consist of two distinct components, namely the pole and the light panels, both of which need to be maintained and kept in working order on a consistent basis. Considering that the ease of maintenance and cost of outdoor lighting solutions are both significant aspects, it is essential to make a decision while keeping all the parameters in mind. In addition, because LEDs have a longer life, installing them could also result in a reduction in the costs associated with maintenance.
Performance
Before you decide to make a purchase, the most important factor for you to take into account is how well any commercial lighting solution you’re considering will perform. When it comes to HML, LEDs are without a doubt the superior option to both halogens and HIDs. LEDs are superior to other types of lighting in a number of important respects, including the following:
- They have a lower rate of electricity consumption and promote energy efficiency.
- They provide an improved and more brilliant source of illumination
- Neither heat nor infra-red (IR) light is produced by them.
- They have a longer life and can be used for almost 50,000 hours before needing to be replaced.
In addition to the performance of the lighting, it is essential to choose poles that are of the appropriate height and of the highest possible quality. Outside in the open air is where you’ll find high mast poles, which are made up of a variety of parts such as ropes, pulleys, and winches, among other things. Because of this, they are susceptible to malfunctions as well as damage and corrosion. As a result, you need to make sure that the products you purchase are made of high-quality and, if possible, non-corrosive materials.
Common Uses And Applications
Numerous different uses can be found for high mast lighting due to its capacity to illuminate large areas while minimizing the amount of space between individual poles. Having said that, high mast lighting is an extremely versatile outdoor lighting solution in the sense that it is able to provide accurate and comfortable visibility for massive outdoor areas during the nighttime and extend the usability of large-scale outdoor facilities into the nighttime. Far-field, large area high mast lighting is one of the many types of outdoor lighting infrastructures. It plays a unique role in the areas of facilitating nighttime travel and transportation, citizen engagement in social gatherings and sports/recreation activities, around-the-clock industrial production, the safety and guidance of traffic, and the security of commercial, residential, and public facilities and properties.
Interstates And Other Road Networks
A full panorama of the roadways, intersections, roundabouts, and crosswalks, as well as the areas immediately beyond the roadways, can be seen when using high mast lighting. Vision at the center of the fovea and vision at the periphery are both necessary for safe navigation of the road system. Traveling motorists benefit from increased visibility and visual comfort thanks to the ability to pull roadside obstacles, fixed structures, and approaching objects within the field of view of a driver. This contributes to increased road traffic safety and security.
Spectator Venues And Competition Fields
The use of high mast systems creates a luminance environment that is consistent throughout, which improves the visibility of the playing target as well as the players and the backgrounds that surround them. There is a wide variety of competitions that take place outside, some of which are as follows: archery, baseball, bicycle racing, golf, motor racing, horse racing, football, soccer, skating, cricket, and track and field. The lighting design is being challenged by a variety of factors including visual comfort, light distribution, television broadcast, and light blocking. There is no other solution to these problems besides installing high-mast lighting.
Parking Garages For Businesses
The casting of shadows between parked vehicles can be mitigated to some degree by mounting area at a height that is relatively high. Utilizing high mast installations allows for extremely effective lighting to be provided for very large parking lots, while also reducing the amount of light that drivers find distracting. This adjustment period is required because the area is typically dark. Wide coverage of light provided by high mast lights leads to a reduction in pole density, which in turn means a reduction in the frequency of transient adaptation to various vision states. To ensure that there is as little disruption as possible, high mast poles may be installed along the parking lot’s perimeter.
Aprons At Airports
To guarantee that the parked aircraft can be serviced in a risk-free manner, the aprons, which include commercial aprons, general aviation aprons, cargo aprons, and hangar aprons, need to have adequate lighting. Buildings, apron equipment, and boarding bridges can all be easily coordinated with high mast lighting because it allows for a large setback distance of the poles. This helps to avoid potential conflicts. By floodlighting from multiple directions using high masts, it is possible to achieve optimal levels of visibility and uniformity as well as control glare.
Transportation Hubs For Cargo
In transportation hubs like airports, seaports, railroad terminals, and trucking terminals, high mast lighting can effectively illuminate large areas for the various outdoor logistics activities that take place there. The majority of the time, cargo containers are stacked to the ceiling in freight terminals. In order to prevent shadows and provide sufficient vertical illumination, high piles of stock necessitate the use of a light source that is elevated. High mast lighting systems can be installed at a remote location or used in confined spaces with no or minimal interference encroaching on adjacent cargoes or the loading and discharging equipment. This makes it possible for these systems to be used in both remote and confined settings.
Establishments Dedicated To Industry
High mast lighting is utilized in manufacturing and industrial facilities such as petroleum refineries, chemical plants, drilling rigs, oil depots, open-pit mines, and other facilities to illuminate large production areas in order to facilitate around-the-clock operation
