RETROFITTING LED PARKING LOT LIGHTS

Retrofitting from traditional high-pressure sodium or metal halide parking lot lights to modern LED’s can be a simple process, but a parking facility will see optimum results from a retrofit if it plans the process and does more than just swap existing fixtures for new ones

The decision to retrofit will generally be based on one or more of the many factors that argue in favor of using LED’s. For example, LED parking lot lights are an order of magnitude more efficient than traditional fixtures. They last longer and have lower maintenance and operating costs, thus providing substantial savings. They provide better and more uniform illumination and an increased sense of safety and security for individuals who use parking facilities. LED’s can also be turned on and off almost instantaneously, which eliminates the need for extended warm-up cycles. LED parking lot lights are also more environmentally-friendly than traditional lighting, as they do not include hazardous materials and have a generally lower carbon footprint than other forms of lighting.

A facilities manager can get more out of an LED parking lot light system with a few additional considerations. First, like all LED illumination, LED parking lot lights will last longer if fixtures have good thermal management properties. Over time, excessive heat can degrade the quality and quantity of light that an LED will emit. Manufacturers incorporate passive heat sinks and other thermal management mechanisms into LED to aid in heat dissipation. If a facilities manager wants to use existing parking lot light fixtures for new LED’s, he or she should confirm that those fixtures are vented properly and that they will allow good airflow around the LED’s.

Regardless of whether old fixtures will be used or new ones will be installed, the lot manager will first need to survey the lot to inventory and record all specifications for the existing lighting system. This includes recording the locations of existing fixtures and poles, determining if any fixtures are blocked or installed in bad locations, and understanding how and when different parking lot lights will be needed. The survey may well indicate that a parking lot LED retrofit can be completed with fewer new fixtures, or that some areas of the lot are overlit while others are in shadows. The survey will give a manager the opportunity to correct those problems during the retrofit.

With this survey information in hand, the manager can then work with a designer and technician to map out the new LED parking lot light system. The plan should consider extra features, including photocells and motion detectors that turn lights on and off in response to different conditions. To more readily accommodate maintenance and repairs of the LED parking lot lights after they are installed, the planners should employ a modular design that allows individual luminaires and fixtures to be replaced and repaired without affecting any other lights in the system. A central control system can also be installed that allows managers to monitor the status of the parking lot light system remotely.

ZOKIN LED, a domestic designer and manufacturer of LED lights, offers sophisticated LED parking lot light systems for retrofitting and. Our designers and technicians can help you design the right LED system for your parking facilities.

Please see our website or contact our support staff at +86 138 2870 7813 for more information about our LED parking lot light products and for assistance with retrofitting your parking lots with modern LED light technology.