Why Select LED Light for Outdoor Streets?

Are you thinking about replacing your street lights? Due to the increasing focus on energy conservation and sustainability, LED street lights have emerged as a preferred option for many cities and organizations. Read on for more information on the advantages of LED street lights and why they are so much better than the other types of lights.

What is LED Street Lighting?

LED street lights are types of street lights that use light emitting diodes as the main source of light. These lights are often mounted on poles and used to light up roads, walkways, parking lots, and other outdoor zones. Thus, as important elements of urban networks, LED street lights play a crucial role in improving the level of safety and security of public spaces.

★ The Lighting Standards for Outdoor Streets

In the case of street lighting, it is imperative to follow certain guidelines to achieve the desired level of safety and visibility. Regulations from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the European Norm (EN) lay down recommendations for illuminance, uniformity and glare control. These standards assist in designing good lighting conditions that promote safety for both the pedestrians and drivers.

LED Street Light vs. Traditional Street Light

➤ Efficiency

One of the biggest benefits of using LED street lights over the traditional street lights is the energy saving factor. LEDs are very efficient light sources since they have a high luminous efficacy, that is, they produce more luminous flux per watt. This means that energy consumption can be cut down by up to 80% as compared to the traditional lighting systems such as the incandescent and HPS lamps.

➤ Longevity

LED street lights are longer lasting than the usual street lights. Incandescent lamps for example have a life of one thousand hours and HPS lamps have a life of two thousand four hundred hours while LED street lights have a life of one hundred thousand hours. This extended lifespan means that there are fewer lights to replace, thus lowering maintenance costs and decreasing the amount of bulbs ending up in the trash.

➤ Environmental Impact

LED street lights do not have any toxic components and are safer to the environment than traditional lighting solutions. For example, HPS lamps have mercury in them and this becomes a disposal issue. LEDs also have a longer life span, are easily recyclable and hence produce less waste that ends up in the landfills.

➤ Light Quality

LED street lamps offer better light than the other types of street lamps. They have a high colour rendering index, which means that they make objects look more real and colourful under their light. This enhanced light quality improves visibility for the drivers and the pedestrians hence improving the safety on the roads.

➤ Design and Flexibility

LED street lights can be of different types and sizes depending on the intended application. These can be created with modular or full die-casting aluminium enclosures, both with their own merits. Modular designs are easy to replace and provide good heat dissipation while full die-casting designs are appreciated for their durability and looks.

LED lights are better than the conventional lights in nearly every aspect that can be considered, including energy consumption, life span, eco-friendliness, and light output. Even though the cost of LED lights can be high in the beginning, the overall costs in terms of energy and maintenance costs are much lower. This therefore put LED lights a step ahead of other lighting systems making them ideal for use in outdoor street lighting and many other applications.

Types of LED Street Lights

➡ By Heat Sink Design

• Modular Design: These LED street lights have a modular design where the parts can easily be replaced and the lights do not overheat easily. This type is particularly famous for the reliability and effectiveness in its functionality.

• Full Die-Casting Aluminum Design: These lights come with a full die cast aluminium enclosure that offers protection and very good heat management which makes the lights suitable for outdoor use.

➡ By LED Chip Type

• SMD (Surface Mounted Device): SMD LEDs are the most frequently used type in street lighting owing to their high efficiency, reliability and excellent performance.

• COB (Chip On Board): COB LEDs are LED chips combined in a single package to provide high luminous flux and uniform illumination.

Common Issues with LED Street Lights

Despite their numerous advantages, LED street lights can face some challenges, such as:

● LED Driver Failure: The LED driver which is used to power the LED light may develop a fault and lead to the light not working as expected.

● Poor Quality LED Chips: If the LED chips used are not of good quality this leads to loss of efficiency and also short durability.

● Inadequate Surge Protection: Lack of surge protection can result in damage from electrical surges.

● Lower Ingress Protection (IP) and Impact Protection (IK) Ratings: Protection ratings that are not so good are likely to impact on the life span of the lights.

● Heat Dissipation Issues: Poor heat dissipation can shorten the service life of LED street lamps.

● Improper Lighting Distribution: If the light is not distributed properly it can result in over illuminated or under illuminated areas which are less efficient.

● Low Efficiency: Traditional low-efficiency LEDs sometimes fail to deliver the energy saving benefits that are anticipated.

● Poor Packaging: Poor packaging may result in damaging the product during transportation as well as during installation.

Selecting the Right Wattage for LED Street Lights

It is important to select the right wattage for LED street lights to get the best lighting outcomes. The amount of watts required varies with the height of the pole, the width of the road and the level of illumination required.

★ Quick Selection Methods

Based on Existing Lamps: For replacing the conventional street lights, the general practice is to install LED street lights having wattage of 25-40% of the HPS lamps.

Based on Pole Height: The wattage needed is directly proportional to the height of the pole and the width of the road. For example:

● 10W for 2.5-3m poles

● 15-20W for 3-4.5m poles

● 20-30W for 5-6m poles.

● 30-50 watts for 6-7m high poles.

● 50-80W for 7-8m poles.

● 80-100W for 8-10m poles.

● 120-200W for the poles above 10m.

Key Parameters of LED Street Lights

1. Wattage

Wattage refers to the power or brightness of the light and the amount of energy it consumes. It is more economical and efficient to use lower wattage since it will reduce the costs and consume less energy.

2. LED Driver

The LED driver is an important component for any light as it affects the quality of the light produced. Selecting a good driver for the LED will result in improved performance and longer life.

3. LED Chips

The stability and brightness of the light depend on the LED chips. Chips of high quality such as Lumileds 3030 and 5050 are more powerful and more durable.

4. Lens/Optics

Optics are responsible for controlling the flow of light for proper and equal distribution. There are many types of optics that are used depending on the specific application.

5. Color Rendering Index (CRI)

CRI determines how well the light is able to produce all colours of the visible spectrum. The CRI of street lighting is usually 70, but there are options with a CRI of 80 for better colour rendering.

Why Choose CHZ Lighting for LED Street Lights?

At CHZ Lighting, we strive to be your go-to source for the best LED street lighting products. All our products are developed to meet the global requirements of efficiency, quality, and reliability. We have a variety of products to choose from, and our lighting systems are dependable and eco-friendly, which can enhance safety at relatively lower expense.

We offer a one stop shop for all your needs from choosing the right products to installation and even maintenance. Our team of professionals will be glad to provide you with all the necessary information to choose the most suitable lighting options.

Conclusion

Using LED lights on the outdoor streets is a good decision for the municipalities and businesses that want to enhance the security, save energy, and decrease the expenditures on maintenance. Due to their higher efficiency, longer lifetime and eco-friendliness, LED street lights are the best option for meeting the street lighting needs in today’s society. By evaluating the efficiency, durability, and ecological impact, LED street lamps are determined to be the most suitable for outdoor street lighting.