High Mast Lighting or HML solutions are installed in commercial or public areas to light massive spaces. The HML system uses a high pole with top lighting that points to the ground. The top lighting includes a ring of LED luminaires or independent several lights that surround the pole. Generally, there are 6 to 8 lights on a ring. There may be more in a few cases depending on the needs.
Parameters guidelines and benefits
Mounting & Height Choose poles of supreme quality because heights and outdoor conditions can make them susceptible to malfunction, corrode, and get damaged. The height of the high mast tower is 50 feet to 150 feet. As they are on a height the guidelines of height have to be a minimum of 98 feet or 30 meters. For seaports, airports, and outdoor industrial areas there is a need for 50 to 200 lux.
A rigid horizontal tenon is a mount type that makes sure the fixture points downward. The mount is an IDA complaint. HMLs even employ a 4-belt mounting system, which ensures that fixtures are secured safely without concerns of vibration.
LED Light Experts offers the best high mast lights solutions. Righting lighting is crucial. The professionals help in choosing the right watts, the number of lumens, correct optical element, and this lessens the risk of buying the wrong HMLs.
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Performance
Before purchasing you need to consider the HML solution’s performance. In terms of performance LED is the best option in comparison to HID and halogen. Why?
- LEDs are designed from semiconductor materials so they generate light without harmful gases or loose filament via electroluminescence. Therefore they are durable and prepared to handle rough treatment, direct contact, vibration, and erratic elements.
- LEDs illuminate instantly and like HID don’t need a lengthy warming-up period.
- They are capable of instantly illuminating and toggling without compromising light performance.
- LEDs’ color temperature capabilities range from 2700K – 7000K. Certain variants are dimmable.
- LEDs don’t emit IR [infra-red light] or heat.
- Unlike HID and halogen, LEDs consume approximately 30% less energy.
- LEDs have a lifespan of more than 50000 hours on average, which is twice than HIDs.
Maintenance
For HML solutions maintenance cost is also a huge concern. The HML solutions involve two different components – pole and lighting panels, which need regular up-keeping.
In terms of maintenance ease of poles, the high mast solutions incorporate motorized controls, which can easily bring down the cost of maintenance.
The panels have LEDs fixed, so their operational lighting generated is different than HIDs. Unlike HIDs, the LED-generated output degrades extremely slowly, so the functional life of LEDs is longer than HIDs. Thus, the maintenance cost of outdoor high mast lighting solutions is drastically less.
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Energy costs
Massive commercial space needs high light output to evenly brighten up the space. Light output is proportionate directly to Wattage, so large spaces need lights with high Wattage. If the outdoor HML solutions use conventional HID [high-intensity discharge] bulbs or halogens then the electricity bills will be significantly high. Fortunately, with LEDs, this issue is resolved. Even if the upfront cost of installing halogens and HID lamps seems slow, in the long run, LEDs prove to be energy-efficient and cost-efficient.
How to choose high mast lightings
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Good quality LED driver & chips
LED drivers and chips of supreme quality offer high luminous efficiency, low failure rate, and low light decay.
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Proper optic lens
The HMLs are installed at a height, so to efficiently illuminate the ground accurate beam angle needs to be chosen. Small beam angle has low uniformity but ground illumination is high, so great for HMLs.
As per the parameter guidelines, the luminance rate and uniformity depend on the space. The illumination needs differ from one venue to another. Therefore choose HML with different optical lenses. You can choose beam angles at 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and asymmetric spectrum.
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Proper IK rating
Impact Protection rating or IK rating is an international standard for electrical equipment used in a commercial and public environment. The HMLs are installed outdoor, so can get affected by humidity and waster. Besides, the light poles are high and can be affected by a thunderstorm, so make sure to check for IK and IP ratings.
Common applications of HMLs
HMLs have a great ability to supply illumination to large spaces, so can be used in numerous applications. The HML solution plays a huge role in allowing nighttime travel & transportation, sports activities, social gatherings, 24/7 industrial production, and security of properties [residential, industrial, commercial & public].
- Highways & interchanges
HMLs offer comprehensive panoramic views of intersections, roundabouts, cross works, and roadways as well as areas instantly beyond roadways. Drivers gain better visibility of approaching objects, fixed structures, and roadside obstacles. This visual comfort translates into improved safety of road traffic.
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Commercial parking lots
HMLs reduce shadows between the parked vehicles. Wide coverage with HMLs reduces pole density. It means the frequency to adapt to different vision state reduces. Install HMLs along the parking lot perimeter for minimum interference.
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Stadiums & outdoor fields
HML solutions offer even illumination, which helps the players to see their target and background clearly. Myriads of sports like cricket, football, baseball, golf, racing, soccer, etc. are hosted outdoors. The HMLs design and installation planning are comprised of different factors like light distribution, light blockage, television broadcast, and visual comfort.
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Airport aprons
Aprons include general aviation, commercial, cargo, and hangar. These need sufficient illumination to make sure that the aircraft is serviced safely. HMLs allow for optimum visibility, glare control, and luminance uniformity from several directions.
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Logistic terminals
Freight terminals are large areas where logistic activities are carried out. HMLs are great solutions to work in the terminals jammed with piled-up cargo containers. A raised light is needed to work on high piles of cargo containers that offer sufficient vertical brightness and reduces shadows.
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Industrial facilities
Oil depots, petroleum refineries, drilling rigs, and many industrial & manufacturing facilities use HML solutions to brighten the massive area for 24/7 operation.
