Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Security light

for our LNP project
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I know that many coop electric companies install and maintain private, residential security lights on telephone poles for a minimal monthly fee. Now that we have utility power on board, I asked if the option was available. Yes, it is...for power that is supplied overhead. Our underground service won't qualify. They do offer installation of a pole for about $300, but I have to install my own power feed and light unit.
OK; fine. We went ahead and laid in the underground 1" conduit to carry the power feed to the area where we would eventually put a security light. The remaining decisions are what type of pole and what type of security light to use.
Suggestions, thoughts, ideas...?

Brettski:

What do you want to secure by having light at night? Do you really need a pole or could the light be placed at the peak of one of the buildings, or by the dock?

Do you want the light to burn all the time, or do you want it to me motion activated?

Are you concerned with the color of the emitted light? (i.e. white or is yellowish acceptable?)

While our local electrical company will do the same, they use Metal Halide lights, and charge $7.00/month for the light. They are responsible for above ground wiring and maintenance of the light if it goes bad. The homeowner is responsible for the electric.

When I went to underground electric, I replaced the light with a high pressure sodium light. While it cost about the same amount as a years "rental" from NIPSCO, it doesn't use as much electricity, and has a bit less light pollution as well. I also have it on a switch, (still a dedicated circuit) while NIPSCO's light was turned off by having to turn off the circuit breaker.

Mine is mounted on an old telephone pole, but if the pole barn ever gets built, it will be mounted on it.

We're talkin' a light that activates by manual switch. It will be placed in a centralized area and cast enough light to allow movement within an area of approx 100 ft radius. This will dictate a pole to elevate it high enough. How do you (easily) change a bulb when it's way the heck up on a pole?
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I imagine we will likely lean to sodium. The yellow and red light spectrums don't bother me. I was considering a CFL, but doubt the lumens will be sufficient without using big wattage. It sounds like sodium is the long lasting, highest lumen/watts, economical choice.
s'truth?

100' radius? I think you're talking of a bigger light than what I put up. I forget what wattage mine is, it came from Lowes and ran right around $100.00. Mine is 13' to the bottom of the light off of the ground, and while it illuminates objects 100' away, I think it's most effective within a 50'-75' radius. Mine is on a telephone pole, but there is a horizontal telephone pole on top of that post, tied to another telephone post sunk into the ground about 15' away, so it's easy to put a ladder up there. It's on from dusk to dawn, the bulb is 2 1/2 years old and still going.

Bski:

We have one on an ex-telephone pole and a couple dozen mounted on and inside barns. Our standard model is a 175W mercury vapor, but one is a 75W high pressure sodium. They throw about the same amount of light, although it's hard to read the newspaper with sodium.

These are all dusk-to-dawn models with photocells that only turn them on at night. Photocells go bad faster than bulbs if the light isn't used every night (doesn't sound like that would pertain to you). I've had maybe 2 bulbs go bad in 20+ years.

If mounted 15-20 feet up, one of these will throw enough light to see dark colored horses a couple of hundred yards away.

If you can get one mounted way up on a round pole, changing the bulb is a piece of cake. Tie the ladder off to the pole at the top first thing.

P.S. Have you considered mounting them on the gable ends of the apt-garage?

Yeah, but I wouldn't get the coverage I seek. The pole/light would go directly between the gar/apt and the boat dock/launch. If it could cast good light within 50 feet and decent light out to 100 feet, I would have an ideal, central location that would utilize the entire illuminated periphery.
I don't need to read the paper, but need ambiant lighting to aid in movement and localized travel.

Just a thought .. My neighbor 500yds away from my house & apx 250 yds from my pond put in a dusk to dawn mercury vapor light that is southwest of me. It comes on just at sunset. Ruins the beautiful sunsets we used to enjoy over our pond.
I like having a light when it's needed but like it dark when it's suppose to be dark. Now I have no choice in the matter. My pond is lighted somewhat whether I like it or not.
Personally I don't think they add security unless the entire area is lighted enough to eliminate shadows. IMO they give just enough light to give someone unfamiliar with the area the ability to move in the shadows without bumping into something & making noise.
I have a 150w HPS light 30' up on the end of my house overlooking the basement. It's been there 20+ yrs & used frequently when working at night. I like the light they give off but be warned HPS will distort some colors esp. red if that's important.