Work safety begins with proper lighting, particularly when the project involves construction, demolition, mining, or remote operation. Fortunately, industrial light towers offer a fantastic solution. This mobile equipment involves using several high power lamps mounted on a sturdy mast, providing portability, so you can transport, deploy, and adjust the lighting with the minimal disruption. Proper lighting can increase site safety, facilitate monitoring to reduce illegal activities, and provide uninterrupted illumination. There are two types of lighting technologies; metal halide and LED. Metal halide lighting towers have been around for many years, so why should you choose LED? Here we’ll explore the benefits of LED lighting towers, so you can make an informed decision for your lighting tower hire.
The Metal Halide Basics
In order to appreciate the benefits of LED lighting towers, you need to know a little about the other option, metal halide. As the name suggests, metal halide lighting towers rely on metal halide lamps for illumination. These feature high intensity discharge lamps to generate light. This requires gases and metal halide salts to produce intense light. This reaction does produce heat, so the ends of the lighting tubes are coated with ceramic. Approximately 75 percent of the energy produced by the lamp makes heat, leaving only 25 percent to produce light, so they are not the most efficient option. Additionally, the lighting warm up process can take up to 15 minutes to achieve 90 percent of the maximum output.
Metal halide lighting has a typical lifespan of 20,000 hours, which is longer than incandescent lights, but this is not as long as LED.
LED Lighting Towers
LED lighting towers have increased in popularity in recent years. LED lamps use chips rather than toxic chemicals, glass, and filaments to produce light. This creates energy savings of up to 40 percent compared to traditional lighting. These lamps can achieve up to 80 percent efficiency, compared to the 50 percent offered with metal halide units.
Additionally, while metal halide lamps need reflectors to maximise light radiation and prevent loss, LEDs do not. This means that fewer watts are needed to produce the same levels of light. This results in less power needed during operation.
LED lighting tower hire also requires less demanding maintenance compared to metal halide lighting. LEDs have a lifespan of over 50,000 hours, and failures are usually related to power supply issues rather than bulb failure. NC Hire provides the best quality of light tower hire for your needs.
The Advantages of LED
LED industrial lighting technology offers numerous benefits and advantages. Unlike a metal halide tower, LED towers can be instantly toggled. There is no need to wait around during stat up, with operators having the option to toggle the lighting any time during the project. This provides greater flexibility as operators can adjust the lighting conditions at any time without delays. Additionally, full power is almost immediately achieved.
LED is also considered more eco friendly. In addition to cutting down energy costs, these fixtures do not use mercury, lead, or other toxic chemicals to produce light. This makes these lights safer to use on a job site, lowering the risks of health related issues due to accidents in the workplace.
LED lighting towers are also easier to transport, even over rugged terrain. These towers can be quickly set up, making them flexible for different types of worksites.
Create a Lighting Plan for Your Lighting Tower Hire
Now you’ve determined that LED lighting tower hire is the best option for your job site, it is a good idea to develop a lighting plan, so you can determine your requirements. Fortunately, this can be a straightforward process with the following steps:
Determine the Lighting Levels and Work Activities: You will need to identify what work activities require illumination. So, you will need to understand the work processes on site. Some activities will require brighter lighting than others, so designate the high priority lighting areas that will require additional towers rather than just relying on the ambient light.
Determine the Work Zone Area: Now you know which tasks need special illumination, you can define the lighting area of the work zone. This can be done by drawing the project area on a layout to show the location of the workers and equipment. Ensure that this layout includes locations of key items.
Field Check Your Design: Once you have installed your lighting plan, you will need to activate the lighting to field check the design. Walk through the work zone and check that lighting is adequate and glare is controlled.
Finalise Your Lighting Layout: Once you have reviewed your work area and field check, you can implement any necessary adjustments.
Questions to Ask Before You Finalise Your Lighting Tower Rental
Before you make a final decision and agree a rental contract, there are some questions to ask to ensure that you have chosen the best model for your project.
Do you need light and power? Light towers provide light, but you also need to consider your power requirements. In some situations, you may need a generator to supply additional power. If space is limited, a lighting tower, generator combination may be preferable to save space.
How long will you need lighting? You also need to consider how long you will need to light your job site. If you need to run the lighting for a prolonged period, you will need a tower with a large, efficient fuel tank that can provide a longer run time. Some lighting towers can offer up to 70 hours of lighting, depending on the site conditions for consistent results.
Are there any lighting restrictions? Some projects in residential areas have restrictions for lighting. Your choice of lighting towers may be limited to ensure compliance with the local regulations. If you would like to learn more about LED lighting towers and are considering LED lighting tower hire, be sure to speak to us. The Generators Australia team would be delighted to discuss your requirements to help you choose the best lighting tower rental for your project.
