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Why haven't streetlights been replaced with alternative LED Lights?

R

RIGorous1

Platinum Member
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp
and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
 
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this link">http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp</a> and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
Click to expand...
Streetlights need high visibility, and LEDs don't have a wide enough beam for this. LEDs are good for directional purposes (i.e. signs, indicators, etc.) but don't have a wide beam spread. Fluorescents and halogens are much, MUCH better for this purpose.
 
it will take time

i think they are still big $ and it also costs labor to change them out

give it 5-10 years
 
Who's in charge of the street lights? Government....they tend to move slow with things like this.
 
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this link">http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp</a> and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
Click to expand...
Streetlights need high visibility, and LEDs don't have a wide enough beam for this. LEDs are good for directional purposes (i.e. signs, indicators, etc.) but don't have a wide beam spread. Fluorescents and halogens are much, MUCH better for this purpose.
Click to expand...

You are right, but I was thinking about the replacement m-400 LED lights that Ledtronics (see the link) makes. Do you think that light could be a good enough replacement for a street light? it says 650 lumens total.... but I don't know if that is enough.
 
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this link">http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp</a> and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
Click to expand...
Streetlights need high visibility, and LEDs don't have a wide enough beam for this. LEDs are good for directional purposes (i.e. signs, indicators, etc.) but don't have a wide beam spread. Fluorescents and halogens are much, MUCH better for this purpose.
Click to expand...

You are right, but I was thinking about the replacement m-400 LED lights that Ledtronics (see the link) makes. Do you think that light could be a good enough replacement for a street light? it says 650 lumens total.... but I don't know if that is enough.
Click to expand...
they are replacing them all in austin. the LED ones are SO much brighter. i fully support the transition.
 
Yeah, around here, we've had a few sets for quite some time now, with more and more getting switched.

Royal Oak even got those silly walk-timers that I had never seen before...I think LA or NYC has them too, one of the big metros.
 
Here in NYC, street lamps and crossing signs have made the changeover to LEDS. They are very bright (can't miss em) and a welcome change from their light bulb counterparts. I think by having a whole bunch of them, when one fails, you still have others to stay lit (I've seen a few where there were several dead LEDs, but at least the whole sign wasn't taken out).
 
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this link">http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp</a> and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
Click to expand...
Streetlights need high visibility, and LEDs don't have a wide enough beam for this. LEDs are good for directional purposes (i.e. signs, indicators, etc.) but don't have a wide beam spread. Fluorescents and halogens are much, MUCH better for this purpose.
Click to expand...

why not fire the light backwards into a big lense to spread out the light?
 
..Ive noticed signals now have large cluster LED's..but they're not holding up very well. Some of em have half or more of the cluster burned out or dimly lit and flickering. I suspect they are overdriven. But they were very bright when first installed..street lights..I don't know if the LED technology is up to that level yet. But here in the bayarea most signals are large cluster LED assy's.
 
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
Hi all,

I was thinking about how some traffic lights now use LEDs now (as opposed to what, I don't know), and I wondered hrm... why not move on to LED street lights. They supposedly last for 100,000 hours vs 24,000 (high pressure sodium), and they reduce light pollution. Cost wise I found this link">http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/SLT002/default.asp</a> and found that in 5 years the LED light will pay for itself in energy savings. I read some article that said that LED lights are brighter but this light produces 650 Lumens (??), so I'm wondering how bright that is? Is LED lights worth it? Maybe more will hop the bandwagon when the initial cost goes down?


Thanks for any ideas.

Rig
Click to expand...
Streetlights need high visibility, and LEDs don't have a wide enough beam for this. LEDs are good for directional purposes (i.e. signs, indicators, etc.) but don't have a wide beam spread. Fluorescents and halogens are much, MUCH better for this purpose.
Click to expand...

With the right reflectors, they can overcome that problem.

 
Originally posted by: RIGorous1
For those who have seen the LED streetlights: anyone want to comment on the comparative brightness and beam width?
Click to expand...
noticeably brighter imo
easier to see from an angle as well

 
They have converted most of the lights in my area to LED. However, the yellow lights are still incandescent. I guess yellows must be more expensive or less reliable than red or green.

BTW, if it hasn't already been mentioned, the reason for changing to LEDs by municipalities is because of the high cost of sending out crews every 1-2 years to replace the lights rather than 10 for LEDs.
 
Most of the Signal lights here have been switched over to LED. They help save the city more money in electricity than it cost to purchase.
 
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