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

[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 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

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.

 

[Rent]

They actually have in some places (here in DFW they're slowly changing all of them).

 

[FoBoT]

it will take time

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

give it 5-10 years

 

[Queasy]

Who's in charge of the street lights? Government....they tend to move slow with things like this.

 

[Anubis]

because of the cost to change them all
also as jumper said LED light is too direct

 

[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

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.

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.

 

[RIGorous1]

Originally posted by: Rent
They actually have in some places (here in DFW they're slowly changing all of them).

Really? do they suck? is the beam not wide enough as jumpr suggested?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

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

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.

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.

they are replacing them all in austin. the LED ones are SO much brighter. i fully support the transition.

 

[EvilYoda]

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.

 

[Antoneo]

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).

 

[alien42]

politics and red tape

 

[RIGorous1]

For those who have seen the LED streetlights: anyone want to comment on the comparative brightness and beam width?

 

[RIGorous1]

does anyone know how bright 650 lumens is?

 

[deftron]

650 lumens is less bright than the average 60 watt light bulb

 

[GRIFFIN1]

we still have oil burning lamps here in Lousiana.

 

[thomsbrain]

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

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.

why not fire the light backwards into a big lense to spread out the light?

 

[jst0ney]

What are alternative LED's? Are there grunge LED's?

 

[IGBT]

..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.

 

[trmiv]

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

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.

With the right reflectors, they can overcome that problem.

 

[OverVolt]

The answer is simple, it would make it harder for NINJAS to hide and sneak around. There are ninjas everywhere.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: RIGorous1
For those who have seen the LED streetlights: anyone want to comment on the comparative brightness and beam width?

noticeably brighter imo
easier to see from an angle as well

 

[Doggiedog]

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.

 

[Adul]

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.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: GRIFFIN1
we still have oil burning lamps here in Lousiana.

Whale or coal oil?