Discover How to Choose the Best LED Bulb for Effective Street Lighting

How to Choose the Best LED Bulb for Effective Street Lighting

To retrofit Metal Halide or High-Pressure Sodium street lamps with perfect bulbs, follow these steps:

Clients often inquire about the proper way to replace traditional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting. Here are some frequently asked questions:
– Which wattage of LED should replace HID? For instance, a 50-watt LED can replace a 150-watt SON, and a 100-watt LED can replace a 400-watt HPS.
– LED lights are significantly larger than traditional lamps. How can we integrate them into existing fixtures?
– What color temperature should I select to ensure uniformity with the original street lighting?
If you have similar questions, it’s likely you’ve chosen the wrong products for your street lighting project.
Every product on the market is tailored for a specific application, and no single product is suitable for all scenarios. Thus, it’s crucial to select the most appropriate product based on the project’s unique needs (fixtures) and requirements.
To make the right choice, consider several factors that should not be overlooked.

What type of bulbs are used in street lighting?

Street lighting comes in various types, such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), mercury vapor bulbs, high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, low-pressure sodium (LPS) lamps, and metal halide bulbs.

In recent years, as energy conservation efforts have intensified, governments have introduced a range of policies aimed at accelerating the transition from traditional light bulbs. Consequently, certain types of bulbs have become less common in the market. Today, we will focus on discussing three types of bulbs that are frequently used in street lighting: High Pressure Mercury lamps, High Pressure Sodium lamps, and Metal Halide lamps.

Install LED retrofits on street light fixtures.

Here is the list of traditional lamps with their lumen output and Lamp Lumen Maintenance Factor (LLMF) at 50% lumen output.

Street lamp bulb replacement- LED vs traditional lamp datasheet comparision:

Understanding these fundamental parameters greatly aids in selecting the right wattage.

The following replacement for HID uses LED corn bulbs with an E screw base. However, we cannot make a decision solely based on lumens. Several important factors need to be considered.

Nevertheless, this table should provide you with a rough estimate of the wattage range for LED bulbs compared to HID.

12w-54w most common use led bulbs replace CFL 18W to 105W; HPL 80w to 250w retrofit; SON 50w to150w replacement.

Lutous 30w-50w LED mostly used for post top retrofit HID from 80w to 125w.
180D LED bulbs 25w-55w retrofit HID 70W-250W used for cobra head fixture.

In the table above, you can see various types of LED bulbs that can replace different traditional lighting options.

And the same SON 150W, we can use
54w, 360 degrees, 120lm/w;
55w, 180 degrees, 120lm/w;
35w, 360 degrees, 135lm/w;
50w, 360 degrees, 135lm/w;
80w, 360 degrees, 135lm/w,
even 80w, 360 degrees, 160lm/w
But which lamp should we choose?

This related to what kind of street lighting fixture you used?

As mentioned earlier, No any product fits all, every product is developed for a specific application. So let’s see what kind of street lighting fixtures exisiting and which bulb is for your street lighting fixture?

How do I choose the right bulbs for my existing lighting fixture?

The AT-CON4 and AT-CON1B series, available in power ratings from 12W to 54W, is compatible with E26, E27, E39, and E40 screw bases.

**Features:**
1. A 360-degree beam angle with LEDs positioned at the bottom.
2. IP65 rated for waterproof protection.
3. Constructed with an aluminum body for effective heat dissipation and a longer lifespan.
4. Comes with a 5-year warranty.
5. Simple to replace and maintain.

**Applications:**
Ideal for gardens, courtyards, utility warehouse bulb replacements, and other outdoor settings.

**Compatible Fixtures:**
Suitable for both open and fully enclosed fixtures, typically round in shape such as bollard lights, wall light fixtures, buckheads, and hanging lights.

**Recommended Installation Height:** 3 meters.

The AT-CON5 Lotus series offers a range of lighting solutions from 30 watts to 50 watts, with optional E26, E27, E39, and E40 bases.

Key Features:

1. A 360-degree beam angle with no LEDs at the bottom.
2. IP65 rated for waterproofing.
3. An aluminum body ensures excellent heat dissipation and a longer lifespan.
4. Comes with a 5-year warranty.
5. Simple replacement and maintenance.

Applications: Ideal for outdoor settings such as gardens, courtyards, and parking lots, perfect for replacing traditional light bulbs.

Compatible Fixtures: Suitable for both open and fully enclosed fixtures, typically round in shape. The absence of LEDs at the bottom makes it a popular choice for projects focused on reducing light pollution, such as turtle-safe initiatives in the North and South markets.

In the European market, it is commonly used in rural wall installations, as shown in the accompanying image. The light is gentle, similar to a milky cover, and avoids creating shadows on the ground.

Recommended Installation Height: 2 to 3 meters.

The AT-CON6 series, available from 25W to 55W, is compatible with E26, E27, E39, and E40 screw bases.

Key Features:

1. 360-degree beam angle
2. IP42 rating, not waterproof
3. Aluminum body for efficient heat dissipation and extended lifespan
4. 5-year warranty
5. Simple replacement and maintenance

Ideal for:

– LED street light upgrades
– Parking lot illumination

Recommended Fixtures: Cobra head fixtures that direct light vertically downward to the ground

Suggested Installation Height: 3 to 5 meters

The AT-WYX series is a patented design from us, specifically developed for small street lighting fixtures that require high power.
To retrofit a 250W SON, we use 80W LED corn bulbs with market standard dimensions: D 133mm * H 302mm. These are too large for installation in the original small housing. Our product achieves 12,800 lumens while maintaining the same size as a 250W SON, making it an ideal retrofit solution.

Power options:
– 35W to 175W

Base types:
– E26/E27 for 35W, 50W, and 80W
– E39/E40 for 80W to 175W (adapter needed for E39/E40 base)

Key Features:
1. Compact size with high power output.
2. 175W model delivers up to 28,000 lumens, using Philips chips at 160 lumens per watt.
3. Light distribution matches that of the original SON/HPL/MHL installed in the fixture.
4. 360-degree beam angle, with LEDs positioned at the bottom.
5. Built-in fans assist with heat dissipation, making them essential for use in 100% enclosed fixtures.
6. Temperature protection ensures a long lifespan, reducing power to 60% in environments above 80°C.
Applications:
– Highway lighting
– Main street lighting
– Auxiliary roads
– Lantern-style street lights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiIyGaykT8Y

The listed retrofit LED features and applications for street light fixtures will likely give you more confidence in choosing the right model for your existing lighting. However, this is not enough for a perfect retrofit. The third crucial factor to consider is color temperature.

What color temperature is similar to that of traditional metal halide bulbs or high-pressure sodium lamps?

What is color temperature? What color do LEDs emit?

From Wikipedia: The color temperature is the measure of the color of light emitted by an ideal black body heated to a certain temperature in kelvins. For instance, the sun emits light at about 5,500 K, which is a white light. However, many light sources like fluorescent lamps and LEDs don’t emit light through heat, so they have a different measure called correlated color temperature (CCT).

This helps us understand what color of light they produce. For example:

Blue is associated with higher temperatures in the black-body theory, while red is linked to lower temperatures. This contrasts with the cultural perception where “red” is often considered “hot” and “blue” is seen as “cold.”

When illuminating the interiors of buildings, it’s crucial to consider the color temperature of the light. Warmer (lower color temperature) lighting is typically used in public spaces to encourage relaxation, whereas cooler (higher color temperature) lighting is employed to improve focus, such as in educational institutions and workplaces.

In the left image, the sodium light has a color temperature of 1700K, which appears orange, even slightly reddish. Common LED colors range from warm white at 3000K to cool white at 6500K.

Do you prefer the traditional color of a sodium lamp or the white light of LEDs? Can LEDs replicate the color effect of traditional lamps?

Yes, they can. LEDs create different color visions by adjusting the ratio of surface phosphors. For more information on various color temperatures, you can consult the following article: “Which color temperature is the ideal one for metal halide lamp retrofits: 1500K, 2000K, 2100K, 2200K, 2300K, or 3000K?”

How to install LED bulbs?

Step 1:
Remove ballast.

Step 2:
Reconnect lamp holder.

Step 3:
Install new LED lamp

How much do street lamp bulbs cost from Chinese manufacturers?

What is the lifespan of a street light bulb?

The primary advantage of LED lights is their long lifespan. Theoretical data suggests they can last up to 50,000 hours. This doesn’t imply that the bulbs stop working after this period, but rather they maintain 70% of their original brightness. They are typically usable for 5-10 years.

Summary 3 Steps to Choose the Best LED Bulbs for Street Lights

Step 1: Check your original bulbs model, power and lumen. Confirm LED watt to replace.

Step 2: Check your fixture shape, size and find best suitable led bulbs.

Step 3: Get to know what colors your project request.

Beileve you are confidenece with which bulbs you will use for your project if you finished this article. What are you looking for?