Exterior lighting has undergone a revolution since the invention of LED lights. Today’s outside lights are superior in almost every way to their counterparts of only a decade ago. Users are seeing huge cost savings as well as brighter, safer environments. Whether it’s a new build or a retrofit, LED lights—shoeboxes, wall packs, floodlights, and more—are the shining answer. First, let’s review how LED lights can improve your exterior lighting.
Benefits of Exterior Lighting
Safety and Security: The top reason to install the best LED lights is the safety of workers, residents, or visitors.
Bright and reliable light helps prevent crime in parking lots and other outdoor spaces.
This light also helps improve the effectiveness of security cameras.
Building owners benefit, as well; exterior lighting deters vandalism, theft, and other property crimes. In short, the return on investment for security lighting is beyond measure.
Good lighting and visibility can also help people avoid slips, falls, and other accidents, especially in regions affected by snow or ice.
Paths, loading areas, and parking lots that are well lit keep people healthy as well as safe and secure.
Better and Brighter Lights: Today’s exterior LED lights are quantifiably better than previous technologies. Many of these older models are still around, including metal halide and high-pressure sodium lights. Simply put: LED lights provide more light for less energy. These lights come in a wide array of wattages, but, no matter the size of the LED light, it requires a fraction of the energy of an older light. This number is sometimes called the wattage replacement. For example, a 250 watt (W) metal halide light—perhaps used over an entrance or on an outside wall—can be replaced by an LED light that only uses 100W of power.
Today’s LED light fixtures are as bright or brighter than those less efficient older technologies, as well. Brightness is measured in lumens (lm), and comparing lumens per watt shows you the advantages in raw numbers. An LED light such as the IntrinsiX Comet Mini floodlight produces 6,250lm of white light while using only 50W of power (125lm/W). A comparable metal halide light might only produce 75lm/W.
Furthermore, LED exterior lights provide the perfect brightness level and color-corrected temperature (CCT) for outdoor use. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). Outdoor applications usually call for a bright white light, which is often around 5,000K.
Cost Savings: Another major reason building owners love exterior LED lights is the savings they provide. Because these lights use so much less energy than previous types, the long-term savings of switching to LED are substantial. During times of high energy costs, this efficiency is especially valuable.
Maintenance costs are also far lower for LED lights. The lifespan of a typical LED light today is around 50,000 hours. This means that a light could potentially outlive an owner or even a building. (The reliability of these lights is reflected in the 50,000-hour Warranty offered by Duralec on its LED’s.) A long lifespan means an end to service calls. Replacing bulbs on parking light poles—the classic shoebox light—has always been a costly and annoying task. LED lights mean no more bucket trucks.
The advanced lighting controls (ALC) available today also provide a new source of savings. LED lights from Duralec come wired for these controls. The ability to program lights using ALC—sometimes called networked lighting controls (NLC)—ensures that exterior lights only come on when needed. Smart controls promise even deeper savings with LED lights.
Flexibility: Exterior LED light fixtures are available for every application—parking lots, entrances, loading docks, tunnels, paths, and more. A variety of adapters allows you to plug in new LED lights into existing connections. New lights use standard connections like the Zhaga Book 18 socket or Z10 base. Numerous mounting options—pole mounts, wall mounts, trunnion mounts, knuckle mounts, and more—ensure that an LED light can go anywhere you need it.
Retrofits are easy (and profitable) with today’s LED lights. For example, the IntrinsiX corn light screws directly into a common E26 base. More powerful corn light bulbs use an easy adapter. This low-wattage light could feasibly replace an older bulb that used 1000W.
Today’s LED lights also come with strong weatherproof ratings, guaranteeing the light will work from the desert to the arctic. This rating is called the IP rating, short for ingress protection. An IP65 rating protects against the incursion of solids like dust or insects, as well as against rain and moisture. The IP66 rating goes a bit further; it protects against those solids as well as against heavy rain. Wall packs often feature an IP65 rating, while street lights or parking lot lights usually feature an IP66 rating.
The Next Generation of Exterior Lighting from IntrinsiX
Exterior lighting fixtures are getting brighter, more efficient, and more attractive every year. Below are some examples of LED lights from IntrinsiX that are revolutionizing outdoor lighting.
The Comet—The Shoebox Light of the Future
The IntrinsiX Comet is an LED parking lot or area light that combines great aesthetics and the latest technology and efficiency. The sleek shape looks stunning in all settings and is fit for commercial or industrial areas. The IntrinsiX Comet is available in five different power levels, from 100W to 300W. Due to its cutting edge diodes, these wattages generate between 15,000 and 45,000 lumens, respectively.
That efficiency means your cost per lumen is amazingly low. The cost savings of the IntrinsiX Comet will accrue quickly and last for the extremely long life of the fixture. Its IP66 rating means the unit will survive the harshest conditions. Plus, there is a 10 year, 50,000 hour warranty. The ability to connect IntrinsiX Comet lights to networked lighting controls promises another level of cost savings. These smart controls could guarantee that the lights only operate when needed.
The Comet offers a variety of light distributions and mounting options (including a slip fitter pole mount, square and round pole mount, and a trunnion T-bar pole mount). The DLC-listed light also has built-in surge protection and optional dimming.
The Comet Mini—The Perfect LED Floodlight
The Comet Mini from IntrinsiX brings the advanced technology and modern look of the Comet to a floodlight. Perfect for a loading dock or an entryway or countless other indoor/outdoor applications, the Comet Mini produces up to 6,250 lumens while using a fraction of the power of previous lights. Its three power options—from 15 to 50W—give users the flexibility to flood a wide variety of spaces with light.
The IntrinsiX Comet Mini has a high waterproof rating—IP65—and can be mounted with either a knuckle or trunnion mount. The DLC-listed Mini promises years of inexpensive, unfading light, whether it’s mounted indoors or outdoors.
The Eclipse—The Full Cut Wall Pack
The Eclipse from IntrinsiX is the leading wall pack LED light for exterior security and visibility. The full cut design delivers optimal light with unprecedented efficiency. Available in 48W, 60W, and 80W, the wall-mounted LED light consumes a fraction of the energy of non-LED lights with zero flickering or humming.
A powerful wall pack is ideal for making an area safe and secure for workers and visitors. A full cutoff shape ensures a downward light dispersion that is broad and effective. The Eclipse’s IP65 rating and long lifespan guarantee that the light stays on no matter the weather conditions. Yet another advantage is how easy it is to install. The Eclipse goes up with a basic wall mount and a 100-277V input.
The Eclipse Semi Cut—The Semi Cutoff Wall Pack
This semi-cutoff version of the IntrinsiX Eclipse offers all of the advantages of the full cut wall pack while giving a more forward-shining angle. The semi-cut model also offers a 100W option, in addition to 48W, 60W, and 80W.
All wattage levels deliver more than 115 lumens per watt (lm/w), meaning that the fixture is best-in-class for efficiency and cost savings.
The Eclipse Mini—The Small But Mighty Wall Pack
The Eclipse Mini from IntrinsiX is the perfect LED light for an entrance, a courtyard, or a pathway. Requiring only 15W, 20W, or 30W, this exterior light delivers far more lumens per watt (1,950-3,900lm/W) than its non-LED predecessors. A photocell is standard equipment, allowing the light to adjust to daylight and to turn on automatically and only when needed.
The sleek appearance of the Mini means it looks great no matter the style of the building. Its 110-degree viewing angle is optimal for attractive area lighting.
The SOFCAN Canopy Retrofit—Taking Your Soffit to the Next Level
The SOFCAN canopy retrofit is the kit from IntrinsiX that turns non-LED soffit lights into an attractive, efficient canopy. The large (15”x15”) beauty plates make it simple to replace older lights and to cover up the previous holes. The installation is easy, and the look is flush and seamless.
The SOFCAN retrofit provides a selectable-wattage light. The 20W, 30W, and 40W levels produce 2,800lm, 4,200lm, and 5,600lm, respectively. This flexibility allows you to choose whatever power level you need and nothing more. The long-term cost savings of an LED soffit light are enormous. Not only does the fixture use vastly less energy than metal halide or high-pressure sodium lights, the LED light also lasts many times longer, ending the need for maintenance costs and inconveniences.
The SOFCAN canopy retrofit is UL-listed as well as DLC Premium listed. It promises a 50,000 hour lifespan and has a 5-year warranty.
Contact Duralec Today
Exterior lighting is seeing a renaissance with the proliferation of LED lighting fixtures. For recommendations or assistance, feel free to reach out to a Duralec expert today.