Lighting Towers
Lighting towers are portable lighting equipment that are used to shine light on vast areas typically located outdoors. They aid in night-time operations and are compact and light-weight enough that they can be easily transported to remote or hard-to-reach areas.
The earliest versions of lighting towers are in the form of lighthouses that were built near the different coastlines around the world. Not much different from lighting towers, these lighthouses functioned as navigational aid to seafarers during the night time. They also aimed to warn boats of potentially dangerous areas.
The idea to develop lighting towers came from the need to quickly and inexpensively illuminate the city streets during the night. This, then, led to the installation of moonlight towers or moon towers, which enveloped the towns in a moonlike glow.
Soon after, the technology from the internal combustion engine was used to make these moon towers into portable light towers that are still being used to this very day and remain to be critical equipment for work sites.
Types of Lighting Towers
Lighting towers are categorized into four types based on their main power source and base design, namely:
- Internal Combustion Engine-Powered – fueled by diesel, gas, or propane.
- Battery Powered – offers versatile power, recharging options and are highly portable.
- Solar Powered – has no need for generators and makes it possible to quickly move light sources. They usually offer 36 hours of continuous use and are essentially safer since they rid the workplace of gas fumes.
- Portable Lighting Towers – offers the most mobility out of all types as they are quick and easy to set up and transport. They can also generate light five times more than any fixed light tower while using the same amount of energy, although they do take some time to reach full intensity.
Lamps: Metal Halide vs. LED vs. Podlite LED
One important component of any lighting tower is the lamps or the light fixtures attached to the mast. A lighting towers lamp can be one of three things:
Metal Halide
Metal halide lamps were the first to be used for lighting towers due largely to the fact that they were the only technology available and able to provide sufficient light output with optimal size.
Metal halide lamps, though useful, had a lot of problems. For one, they took a long time to reach full illumination and needed to cool down before they could be switched back on. They also had breakage issues which occurred when they were towed along rough terrain or when the fixing system wasn’t properly designed. Finally, they were extremely bright to the point that they caused blindness to anyone who looked directly at them.
These issues needed to be resolved and it eventually led to the development of LED lamps.
LED Lamps
LED lamps were significantly more efficient than metal halide lamps. They needed less power to provide the same amount of light, making them more environmentally friendly. They were also much sturdier than metal halide lamps and had less downtime between illuminations.
The only thing LED lamps weren’t able to solve were the blinding properties of the metal halide lamps. In fact, they became even more so due to the use of magnifying lenses.
What finally solved this problem was the Podlite LED.
Podlite LED
This non-blinding lamp provides the same amount of light, only now it is less blinding and the risk to motorists is lowered. Additionally, since it uses LED technology, it doesn’t need to warm up or cool down after being switched on.
It is currently the safest light on the market, not only because it is non-blinding but also because it does not require any additional cooling. The fact that it requires no cooling gives it a weatherproof rating of IP66.
Other Applications of Lighting Towers
While commonly used for construction, lighting towers can be used for several other activities which include:
- Oilfield – Also called as the “patch.” Time is important in the oilfield. Mobile and portable lighting towers make it easier for workers to move, setup, and operate around the area.
- Pipeline – Sticking to a set timeline and project completion is critical in pipeline work and both can only be achieved with the aid of lighting towers.
- Mining Sites – Lighting towers at mining sites helps improve productivity and worker safety; they can also be used to direct pit traffic.
- Show and Events – It’s not hard to spot lighting towers during night-time events like sporting events or concerts. They are used to illuminate and enhance lighting for outdoor events.
When looking for lighting towers, always take its power source and lamp type into consideration. You should also know where and how it will be used.
Don’t hesitate to contact Multico if you have any queries regarding lighting towers! We’ll be more than happy to give you answers and help you with your search for the ideal lighting tower!