LED street lights for roads and parking lots
LED STREET LIGHTS FOR ROADS AND PARKING LOTS
A shopping centre parking lot or a factory yard is upgraded first with the right LED road lighting: as soon as the sun goes down, these spaces must stay safe for pedestrians and drivers. The old high-pressure sodium or mercury heads use a lot of energy and need replacing often. LEDCO offers pole-mounted fixtures, high-power floodlights and their brackets, canopy fixtures, wall packs, bollards and solar fixtures to light private roads and parking lots, from the pole to the footpath.
Survey the site before choosing: poles, lanes and spacing
For most parking lots, the fixture mounted at the top of a pole remains the basic solution: it lights the driving lanes and parking spaces from a height that limits the number of light points. To convert an existing installation as well as to equip a new lot, our LED pole lights form the foundation of the project. The first step is to record the type and height of the poles, the width of the lanes and the spacing between poles: these are the data that determine the wattage and the light distribution to choose.
Replacing a sodium head with LED street lights
In an existing lot, you generally keep the poles and the wiring and change only the head. The gain is twofold: consumption drops and lamp replacements disappear. Before ordering, photograph the current head and note the mounting (on an arm or a tenon) and the pole diameter; our team checks that the new LED road lighting fixture fits on it. For a single post light in front of a home or a small business, the LED outdoor post light page covers that need better.
LED floodlight 400W-450W-500W and brackets: large yards
In an industrial yard or a materials depot, you need to cover very large areas from just a few locations. The 400W-450W-500W LED floodlight, from our range of high-power LED floodlights, mounted high on a pole or on the building, broadly lights truck manoeuvring areas and outdoor storage zones. For a sports field next to the parking lot, the 300W to 600W sports field LED floodlight and its bigger siblings up to 1000W are also available. Brackets for LED floodlights complete the installation.
The zones of a parking lot and what lights them
A parking lot lighting plan is read zone by zone, because each zone has its own height and its own fixture:
- Driving lanes and parking spaces: the LED pole light, high enough to cover a wide area with no dark gap between two poles.
- Façades bordering the lot: the wall pack, which adds light without planting a pole.
- Pedestrian crossings and islands: the bollard, at human height, to guide without glare.
- Covered levels and canopies: the compact canopy fixture, which lights downward.
- Docks and manoeuvring areas: the high-power floodlight, mounted high and aimed.
LED canopy fixtures: covered and multi-level parking
Under a canopy, in a multi-level parking structure or in an underground garage, the ceiling is low and fixtures must stay compact while lighting a wide area. LED canopy fixtures mount to the ceiling and light the lanes, ramps and parking spaces below. They also suit drop-off areas, shelters for charging stations and covered building entrances.
Wall packs and bollards: the façades and the pedestrian path
The building walls that run along the parking lot are a natural place to add light without installing new poles. LED wall packs light the first rows of parking spaces, the sidewalks and the service entrances. Full cut-off models direct light toward the ground, which limits glare for drivers and light lost toward the sky or the neighbours; adjustable models can be aimed at a specific area.
Between the parking lot and the building entrance, pedestrians need clear guidance at human height. LED outdoor bollards mark the path along sidewalks, landscaped islands and pedestrian crossings. They complement the parking lot lighting by adding light where people are, close to the ground.
Solar LED fixtures: the far end of the lot with no conduit
Extending an electrical circuit to the far end of a parking lot, to the entrance of a private road or along a path often means digging and running conduit. Solar LED fixtures, including solar pole fixtures and solar bollards, light these places with no connection to the grid. For a small business parking lot, also see our LED parking lights page.
Technical tips for LED road lighting and parking lots
Survey the poles before talking watts. Height, spacing and lane width decide the wattage and the distribution.
A new head is checked against the pole. The weight, wind load and mounting method of the new street light must suit the pole in place.
Aim the light at the ground. A full cut-off or well-aimed fixture lights the parking spaces, not the sky or the windows across the street.
Plan for switching on at dusk. A photocell on the circuit turns the street lights on at nightfall and off at dawn, with no intervention.
Warmer light limits light pollution. It is a criterion that appears more and more often in Quebec municipal planning by-laws.
LED road lighting and parking lot FAQ
What wattage do LED street lights need?
There is no answer without the site: pole height, pole spacing and lane width determine the wattage and the distribution. Send us the parking lot plan with these measurements and we will propose a fixture and a spacing that avoid dark areas.
Can the existing poles be kept when switching to LED?
In most conversions, yes: you keep the poles and the wiring and replace the sodium or mercury heads. The mounting method and the condition of the pole need to be checked, then a compatible head is chosen.
How do you light a covered or underground parking garage?
With LED canopy fixtures mounted on the ceiling, compact and aimed downward. They light the lanes, ramps and parking spaces without eating into the clearance, and they make security camera images sharper.
What about the far end of the lot with no power?
Solar pole fixtures and solar bollards light it with no conduit and no trenching. They suit a parking lot expansion, a rest stop or the entrance to a private road, as long as they receive enough sun during the day.
Do light pollution by-laws change the choice of LED road lighting?
Yes: several municipalities require light directed toward the ground and a warmer tone. Full cut-off fixtures and proper aiming meet these requirements. To size your project, number of poles, wattage, mounting height and switching method, contact our team with your site plan.
