HID Bollard Lights Vs. LED Bollard Lights

 

Bollard lights are a type of lighting fixture that is commonly used to illuminate pathways and landscapes for pedestrian use and safety.  These pathway lights are typically round or square post style fixtures two to four feet high that project light horizontally and/or downward to provide necessary lighting for walkways.

Most existing pathway lighting bollards utilize high intensity discharge (HID) lamps such as metal halide, high pressure sodium, and if they are very old, mercury vapor lamps. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) can also be found in non-LED bollard lights as well.

 

Why are Bollard Lights Important to Landscape?

Bollard lighting fixtures are popular lighting architectural elements widely used in both contemporary and classic projects. Their flexible variety makes them usable in many applications.

Bollard lights improve the aesthetics of the area.

They increase the safety and protection of the area by providing consistent illumination throughout the place.

These lights are an excellent way to brighten up the garden areas, steps, driveways, car parks, etc.

 

What Are Some Common Issues with HID Bollard Lights?

HID or High-Intensity Discharge Bollard lights are the older generations of LED lights. These are getting replaced by LED Bollard that is made up of modern technology. HID Lights are still in use, and here we will discuss some problems they pose with you. All HID lamps have some inherent characteristics that can lead to issues for those managing the exterior lighting applications.

Energy Costs

Common (HID) lamp wattages used for outdoor bollard fixtures range from 50 watts to 150 watts. The higher the wattage the higher the light output. The function of the area being illuminated, combined with the quantity, spacing, and height of the pathway light fixture plays a role in the existing wattages that are utilized.  A 70w or 150w HID bollard light (very common wattages for outdoor pathway lighting) can cost up to $45 and $95, respectively, to operate per lamp, per year, in electricity costs alone.

Lighting Performance

Depending on the type of HID lamp your facility utilizes, the performance characteristics of your pathway lighting can vary significantly.  For example, if you are using metal halide lamps you may see light that is “whiter," but these types of lamps tend to have accelerated lumen degradation, meaning the light output of the lamps decrease quickly after initial install, and as a result the overall lifetime of the lamp decreases (we have all seen those bollard light fixtures that have “pink” lamps that are barely providing any illumination on the ground).  If you are using high pressure sodium you may see longer “useful” life as these lamps see less lumen degradation than metal halide, but their fuel structure produces a very “orange” light with a very low color rendering index.  So basically you trade a longer life for a poorer quality light, in regards to visual perspective with HPS.

Maintenance Costs

Maintenance costs are often a big concern for outdoor walkway applications such as HID bollard lights.  In addition to the potential lamp lifetime concerns, bollard light fixtures, being commonly mounted into concrete walkways on pedestrian or parking lot pathways, can easily cause interference with the day to day activities of customers or employees when changing out a lamp or a ballast.  It can easily cost up to $400 in labor and material to maintain a single exterior bollard fixture over the course of three years.

 

 

What Are the Benefits of LED Bollard Lights?

If you are looking for lights to brighten up your area or for a business opportunity, then LED bollard lights are the right choice. There are many benefits apart from being elegant and stylish. LED has revolutionized the industry with its brightness, longevity, and economics. Here are some benefits for you to consider that will help you make up your mind.

Save Your Money!

Saving money is always on the list of things to consider before buying any lighting product. LED Bollard can save you a lot on your resources.

Why is that? Because every lighting product has two major costs, apart from the initial purchasing cost. One is the operating cost, and the other is the maintenance cost. LEDs usually come in low voltages and run on lesser power than conventional HID lamps.

Since bollard light needs to light up throughout the night, the lesser power consumption saves a lot on bills. These LEDs can work up to 50000+ hours which significantly reduces the maintenance cost of the product. Both these factors contribute a lot in the long run and will prove beneficial for your project.

Improve The Efficiency and Performance

The new, improved LED Bollard lights are 90% more efficient than old lamps, and their performance far exceeds previous technology. They emit less heat, consume less electricity, and produce more lumens which are very green for the environment.

LED Bollard lights have robust structures that can withstand harsh outdoor weather. This technology also gives room for customization, which will allow you to design the lights according to your requirement. These fantastic lights have so many benefits with barely any drawbacks.

Reduce Maintenance

LEDs can save you a lot of time and money on the product’s replacement and maintenance cost. An old HID, or Halide lamps burned out quickly and cost a lot in labor and spare parts. Since LED bollard lights can last up to 50000+ hrs, the labor cost is reduced. The expensive initial fee covers up quickly over the year in terms of savings on bills and maintenance without compromising light quality.

 

We are an LED Bollard Lights supplier, please feel free to contact us if you need them!