Illuminating a flagpole...

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ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
I would like to install a well light for a flag pole to keep a lawn in front of a business free of ugly floodlights on pedistals, it seems like most places that have well lights just abandon them after a while, anyone have much experiance with well lights?
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
A little, it seems to be a very tough application to keep up and running.

I guess what I have learned is do not go cheap, buy the best fixtures you can, might as well buy some spare parts at the same time.

I would also suggest digging deeper then you need and placing crushed stone under and to the sides of the fixture to help drainage. It might be wise to make the area a bit crowned up so the fixture is not trying to work like a storm drain.
 
ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
my only experiance with well lights has been taking a shop vac and sucking the water out of them, and trying to silicone the lens so it doesnt leak, but they have all been made of aluminum and been in the ground for thirty years or so, new ones are made of fiberglass or plastic, I dont know if that is better or worse....
 
P

pbeasley

Senior Member
Location
Orange County, CA (for now)
ultramegabob said:
I would like to install a well light for a flag pole to keep a lawn in front of a business free of ugly floodlights on pedistals, it seems like most places that have well lights just abandon them after a while, anyone have much experiance with well lights?
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Alot on the specifier AND end user side. As has been said, don't go cheap. Hydrel and Kim are 2 I would recommend right off. Follow the mfg instructions and you should get 10-30 years needing only normal repairs (lamp/ballast) depending on conditions.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
If you install well lights, get them on an annual PM contract!!

This will involve you removing the glass each year, removing and mitigating any water and insect infiltration, evaluating lamp and ballast condition, lubricating lampholder, greasing and replacing the gasket, cleaning the lens, and putting it all back together with anti-seize on the assembly hardware. These well lights, regardless of what the manufacturer says, are not a maintenance free affair.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
220/221 said:
Use a $12 landscape well light with a 12V, 50W VNSP lamp.

Simple, effective and inexpensive.
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If that is what the customer is looking for I would do that, if they want it to last more then a year I would not.

We have this thing called winter up here and it raises heck with equipment.
 
jerm

jerm

Senior Member
Location
Tulsa, Ok
220/221 said:
Use a $12 landscape well light with a 12V, 50W VNSP lamp.
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Hope the flag isn't on a 60' pole. That 50w light isn't going to do much illuminating at any reasonable height.
 
S

satcom

Senior Member
iwire said:
A little, it seems to be a very tough application to keep up and running.

I guess what I have learned is do not go cheap, buy the best fixtures you can, might as well buy some spare parts at the same time.

I would also suggest digging deeper then you need and placing crushed stone under and to the sides of the fixture to help drainage. It might be wise to make the area a bit crowned up so the fixture is not trying to work like a storm drain.
Click to expand...

Good advice, we have one in town, that was installed correct and a decent fixture, it was put in in the 70's and is still working, quality sure pays.
 
H

HighWirey

Senior Member
Location
Cocoa, Florida, USA
ultramegabob said:
I would like to install a well light for a flag pole to keep a lawn in front of a business free of ugly floodlights on pedistals, it seems like most places that have well lights just abandon them after a while, anyone have much experiance with well lights?
Click to expand...

If you have a good relationship with your supply house, talk to their lighting rep. That rep may even have some new wrinkles on an old subject. That is what he is there for, he makes money on onezies and twozies, too.

Don't be afraid, they don't bite. And you may even get a free hat . . .
 
ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
220/221 said:
Use a $12 landscape well light with a 12V, 50W VNSP lamp.

Simple, effective and inexpensive.
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not an option in this case, the power is already ran to the location, and no place to hide a transformer, and I dont think a low voltage light would be bright enough for a 25 to 30 ft flag pole....
 
2

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
75 watt electronic transformer???

A 12V vnsp will shoot up an impressive 35 foot beam. It's all about the reflector design.
 
R

R Bob

Senior Member
Location
Chantilly, VA
mdshunk said:
If you install well lights, get them on an annual PM contract!!

This will involve you removing the glass each year, removing and mitigating any water and insect infiltration, evaluating lamp and ballast condition, lubricating lampholder, greasing and replacing the gasket, cleaning the lens, and putting it all back together with anti-seize on the assembly hardware. These well lights, regardless of what the manufacturer says, are not a maintenance free affair.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what they do with airport runway lighting.
 
S

shockin

Senior Member
I hate well lights with a passion. I am convinsed there is no such thing as a water tight well light. Even if it was water tight to outside condition, the water condences on the bottom of the lens and drips in the fixture. If you do install them, I always use an arangement of three fixtures at 120 degrees apart to light a flag pole. Good Luck.
 
D

danickstr

Senior Member
If someone made a truly airtight light, and put desiccant inside, maybe that would work. the heat and cooling condensation issue seems to foil the majority of the installs, as is mentioned above.
 
D

danickstr

Senior Member
it's funny because there are 400 dollar lights, and I am sure they develop condensate and bug bodies like the rest of them, over time. I wonder if there is one with a venting system on the side, that keeps out bugs and dirt, but lets the light breathe.
 
electricalperson

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
danickstr said:
it's funny because there are 400 dollar lights, and I am sure they develop condensate and bug bodies like the rest of them, over time. I wonder if there is one with a venting system on the side, that keeps out bugs and dirt, but lets the light breathe.
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ive put in lights that cost 500+ dollars and they all become an insect breeding ground in no time. i never seen a light that was 100% watertight. actually ANY box/light etc installed outside eventually becomes filled with water and unwanted friends. its probably watertight for a certain time and thats it. im sure a little cleaning and gasket replacement every now and then will extend the lights life
 
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