The year of 2017 brings along more advancements in the commercial lighting space. And in a world in which things are changing so rapidly with lighting technology in virtually every way, it can be difficult to get everything you need to know in one place. For this reason, we’ve created this post in hopes of helping you get a rough guideline of the actual stadium lighting costs for the current year, 2017. Along with that, giving you the outlets to research more on the topic and get you one step closer to getting the most efficient and ROI focused technology illuminating your fields.

This post will be broken into two parts; the typical costs associated with the physical light itself and everything related to buying stadium lights. Secondly, the typical costs to powering your lights and how certain technologies may save you more money than others and how you can go about getting the highest return on investment when choosing a lighting technology and brand to go with.

To start off, we are going to cover the technical terminology of stadium lighting.

Firstly, stadium lighting is the simple term for high mast lighting. other technical terms, there are far too many to cover here. But, we think you should know the definition of lumens as we will be using it quite often. To explain, a Click here to view more about the pros and cons of both and which one is better for you.

All in all, it is too variable to give a definitive price to all situations. Keep in mind though, that a comparable LED fixture could cost double but, cut energy consumption by nearly 75% in some cases.

Since we seriously believe LED is the best option for stadiums and sports fields to illuminate their place, we are going to use that as our example (and recommendation).

Let’s keep it simple so you can use our example to get a rough idea what it will cost to run your lights.

Let’s say you have 10 lights. Currently, your high masts are metal halide and use 1,500 watts per fixture. Now, let’s say you are looking for a more efficient technology and you come across LED. You find a comparable light which will output the same amount of light (or lumens), and only consumes 400 watts per fixture.

In total, the metal halide lights are consuming 15,000 watts in total (when in use) and the LEDs would (if chosen) be using only 5,000 watts. That is 3 times less energy, which can lead to some great savings. This reduction from 1,500 watts to 500 watts per fixture is the exact reason fields both small and large fields are converting to LED over other technologies like metal halide and HPS.

For example, we often find that fields that convert to LED with us from metal halide or HPS high mast pole lights realize a payback of their investment in as little as 1 year. Additionally, since LEDs last much longer they get to realize these cost savings for much longer and thus; a much higher ROI over the lifespan of the light.

Additionally, since LEDs last longer they enjoy an additional benefit of less maintenance requirements. This allows more cost savings as an indirect benefit of LED high mast lighting.

Tips for Reducing Costs

We hope this post has answered your questions regarding most sports field lighting costs, if not, either use our contact information above or leave a comment below and a commercial lighting professional will personally reply to your questions and input.

Solar power is something many people automatically assume is not right for them. There are some misconceptions out there about what it means to rely on solar power versus the power provided by the electric company. 20 to 30 years ago, living off the grid was reserved for those who wanted to be completely independent in some desolate area. Times have changed and solar power is becoming a very affordable option for those who live in the suburbs as well as the outskirts of town. All that you need is a little knowledge and an electrician. Santa Monica residents can do some research to learn more about solar panels and how they work and then give The Electric Connection a call to learn more about the installation process.

Solar panels are not necessarily the giant rectangles you remember from a decade ago. Nowadays they are smaller (although the larger ones are still an option) and can be mounted directly to the roof of a home. Another popular misconception is the cost of installation. It isn’t as much as it used to be. And when you factor in the cost savings of solar energy, it truly does pay for itself overtime. It is also important to consider the impact solar energy has on environmental preservation. There are plenty of tax breaks offered to those who choose to invest in solar panels as well.

This installation process should be completed by an experienced electrician. Santa Monica residents may be tempted to try and save a few dollars by doing the installation themselves, but that is not recommended. One popular option homeowners have for solar energy is the leasing of solar panels. This option is affordable and you will see immediate cost savings on your electric bill. If you would like to schedule your own solar panel installation, give The Electric Connection a call today.

We’re already nearing the end of May. It’s hard to believe, I know. It can be a little uncomfortable to think about how quickly time passes. I’m here to help with a reminder that time’s rapid passing only means all the cool things about each season will reach your senses sooner.

This is an especially exciting time of year, at least for me. By this time, I have been spending a lot more time outdoors. Finally, the pallid, morose visage of a long winter has been touched by a little sun. Exercise has my energy levels up, and it seems like every evening, I’m exclaiming as if for the first time, “Man, it’s NICE outside.”

You’re like, “Where is this going?”

I want to show you some pictures of bugs! Fireflies, in particular. Even more specifically, I want to show you some long exposure digital photography of fireflies. Why? Because it’s really cool. Who doesn’t like chasing fireflies with a camera?

If you are one of our beloved regular readers, you might remember my posts about via audobonmagazine.org

Pretty cool, huh?

By: Sarah Trocolli

Father of electricity Nikola Tesla was known for being brilliant, quirky and driven in his pursuits to understand electricity, and after many experiments, Tesla eventually laid the ground work for the modern day Alternating Current electric supply system. As a tribute to Tesla and all the dads around the world, Mr. Electric® presents a few kid-friendly experiments exploring the basics of electricity for a fun Father’s Day activity. The kids can explore electrons, static electricity, voltaic batteries and other simple components of electricity – all under the safe supervision of their dads.

Level of difficulty: Easy

What you need: A dark room, fluorescent light bulb and a comb or woolen scarf.

What to do: Run the comb through your hair or through the wool scarf at least 20 times to let the electrons build on the comb. Then turn out the lights and hold the comb to the bottom of your florescent light bulb and watch the electrons charge the bulb. This is great for learning about electrons, and it can be a fun magic trick! For further explanation, click here.

Level of difficulty: Easy

What you need: Cornstarch, vegetable oil, mixing bowl, large spoon, balloon, and a measuring cup.

What to do: Blow up the balloon, tie it and then rub it on your hair. Mix a fourth cup of cornstarch and a fourth cup of vegetable oil into a mixing bowl, and then put the mixture on a spoon. Hold the spoon with the mixture on it near the balloon and watch the mixture gravitate towards the balloon. This experiment looks like a gooey monster stretching to touch the balloon, and it is a fun way to learn about static electricity! For further explanation, click here.  

Level of difficulty: Moderate

What you need: Distilled white vinegar, five pieces of copper wire, five galvanized nails, ice tray and one LED light

What to do: Wrap five nails with five pieces of copper wire and place them separately in the ice cube tray filled with vinegar. Create a circuit by placing the end of the copper wire not wrapped around the nail into the ice cube tray next to it until each section has one nail and one copper wire in it, and then place the LED light in the tray. You have just created a Voltaic battery! For further explanation, click here.

Level of difficulty: Challenging

What you need: Eight D-sized batteries, mason jar or other clear glass, electrical tape, pie pan, scissors, toilet paper tube, mechanical pencil refills and two sets of small alligator clips.

What to do: Connect the batteries positive to negative to create train of batteries. Place the toilet paper tube in the center of the pie pan and using electrical tape, attach the alligator clips and mechanical pencil refills to the tube. Place the mason jar/glass over the tube and connect the other end of the clips to the batteries. After the batteries have a few minutes to charge the circuit the mechanical refills will begin to glow and you will have a DIY light bulb. This is a great way to show that household items can be used in an innovative way. Exercise caution, as this experiment exerts heat and can cause the glass to become very warm. For further instruction, click here.

We hope these electrical experiments provide an enjoyable experience for dads and kids to spend quality time together while learning lots and having fun. Thank you to all the fathers who enlighten children and empower the thinkers of tomorrow. Happy Father’s Day from everyone at Mr. Electric!