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Basic Exterior Lighting Information
Fundamental Lighting Terms
Watts- the amount of power going into a lamp at any given moment.
Lumens- the amount of light being produced by a lamp.
Footcandle- the amount of lumens falling on a particular area—one lumen falling on a one
square-foot area produces one footcandle.
Color Rendering or Color Rendition- how well a light renders the colors of the objects
it is illuminating. Color rendition is measured through a Color Rendering Index (CRI) scale with values
from 0 to 100.
Color Temperature- color appearance of the light produced by a lamp—measured on a Kelvin
scale. Color temperatures are often “warm” or “cool” in appearance.
Average Rated Life- average point at which half of the lamps of the type will be operating
and half will not.
General Guidelines For The Specific Placement Of Exterior Lights
To illuminate large areas around buildings, fuel storage, or parking lots, use high pressure sodium fixtures
mounted 15 to 25 feet high, depending on the bulb wattage.
Provide one to three foot-candles of light, and don’t try to illuminate multiple areas with just one light.
Light entrance doors, gates, or other locked areas with motion-sensor lights to reduce vandalism and theft.
Decorative yard lights, mounted atop 6 foot poles are good for walkways from the home to a garage or outbuilding.
Lighting systems that match the right fixture to the specific need for area, yard, and building illumination adds
safety, security, and productivity to your home or business.
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