Are Commercial Wall Pack Lights the Right Fit?
Many businesses rely on wall pack lighting to keep their parking lots and other outdoor areas well-lit. If you’ve had your wall pack lights a long time, you may need to upgrade the bulbs. Energy-saving options will help you keep a safe space for your customers and employees.
What Is a Wall Pack Light?
It’s a light used on the outside of a building.
A wall pack light typically looks like a box that’s attached to a wall. It has a protective cover for a light and typically uses high-intensity discharge bulbs, including metal halide or high-pressure sodium bulbs.
Why Your Business Needs Wall Pack Lights
- You’ll enhance security: Wall pack lights will make sure drivers and truckers can find you. They make it easy for these drivers to park safely, and they help visitors to your building feel safe when walking through the lot.
- Wall packs are built for outdoor use: Wall packs are specifically designed to be used outdoors. They come in sturdy, protective housings that can stand up to the elements.
- You can add motion sensors: For even more security, add motion sensors to your wall pack lighting.
Where Should You Place Wall Pack Lights?
Wall pack lights are ideal for:
- Alleys
- Driveways
- Warehouses
- Garages
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Apartment buildings
- Storage centers
Your placement depends on how brightly you want to light up your area. The brighter the light level you choose, the higher up the wall pack should be placed.
Cost and Maintenance of Wall Pack Lights
Most business owners already have wall packs on their buildings, and adding new ones isn’t necessary.
Maintenance costs can add up when you’re using sodium or halide bulbs. Because these bulbs have relatively short shelf lives, you must replace the bulbs regularly. If you’ve ever seen a building with a faint light that looks pink or orange, that light is coming from a bulb that has reached “lumen degradation,” which means it no longer provides useful light.
A Better Alternative
LED bulbs are a better alternative to these lights. They don’t have to be replaced as often, and they don’t experience lumen degradation the way other bulbs do. They’re also sturdier and better able to withstand temperature extremes.
What Are the Best Bulbs for Wall Pack Lights?
LED bulbs are the best choice for outdoor wall packs. If you already have wall packs, you can retrofit them with LED lamps. Here’s why they’re the best choice.
Color rendering: Halide and sodium lights make everything look yellow or orange. With LED bulbs, you get a true color rendition.
Light distribution: Standard light bulbs may illuminate what’s directly under them, but an LED bulb has a more even distribution of light. If you stand outside the direct path of a regular bulb, you could be standing in darkness. With an LED lamp, the light spreads out more evenly.
Instant illumination: Sodium bulbs and metal halide bulbs usually take a few minutes to warm up and reach their full brightness. Some industrial-sized lights can take 15 minutes or longer to reach this point. An LED reaches its full illumination as soon as you turn it on.
Money savings: LED bulbs can lower your energy bills, and they require less maintenance. Most metal halides, for example, must be replaced every six months, but an LED bulb can last for years.
Get the Facts from SESCOS
If you have questions about the best lighting for your business, talk to the lighting experts at SESCOS. We’ll show you how to upgrade your lighting to save money and enhance your building’s security.