New Construction Lighting Allows Contractors to String it Along
Chuck Ross
Location lighting is a critical component in ensuring construction safety, but when a job is under construction, permanent, installed fixtures often aren’t available. So, contractors turn to temporary lighting options. While stand-mounted fixtures can help in individual rooms, string lights are a go-to for larger areas. Manufacturers now are giving these construction-site mainstays an upgrade with new designs incorporating LED lighting and sturdier individual fixtures.
The common design for construction string lights has included bare bulbs protected by open plastic cages, with a hole at the top big enough for an S-hook to pass through to be used for hanging. These products have done the trick, but there’s always the risk of breaking the bulbs. And then, there can be the hassle of having to replace the bulbs when they burn out.
Now lighting companies are capturing the value of LEDs to create light strings that can stand up to harsh conditions and offer great efficiency. Sure, you can always use an LED bulb in a traditional cage-style string, but these new products permanently integrate LEDs into each individual fixture head, removing the need for bulbs, entirely. The LEDs are covered by polycarbonate lenses that both protect the electronics and help spread illumination evenly, to limit lighting hot spots.
Patrick Bannon, national sales manager for construction-products manufacturer Voltec Power & Lighting, lists a number of advantages these new light strings offer, versus their bulb-based counterparts:
He adds that the polycarbonate lenses provide their own benefits on a jobsite. In addition to increasing durability, the lenses provide a softer and more evenly spread light along with additional water and dust resistance.
The common design for construction string lights has included bare bulbs protected by open plastic cages, with a hole at the top big enough for an S-hook to pass through to be used for hanging. These products have done the trick, but there’s always the risk of breaking the bulbs. And then, there can be the hassle of having to replace the bulbs when they burn out.
Now lighting companies are capturing the value of LEDs to create light strings that can stand up to harsh conditions and offer great efficiency. Sure, you can always use an LED bulb in a traditional cage-style string, but these new products permanently integrate LEDs into each individual fixture head, removing the need for bulbs, entirely. The LEDs are covered by polycarbonate lenses that both protect the electronics and help spread illumination evenly, to limit lighting hot spots.
Patrick Bannon, national sales manager for construction-products manufacturer Voltec Power & Lighting, lists a number of advantages these new light strings offer, versus their bulb-based counterparts:
- No bulbs to replace or install
- No bulbs to be stolen from the jobsite
- Plug-and-play operation at different voltages, including 120v, 208v, 240v and 277v
- Cleaner and more efficient power
- Little to no heat output
- The ability to daisy-chain more strings together because of the reduce LED energy draw
He adds that the polycarbonate lenses provide their own benefits on a jobsite. In addition to increasing durability, the lenses provide a softer and more evenly spread light along with additional water and dust resistance.
Photo courtesy of Voltec Power & Lighting
