Tunnel Lighting.

[Earl Weiss]

My EE Tunnels are typicaly lit with a single row of MH lights down the center.

Unlike Full serve where a double row may give better lighting for the sides of the car especialy when viewed from a customer walkway having the row down the center seems to be plenty.

Typicaly lights are spaced about 15 feet apart starting about 6 feet in from the door. Of course no lights over mitters because they would block the lights so the 15 feet is an approximation. This means a 100 foot tunnel uses about 6 lights. My older locations have 400W and newer 320W with one having a mix.

Anyway, since an equip reconfig required me to take down 2 400W MH I decided to experiment and replace withe these LED's

http://tsscws.com/index.php/lighting-fixtures/led-ceiling-light-box.html

The Tunnel has one wall being mostly exterior windows so I haven't seen it at night yet, but the daytime results are outstanding. With a cost savings of maybe $100 / year the payback time for electricity at about 6 years (perhaps shorter if Ballast and Bulb costs are considered) makes me want to wait before simply changing out the rest, but antime I need to change a Bulb and Ballast on an old light I may consider changing to this.

 

[smokun]

Bright Idea, Earl

I applaud your switch to LED and recommend to others who seek similar savings to also consider this:

Too many carwash operators traditionally utilize minimal lighting in their tunnels. Most are simply too dim and uninviting.

Marketing studies focused on motivational cues show that bright lighting subliminally suggests cleanliness and safety, which is why we urge our clients to "over-light" tunnels to capitalize on the benefits. Accordingly, we've recommended LED lighting for years, and due to market awareness and popularity that paved recent pricing reductions, LED is a brighter alternative for cost-containment as well as distinctive marketing advantages.

No more dark, dingy tunnels... especially in negative exterior tunnels insensitive to sensory claustrophobia. Bright light enhances the experience!

 

[MEP001]

The specs on that light look good, but before you order it would be worth checking the expected life. I know it says "up to 100,000 hours" but there may be an average life of about half that. That would be more typical of an LED fixture with that lumen output per watt.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The specs on that light look good, but before you order it would be worth checking the expected life. I know it says "up to 100,000 hours" but there may be an average life of about half that. That would be more typical of an LED fixture with that lumen output per watt.

Even at 1/2 .... burning 15 hours a day it's over 9 years.

By then they will probably have something new to sell me

They have an interesting chart

http://tsscws.com/media/blfa_files/light_comparison_chart2.pdf

Showing 70K + Hours.

 

[MEP001]

The TSS lights look good - if the life expectancy is what they claim, they've finally achieved a LED that has both energy savings and a long-term payback without sacrificing light output. It would pay off much better if your city will subsidize some of the installation cost.

I had recently looked at the Scottsdale conversion again after someone said a store had switched to them and the lighting looked as bright as the 320W metal halides. I saw a 7-11 that had done it, and sure it looked plenty bright, but they used three times as many fixtures. I figured they'd have to last 150,000 hours to break even with the cost to change over. The Scottsdale conversions even have LESS light output per watt than metal halides.

 

[thoffmanjr]

We have been on a tear installing G&G's led lighting for the last year and have been very pleased with them. www.ggled.net

This video shows the install: http://youtu.be/8Re3dudN4O0

They are simple and quick to install and there's nothing like the way they distribute even lighting throughout the tunnel or the bay. We even used them to illuminate our tunnel paid service signage. I highly recommend checking them out through Kleenrite and their website.

 

[Earl Weiss]

We have been on a tear installing G&G's led lighting for the last year and have been very pleased with them. www.ggled.net

.

Couple of questions.

1. From the video it seems there are 2 rows of lights. One in each corner of the tunnel running the entire length. If that is not correct (Are there more?) Please advise as to # of fixtures and total equip cost.

2. Video says wheel blaster has 3 zero degree nozzles. They look like turbo nozzles. Is that correct?

 

[thoffmanjr]

Yes there are two rows of lights in the tunnel. Yes they are Gary Brown's, hydra-Flex, rotating zero degree nozzles. We've had much better life out of them compared to other Turbo nozzles.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Mr. Hoffman,

Could you share the cost savings math with us? The video says 1875W of LED. 1.3 year payback.

(Note all numbers below rounded)

Based on G&G website this would be 4 deluxe packages plus 24" for a cost of slightly over $10,000.

I can only guess that an alternate would be 20, 320W scottsdales (6400W Total)Cost of slightly over $5000.
Net wattage difference 4525. I don't know your KW cost. at .05 KWH thats 23 cents per hour savings.

If you are open 12 hours a day 365 days a year you save a little over $1000 a year. This would be a 5 year payback on the cost differential. Of course if you are open longer hours would have more that 20 Scottsdales, or your electricity cost is higher the payback is quicker.

 

[thoffmanjr]

At the time we had higher electrial and demand costs. I think I used 12 cents. We are also saving on maintenance. There isn't any. Our older fixures are very labor intensive and it seems like each fixture needs a new bulb every year or so. When the tunnel is empty the LED allow you the ability to shut half of them off too.

 

[MEP001]

Our older fixures are very labor intensive and it seems like each fixture needs a new bulb every year or so.

That's been my biggest issue with the 320W Scottsdales, although after replacing some of the ballasts and bulbs with 250W they have so far been staying bright for three years with no maintenance.