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Led street lighting

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8 years 5 months ago - 8 years 5 months ago #104964 by dave_lillis
Led street lighting was created by dave_lillis
Guys,
I think it's finally begun, I've noticed here in Limerick that some of the old sodium street lights have been swapped out by white led lighting, it seems to be well cut off in 3 directions but not so well in the forward direction.
I'm wondering is this a pilot phase, as they've done the Ennis road and one of the estate roads near me,
It looks like this should reduce the overall light pollution footprint of the city, but... And here's the but, if every sodium light is replaced this way then you can kiss good bye to narrowband imaging as this light is very white, it appears to contain a big chunk of the visible spectrum, also I'm wondering does a lot less white light pollution add up to be as intense to the eyes as badly shielded but fainter narrowband sodium lights as the area been illuminated by these LEDs is definitely brighter then those illuminated by the sodiums.
When you look directly at them, they are glaringly bright, so bright that you cannot see the emitting surface, but I don't think any of that light goes directly up into the sky, so that seems like an improvement.
Has anyone else noticed sodium lighting been replaced in their area recently, if so what were your impressions of it.

Dave L. on facebook , See my images in flickr
Chairman. Shannonside Astronomy Club (Limerick)

Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me,
but what a way to go. :)
+ 12"LX200, MK67, Meade2045, 4"refractor
Last edit: 8 years 5 months ago by dave_lillis.

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8 years 5 months ago #104966 by derek0207
Replied by derek0207 on topic Led street lighting
Noticed a few popping up in Cork city too.

Around Mahon on the entrance off the motorway.
They seem to have replaced the old 'head' unit things with flat panel led lights.
They seem well shielded however they are not 100% parallel woth the ground so there is some light escaping in one direction. They seem extremely bright.

Around Glounthaune
These seem to be the same units but look to be fitted better. They are parallel with the ground and I see very little light escaping.

I dont know if its a good thing or a bad thing.... They seem to be good relating to shielding, but bad relating to spectrum and intensity.

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8 years 5 months ago #104970 by lunartic_old
Replied by lunartic_old on topic Led street lighting
They are replacing them in my area of Ballybrack Co Dublin, they only seem to be changing them at random, not entire streets just a few lamps at a time leaving some of the sodiums also.

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8 years 5 months ago - 8 years 5 months ago #104984 by dave_lillis
Replied by dave_lillis on topic Led street lighting
Thanks for the comments.
These lights only saving grace is that they seem to be highly cutoff.

I was on a ryanair flight coming into Shannon this week, late in the evening, I had a good look at the lights of houses and normal street lights while coming into land and you can see every pinpoint light source, everyone a sky pollution source, but when one thing struck me.
I could see the motorway, well lit up, but no way could I see the lights themselves and I didn't think the road surface was all that bright, so not reflecting much into the sky.

So, if these new lights are aswell cut off, then maybe the light pollution might not b so bad.

My only worry is the amount of blue light in these lamps, as we all know blue light scatters far more aggressively in our atmosphere then yellow/red light, time will tell if all we're doing is replacing one problem with another.

Dave L. on facebook , See my images in flickr
Chairman. Shannonside Astronomy Club (Limerick)

Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me,
but what a way to go. :)
+ 12"LX200, MK67, Meade2045, 4"refractor
Last edit: 8 years 5 months ago by dave_lillis.

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8 years 5 months ago #105015 by albertw
Replied by albertw on topic Led street lighting

Dave_Lillis wrote: My only worry is the amount of blue light in these lamps, as we all know blue light scatters far more aggressively in our atmosphere then yellow/red light, time will tell if all we're doing is replacing one problem with another.


That and a lot more will reflect from the ground.

Rollouts are being done countrywide afaik.

What I'd like to know, and have not been able to find out, is whether the control systems have been upgraded also. If they were then it's possible that the lights could be dimmed later at night.

Albert White MSc FRAS
Chairperson, International Dark Sky Association - Irish Section
www.darksky.ie/

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8 years 5 months ago #105028 by Bruno
Replied by Bruno on topic Led street lighting
Good article here showing concerns ans protests:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609957...make-people-ill.html

Particulary:
"Too much ‘blue light’ suppresses our biological clock, resulting in lower-quality sleep. This in turn increases the likelihood of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. It damages the immune system and leaves sufferers vulnerable to depression and anxiety."

I hope that they stay away from my road, the old lights are bad enough.

John
The following user(s) said Thank You: michael_murphy

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