Plans to dim street lights at 8pm

[fake 10]

Why? High pressure sodium can be dimmed.

 

That's true but line dimming is not very good with the current stock. It can cause problems with the lamp life and constant cycling depending on lamp age and ballast and is not recommended. The type of ballast in use makes a difference too. Just putting a dimmer switch on a post will not work unless you employ lots of people that can turn the dimmers down when required. They also have to be dimmed over a period of several minutes and not suddenly.

 

What's being proposed is to replace the lights with intelligent dimmable ones that can work by central switching. IIRC only the electronic ballasts can be dimmed this way and as most street lights are not using electronic ballasts then they will need changing.

 

According to the BBC, Coventry City Council is proposing to replace 28,000 of its 32,000 street lights over the next five years with intelligent ones so they can do this. Worcester changed theirs in 2009.

 

At the moment the Lumen output from LED's cannot compete with the output from HPS lamps on a cost or practical basis and as you say they can fail much quicker than HPS.

[dosxuk 10]

I herd that thers plans to start dimming street lights at 8pm in evening as part of saving energy. But is this such a good idea? e.g crime rates will rise and safety driving on the roads ect. ?

 

I don't understand this argument. If people can't drive at night without street lights, as far as I'm concerned the danger is with the drivers rather than the lack of streetlights. How the people who make this complaint think we cope in the countryside without streetlights and without constantly crashing into each other and other obstacles.

 

As for pedestrian safety at night, it's far easier to notice a car with headlights on in the pitch black than under street lights (where it's also not unusual for the headlights to have been forgotten).

[the_rudeboy 12]

That's true but line dimming is not very good with the current stock. It can cause problems with the lamp life and constant cycling depending on lamp age and ballast and is not recommended. The type of ballast in use makes a difference too. Just putting a dimmer switch on a post will not work unless you employ lots of people that can turn the dimmers down when required. They also have to be dimmed over a period of several minutes and not suddenly.

 

What's being proposed is to replace the lights with intelligent dimmable ones that can work by central switching. IIRC only the electronic ballasts can be dimmed this way and as most street lights are not using electronic ballasts then they will need changing.

 

According to the BBC, Coventry City Council is proposing to replace 28,000 of its 32,000 street lights over the next five years with intelligent ones so they can do this. Worcester changed theirs in 2009.

 

At the moment the Lumen output from LED's cannot compete with the output from HPS lamps on a cost or practical basis and as you say they can fail much quicker than HPS.

Photo-cells are now available that can can dim each individual light.

 

Remote monitoring is the way to go if finanace is available. Maybe this will come as part of the proposed PFI.

 

LEDs have a far longer theoretical life than HPS, the problem comes if the life expectancy falls short of manufacturers predictions.

[Sarkysod 10]

 

At the moment the Lumen output from LED's cannot compete with the output from HPS lamps on a cost or practical basis and as you say they can fail much quicker than HPS.

 

I totally agree and if the council are not picking up a decent SON lamp for around a fiver each, either someone is getting a backhander or the taxpayer is being robbed.

[the_rudeboy 12]

I don't understand this argument. If people can't drive at night without street lights, as far as I'm concerned the danger is with the drivers rather than the lack of streetlights. How the people who make this complaint think we cope in the countryside without streetlights and without constantly crashing into each other and other obstacles.

 

As for pedestrian safety at night, it's far easier to notice a car with headlights on in the pitch black than under street lights (where it's also not unusual for the headlights to have been forgotten).

I think the biggest fear is crime, not cars crashing or running people over.

[Darran 10]

would be nice if i still had a street light ....it was chopped down in november last year and it has still not been replaced ...shame on you street force ...no excuses now you have had you chance ..:rant::rant:

[gribz 10]

Around here, S2, i'm positive many lights have been switched off anyway. Walking the dog last night at least every other streetlight was off..

[Chelle01 10]

Around here, S2, i'm positive many lights have been switched off anyway. Walking the dog last night at least every other streetlight was off..

 

it seems like that in so many places....hmm

[thompsonbass 10]

8pm? Sounds way too early. I think maybe they could do it in the early hours of the morning; they could probably turn some traffic lights off in some hours. They'd need to have a good look at road use in each area though I guess.

[Rupert_Baehr 10]

In the late 40s-50s the street lights were turned off between 11pm to 5pm aprox.

 

I understand that in the early 40's they never went on.

[Rupert_Baehr 10]

...What's being proposed is to replace the lights with intelligent dimmable ones that can work by central switching...

 

Intelligent lights?

Dimmable lights (which presumably aren't too dim to start with)?

 

You mean some of the young people are going to face even more competition?

 

I bet they'll be imported lights, too. Bloody foreign lightbulbs!

 

When's the protest march?

[Guest sibon]

When's the protest march?

 

Before 8pm.