LED streetlamps

[Windmill]

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.

But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.

Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

[Murff]

Post by Windmill
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.

Ah yes.... God and economics. Where have we heard that on before ?

[Windmill]

Post by Murff

Post by Windmill
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.

Ah yes.... God and economics. Where have we heard that on before ?

I can see that there might be a case for replacement of a fair number
all at once, depending on whether or not the work was done by an
outside contractor or by a Council employee who would be on the payroll
anyway.

I'm just not easily convinced that the Council would choose the best
approach!!

[Claudio Calvelli]

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.

Well, years ago I used to think that streetlights in Glasgow were
weaker than in Edinburgh, but recently I can't see the difference.
Either my eyes have gone even worse, or the council are cutting
costs.

Post by Windmill
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.

I've seen LED lightbulbs at a nearby discount shop which probably
won't be sufficient to light a small room, but cost next to
nothing. I wonder if the council just bought these :-)

C

[Windmill]

Post by Claudio Calvelli

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.

Well, years ago I used to think that streetlights in Glasgow were
weaker than in Edinburgh, but recently I can't see the difference.
Either my eyes have gone even worse, or the council are cutting
costs.

Post by Windmill
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.

I've seen LED lightbulbs at a nearby discount shop which probably
won't be sufficient to light a small room, but cost next to
nothing. I wonder if the council just bought these :-)

After a long Friday lunch in Prestonfield, at the salesman's expense of
course!

That sort of thing seems to be normal business practice, yet you'd
think it might be discouraged at the least.

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

They seem to have been doing the same in Marchmont. Whenever I travel
abroad I'm always struck by how overlit our streets seem at night. For
that purely personal reason I'm quite glad, but I guess we'll have to
see whether it makes the streets any less safe. Looking at the design
the light pollution of the sky will be considerably reduced as well.

Sam

[Windmill]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

They seem to have been doing the same in Marchmont. Whenever I travel
abroad I'm always struck by how overlit our streets seem at night.

Not sure I agree. My recollection of the view a decade or two ago out the window
of a plane over the eastern U.S. was of a vast glare of light, while
our sodium lamps seemed to me to be much dimmer.

Post by Sam Wilson
For
that purely personal reason I'm quite glad, but I guess we'll have to
see whether it makes the streets any less safe.

Even gas lamps gave enough light to discourage the ungodly.

Post by Sam Wilson
Looking at the design
the light pollution of the sky will be considerably reduced as well.

Certainly helps to have an inherently directional light source.

[Brian Howie]

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

Our road has been swapped over. For a start the street light outside my
door no longer glares in through the chinks in the curtains of my
bedroom. I think they look less bright but possibly because they no
longer light up the buildings. Certainly the light on the pavements and
road is adequate.

I'm also able to make out stars when walking down the road.

Brian

[Windmill]

Post by Brian Howie

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

Our road has been swapped over. For a start the street light outside my
door no longer glares in through the chinks in the curtains of my
bedroom. I think they look less bright but possibly because they no
longer light up the buildings. Certainly the light on the pavements and
road is adequate.

'Adequate', yes, but not great. I imagine it'll be easier to trip over
obstacles or step in dog dirt

Post by Brian Howie
I'm also able to make out stars when walking down the road.

I never see more than a few - and what I see are probably planets not
stars.

[Graeme Wood]

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

I wish they would replace them in my street. I hate the orange glow that
pervades everything. The LED lamps may look dimmer but the light they
provide is more directed and easier to see in. One day we may see the
stars again and perhaps even the aurora.

[Windmill]

Post by Graeme Wood

Post by Windmill
The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth,
and walking through the area yesterday I was struck by how weak,
reminiscent even of ancient gas lamps, their light seemed to be.
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be. They
don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after failure of
the previous sodium lamp.

I wish they would replace them in my street. I hate the orange glow that
pervades everything. The LED lamps may look dimmer but the light they
provide is more directed and easier to see in. One day we may see the
stars again and perhaps even the aurora.

Personally I don't mind the high-pressure sodium lamps, which give a
slightly whiter light. The old low pressure ones aren't a good match
for the sensitivity of the human eye, as I recall.

Rumour is that LEDs with twice the output per watt are in the pipeline,
so that may help.
But the Council will probably buy lower efficiency lamps at a 'bargain'
price round about the time that the new types begin to appear!

[Jack Campin]

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?

When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k
Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland
mobile [phone] <http://www.campin.me.uk> Twitter: JackCampin

[Windmill]

Post by Jack Campin

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?
When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

Maybe that explains why reporting failed street lights is a waste of
time! (No doubt with the exception of lights outside councillors'
houses).

[a***@gmail.com]

Post by Jack Campin

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?
When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

Makes perfect sense. The crew I saw doing replacements in Shandon were going at a fair rate. They had replacement uppers for the existing lamps so no changes made at street level.

I'm all for sufficient light in the city at night, but not the light pollution we've got used to.

[Sam Wilson]

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by Jack Campin

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?
When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

Makes perfect sense. The crew I saw doing replacements in Shandon were going
at a fair rate. They had replacement uppers for the existing lamps so no
changes made at street level.
I'm all for sufficient light in the city at night, but not the light
pollution we've got used to.

For some reason they've replaced all but one in our street, and the
street around the corner. It wasn't because they couldn't access the
one - I was passing when they were raising the cherry picker to reach
the one that they haven't replaced, but I didn't see what happened next.

Sam

[Graeme Wood]

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by Jack Campin

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?
When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

Makes perfect sense. The crew I saw doing replacements in Shandon were going
at a fair rate. They had replacement uppers for the existing lamps so no
changes made at street level.
I'm all for sufficient light in the city at night, but not the light
pollution we've got used to.

For some reason they've replaced all but one in our street, and the
street around the corner. It wasn't because they couldn't access the
one - I was passing when they were raising the cherry picker to reach
the one that they haven't replaced, but I didn't see what happened next.
Sam

They sent us a letter to say they were going to do it. Put cones and
notices around all the lampposts saying not to park there on certain
dates. Tnen a couple of days after that came and took all the cones and
notices away and the lights are still unchanged. Job done!

[Sam Wilson]

Post by Graeme Wood

Post by Sam Wilson

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by Jack Campin

The City have recently fitted a number of these in Polwarth [...]
Though God knows what the installation costs for LEDs might be.
They don't seem to have chosen to replace with LEDs only after
failure of the previous sodium lamp.

Did they ever use that replacement strategy?
When I was studying physics at Auckland University, our usual light
sources for optics experiments were ex-council street lamps. The
council had worked out that it was cheaper to replace them all on a
fixed schedule than to send the maintenance crews running all over
the city replacing individual burnouts; we got the old ones. I don't
see why it should be any different here and now.

Makes perfect sense. The crew I saw doing replacements in Shandon were going
at a fair rate. They had replacement uppers for the existing lamps so no
changes made at street level.
I'm all for sufficient light in the city at night, but not the light
pollution we've got used to.

For some reason they've replaced all but one in our street, and the
street around the corner. It wasn't because they couldn't access the
one - I was passing when they were raising the cherry picker to reach
the one that they haven't replaced, but I didn't see what happened next.
Sam

They sent us a letter to say they were going to do it. Put cones and
notices around all the lampposts saying not to park there on certain
dates. Tnen a couple of days after that came and took all the cones and
notices away and the lights are still unchanged. Job done!

We got that letter as well, but it came two days after they'd actually
done the work.

Sam

[Claudio Calvelli]

Post by Windmill
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.

Well, they just put a letter in all doors to say that they are going to
replace all streetlight here (Leith) with LEDs. And while they do
mention the reduced energy costs, one of the thing the letter say is:

"White LED lights improve colour recognition and improves images
captured on CCTV at night. They also allow clothing colours and car
registration numbers to be more easily identified."

So there you have it. Nothing to do with our safety, of course, but to
make spying on people easier.

C

[Windmill]

Post by Claudio Calvelli

Post by Windmill
But I suppose that huge electricity bills for the trams will have
provoked attempts at cost cutting in other areas.

Well, they just put a letter in all doors to say that they are going to
replace all streetlight here (Leith) with LEDs. And while they do
"White LED lights improve colour recognition and improves images
captured on CCTV at night. They also allow clothing colours and car
registration numbers to be more easily identified."
So there you have it. Nothing to do with our safety, of course, but to
make spying on people easier.

I wouldn't mind, if there was some way of knowing when they screw up
their spying.
But it's all hidden - we can't spy on them to check on their misdeeds,
which I'm pretty sure go unreported except in the extreme cases where
it can't be hushed up.
And to varying degrees the press, the police, and the courts are
silenced, for what they claim is the greater good (they would say that,
wouldn't they?).