Have you ever wondered:
Does an energy-efficient, high-performance, durable, bright, and cost-effective outdoor lighting fixture exist to replace your HIDs and Metal Halides?
Well, two decades ago, the answer would have been No!
But:
Today, it a definite YES.
And that’s all thanks to fixtures like the LED Shoebox.
We are living in a much-advanced era where LED lights are replacing almost all of the inefficient lighting fixtures we’ve been using in the past.
Now:
As the world tries to learn more about the marvels and perks of upgrading to LED fixtures, many people are still undecided.
And:
If you are still stuck wondering whether you should upgrade your outdoor lighting to LED Shoebox fixtures, this post is for you.
In this post, you’ll learn everything you need to know about these amazing fixtures and why you should switch to them ASAP.
What Is Led Shoebox Light?
Long story short:
LED Shoebox Lights are the solution to all your outdoor lighting problems.
How?
These fixtures are known to be more reliable, efficient, durable, and ideal for lighting up vast spaces; that could be your home’s outdoors, streets, parking lots, and so on…
Basically:
LED Shoebox lamps are your best bet when looking for a suitable replacement to High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights, Metal Halides, HIDs, and even CFLs.
And that’s not only because they can easily and properly light up vast spaces but also because they cost very little to run and maintain.
And that’s not even the best part…
LED Shoebox lamps have an aesthetic and durable design.
That means that they’ll look good in your space while still being able to withstand the harshness and perils faced by exterior lighting fixtures including bad weather.
Plus:
You get to save up to 80% on your lighting costs when you switch to these awesome LED fixtures.
Anyway, more on the benefits of using LED Shoebox lights later on in this article.
Out of curiosity, you might also be wondering:
Why Are These Fixtures Called “Shoebox” LEDs?
Fun Fact:
Like most LED fixtures (e.g. the Corn Bulb, UFO High Bay, and Disk LED lights), the LED Shoebox gets its name from its looks.
How?
Well, if you look at the old versions of these fixtures closely, you’ll notice that they were rectangular with an integrated heatsink at their centers for heat dissipation.
So, what does it look like?
LED Shoebox, right?
This “Shoebox” design has been there for decades despite newer versions of the LED Shoebox being a bit sleeker.
But, it’s still rectangular in shape.
Moving on…
Where Are LED Shoebox Lights Used?
As far as application goes, you have a myriad of options and places where you can use LED Shoebox fixtures.
For example, you can use them in:
- Parking Lots.
- Street Lighting.
- On Building Entrances.
- Indoor Sports Venues.
- In the Universities.
- For Car Dealerships.
- Public Parks and Walkways.
- Small Outdoor Sports Fields.
- AsFlood Lighting and so on…
That said, let’s take a look at the things and qualities that make these lighting systems worth buying…
What Are the Features of Best Shoebox LED Light?
Here, what you want to know is:
What sets the best LED Shoebox Pole Light apart from all other outdoor lighting fixtures?
Basically:
LED lights were designed to make up for all the shortcomings of all the traditional lighting systems.
Awesome, right?
And despite their high initial cost, an LED can save you more money than any other lighting fixture in terms of durability, operation cost, and maintenance.
And the best part is that these fixtures often come with added features.
Here are some features you can expect to find in the best Shoebox LED Light:
1. High IP Ratings
Ingress Progression (or IP) is the amount of protection a fixture has against damage by dust, moisture, and water.
Basically:
The IP determines how durable and tough the fixture will be against the harsh outdoor environment.
An IP rating is always denoted in the form IPXY; where X and Y are numbers showing the lamps protection against dust and moisture/water respectively.
So, for example, you might get a fixture labeled IP65.
That means that:
- It is rated6in terms of protection against intrusion and damage by dust particles. The number X from IPXY usually ranges from 0 to 6; with 6 being the best/most protected.
- It is also rated5in terms of protection against intrusion and damage by water and moisture. The number Y from IPXY usually ranges from 0 to 8; with 8 being the best/most protected.
Now:
You should note that outdoor environments are filled with dust from roadways, construction works, human movement, wind, cars, exhaust fumes, and so on; plus, moisture from humidity, rain, snow, plants, cleaning, stagnated water, and large water bodies.
All these can affect your outdoor lighting fixtures, therefore, the IP rating of the light you have in mind is important.
In most cases:
An IP65 fixture will do for outdoor lighting because it’s fully protected against dust intrusion and rainfall.
2. Photocell Sensors
Another cool feature that LED Shoebox lights have to offer is the photocell sensor.
What is a Photocell Sensor?
Basically, it’s the “dusk to dawn sensor” that switches the fixture on and off to provide lighting only when it’s needed instead of keeping the light on at all times (day and night).
Impressive, right?
This feature is often ideal for street and parking lot lighting because it means you won’t have to hire someone to switch the lights on and off every day.
Plus:
With this feature, you can save up to 50% more energy per lamp.
3. Motion Sensors
Despite not being a standard feature, motion sensors can come in handy at times.
If the fixture you want is to light up an area that’s not frequently used, then an LED Shoebox fixture with a motion sensor will suffice.
These sensors are awesome because they turn the light on automatically when motion is detected.
It’s often a great feature to scare away burglars and stray/wild animals from coming into your home.
Note:
Be sure to check if the fixture you intend on buying has motion-sensing capabilities.
4. Dimmability
Lastly:
The best LED Shoebox lights are dimmable.
This feature gives you more control over how much light your fixture gives out; hence, making it inexpensive, efficient, and more convenient for you.
But not all LED Shoebox area light fixtures are dimmable, therefore, be sure to check that before buying the lamp.
Top 10 Advantages of LED Shoebox Light Fixture
Now:
Much like any other LED fixture, the Shoebox comes with a ton of perks and benefits.
And that’s why a lot of people have been switching to LEDs nowadays.
So, what are these benefits?
Well, here are 10 of the biggest Merits of using LED Shoebox Light Fixtures:
1. They are Highly Energy Efficient
Efficiency is probably the biggest advantage of using LED area lighting fixtures.
What do we mean by efficiency?
This is, basically, the ability of a fixture to use less energy to produce more light. And that’s exactly what you get from using LED Shoebox lights.
Now:
Out of curiosity, you might find yourself asking…
What makes LED fixtures so efficient?
It is all in the design.
LEDs are designed in a way that ensures most (if not all) of the energy is converted into light instead of heat.
And that’s why you won’t have to worry about heating problems from an LED fixture too.
Long story short:
More efficiency = reduced operational costs = more value for your investment.
2. They are Quite Durable
In terms of durability, no other lighting technology comes close to what LEDs have to offer.
A typical LED Shoebox lamp has a lifespan ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 hours.
Yes, you read that right.
That’s over 5-times longer than a metal halide or HID lamp.
This means that you can use an LED Shoebox for years without needing to replace it.
3. They Offer Better Lighting
With LED lights, you not only get to enjoy better lighting due to its added features but also brighter illumination for a very small amount of energy.
Plus:
Depending on its intended usage, an LED Shoebox light can come in different color temperatures to ensure maximum user comfort while still meeting the room’s lighting needs.
4. They also Offer Better Light Efficacy
What is light efficacy?
It is a light fixture’s ability to produce more light without using so much energy.
In lighting, efficacy is often measured in Lumens per Watt (lm/W).
Basically, it’s the number of lumens of light you get for every watt of energy consumed.
On average, an LED Shoebox street light has an efficacy of 130lm/W; with some going as high as 180lm/w.
That’s impressive compared to the 85lm/W you get from a standard Metal halide lamp or the 75lm/W you get from fluorescents.
5. LED Shoebox Lights Have Low Maintenance and Operational Costs
Another big advantage of using LED Shoebox lights is that they don’t have a lot of maintenance needs; a quality that’s very beneficial considering the fixture’s application areas.
Now:
This simply means that you can stay for longer without having to worry about the health of your street or parking lot lights.
Obviously, little maintenance results in reduced operational costs; and those savings grow even bigger if you take into account the fixture’s durability and cost-effectiveness.
6. They are Eco-Friendly
LED Shoebox fixtures are not made using any form of pollutant or hazardous materials.
You won’t find any heavy metals like mercury or toxic substances like phosphor in LEDs as you would in metal halides, halogen bulbs, incandescent lights, and fluorescents.
That means that LED fixtures are kinder to the environment and also easier to dispose of.
7. Safer Than Other Lighting Technologies
Aside from enjoying the benefits of an eco-friendly lighting fixture, LEDs are the only lights that pose the least threat to human health.
How?
Well, unlike other fixtures that expose you to blue light, mercury, phosphor, broken glass, ultra-violet radiation, and so on, LEDs only major health risk is blue light.
And that’s something that can be avoided by limiting your time under cool temperature LEDs.
8. Easy Installation and Multiple Mounting Options
If you’ve been worried that switching to LED Shoebox lights might be labor-intensive and costly,don’t be.
These fixtures are quite easy to install and can comfortably fit into fittings used by the outgoing traditional light fixtures.
And the best part is that you have multiple mounting options to choose from when dealing with the LED shoebox (more on this later on in this post).
9. Offer You More Control
With LED fixtures, it’s all about giving you more control over your lighting.
Generally, you get to enjoy added control by:
- Being able to dim the light as desired.
- Buying a color temperature of your choosing.
- Using the motion-sensing feature to ward off intruders even when you are not at home.
Great, right?
10. Have a Higher CRI
CRI is short for Color Rendering Index.
Basically, it’s the measure of how many colors a light source can reveal correctly.
For example:
The Sun has a CRI of 100 since we can see all colors in their true form under the sun.
Now:
LED Shoeboxes boast of having some of the highest CRIs among all forms of artificial lighting.
It’s usually a number between 70 and 85; which is great because it means that you’ll be able to easily make out colors when under illumination by a shoebox fixture.
Anyway:
The list of benefits is endless; these are just the most important ones.
Moving on:
Let’s take a look at how these fixtures compare to their biggest competition – Metal Halides.
Want to know what the follow-up is? Please look forward to the LED Shoebox: The Ultimate Outdoor Lighting Fixtures in 2021-Part 2