Short answer
Parking lot lighting covers pole lights, wall packs and site lighting for commercial properties: new installation, repair when lights are out or cycling, LED conversion, and the photocells, timers and contactors that control them. Call when lights are dark, on all day, or cycling on and off. Select Electric installs and maintains parking lot lighting in Midland, Bay and Saginaw Counties.
Customers, employees and tenants notice a dark parking lot right away. Good site lighting helps people feel safe walking to their cars, helps security cameras record usable video, and reduces trip and fall risks, especially on icy Michigan winter evenings.
What We Do
Installation
New pole lights, bases and underground circuits for new lots and expansions, plus building-mounted wall packs and entry lighting. Layout is planned for even coverage without dark spots between poles.
Repair
Lamps, ballasts, igniters and LED drivers; photocells, timers and lighting contactors; damaged poles and bases; and faults in the underground wiring between poles.
LED Conversion
Replacing metal halide and high-pressure sodium heads with LED fixtures. See energy-efficient lighting upgrades.
Maintenance
Keeping lights working over time instead of waiting until half the lot is dark. Ask about ongoing maintenance for your property.
How Pole Lights Are Controlled
Most lots use a photocell that turns lights on at dusk and off at dawn, either on each fixture or one photocell controlling a lighting contactor that switches a whole group of poles. A timer can add a shut-off time, for example to turn part of the lot off after closing. When lights come on at the wrong time, the problem is usually in these controls, not the fixtures.
Getting the Layout Right
A good lot is evenly lit, without bright pools under each pole and dark gaps between them. That comes down to pole height and spacing, the light distribution of the fixture (which spreads light forward, sideways or all around), and the lighting levels the space needs. Many cities and townships also have rules about fixture shielding and light spilling onto neighboring property, so new fixtures are chosen to direct light down onto the lot rather than into the sky or across the street. When converting to LED, matching the new fixture's distribution to the existing pole spacing matters more than matching wattage.
Signs You Need Service
- Lights dark, dim or orange. See parking lot lights out or cycling.
- Lights cycling on and off through the night.
- Lights on during the day.
- A whole row out, which often points to the circuit or contactor rather than the fixtures.
- A pole or base damaged by a vehicle or plow.
How the Job Goes
- Tell us what's happening. Which poles, what they're doing, and when.
- Diagnose. Fixture, control or circuit, with a lift where needed.
- Quote. Repair, replace or convert to LED.
- Work scheduled around your business. Lift work planned to keep the lot usable.
- Verify after dark. Lights and controls checked when they're supposed to be on.
What It Costs
This work is priced per job, because the building, the distances and what's already in the panel are different every time. Ask for a written quote that lists the materials and everything included. For what drives electrical prices in general, see what electrical work costs.
Local Detail: Michigan Winters Are Hard on Site Lighting
In Midland, Bay and Saginaw Counties, parking lot lighting takes a beating: wind storms, plows striking bases, frost heaving underground circuits, and road salt corroding hardware. Winter is also when lighting matters most, with dark evenings starting before 5:30 and ice underfoot. Most businesses here are on Consumers Energy, and as a Consumers Energy Trade Ally we can check whether rebates may be available for an LED conversion; eligibility and amounts are set by Consumers Energy's programs.
For parking lot lighting, call (989) 835-3587.
Common Questions
Why are my parking lot lights cycling on and off?
With metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps, cycling is a classic sign of a lamp at the end of its life: it overheats, shuts off, cools and restarts. A failing ballast or igniter can do the same. With LED fixtures, cycling more often points to a driver or photocell problem.
Why are the lights on during the day?
Usually a failed or dirty photocell, a photocell facing the wrong way or shaded, or a timer or contactor stuck on. Lights burning all day waste energy and wear out lamps, so it is worth fixing promptly.
Should we convert our pole lights to LED?
For most lots, yes. LED pole fixtures use considerably less power than metal halide or high-pressure sodium, turn on instantly, give whiter light that makes cameras and faces easier to see, and need far less maintenance at height. Rebates may be available through Consumers Energy's programs; eligibility and amounts are set by those programs.
Can you repair pole light wiring that has been damaged?
Yes. Underground circuits to pole lights fail from age, water, frost and digging, and bases get hit by vehicles and plows. We trace faults in the circuit, repair wiring and bases, and replace fixtures and poles as needed.
Do you maintain parking lot lighting on an ongoing basis?
We handle both installation and maintenance of parking lot lighting. Ask us about ongoing maintenance for your property when you call (989) 835-3587.