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Posted By: HighPotter Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/29/08 10:43 PM
Looking for suggestion on lighting up a 180"+ onion shaped water tower.The top is 4 times as large as the base, and they mostly just want the city logo's lite up. The city fathers are looking to have their newly refurbished tower ( but mostly just the city logo) lit up for all to see. The facility that it is located in, has fencing approx. 100' on all sides from ther base of the tower.. There are some 2 and 3 story businesses on the north and south side.

The city logo is on 2 sides, the north and south side.

I'll be meeting with a few of the lighting reps tommorow on site. Was just curious for everyone opinions. There is always the ability to gain access to surrounding buildings roof tops ( with legal agreements of course), to use as lighting platforms.

Regards,

HP
Posted By: ghost307 Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/29/08 11:37 PM
Tight beam from a light on an adjacent building will be the way to go.
Posted By: HighPotter Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/30/08 01:59 AM
I agree Ghost.
The top of the tower is about 100' across, so of course the logo is about as wide. So I'm thinking probably 10 1500w MH fixtures, with narrow beams. The spacing of the fixtures should be interesting. Not sure if they could be grouped all mostly in the same area, or would have to be spaced evenly( maybe 10' apart) along the rooftop.

I was also told late this afternoon, that " if possible", they would like all of the support structure lit as well. Geez

But that might be much easier actually. I'm thinking fixtures mounted at the base of each leg ( there are about 15 huge supports) all shining straight up.Conduit mounted on the curving concrete curb that rings the tower. Should work fine.

HP
Posted By: NJwirenut Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/30/08 02:20 AM
In addition to the aesthetic lighting, towers like that may be required to have aircraft warning lights on them. Those have to meet very specific FAA requirements.

The project engineer sould check with the regional FAA office to find out for sure...
Posted By: HighPotter Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/30/08 02:43 AM
Already has one. Along with numerous small antennas.
Posted By: SolarPowered Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/30/08 06:46 AM
One alternative to look at is Electronic Theatre Controls' "Source Four" ellipsoidal spotlights. I believe they have units designed for use outdoors, and also units with metal halide lamps. I don't know if the two features are available in the same unit.

These can give you long throw in conjunction with a lot of light.
Posted By: Surfinsparky Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/31/08 11:45 AM
Looks like another good use of tax dollars.

Maybe their is some type of solar option??
Posted By: SteveFehr Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/31/08 11:51 AM
Originally Posted by Surfinsparky
Looks like another good use of tax dollars.

Maybe their is some type of solar option??
hahahaha... I know what you mean, but "solar powered lights" is still a funny suggestion wink
Posted By: electure Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 01/31/08 05:29 PM
HighPotter,

It doesn't say where in SoCal you are, but what are the City Fathers going to do about this?

Title_24_Part_6

(10ea) 1500 Watt Metal Halide fixtures just to light up the City Logo? That is ludicrous in light of the fact that California's trying to SAVE energy, not WASTE it.

Posted By: HighPotter Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 02/01/08 04:45 AM
Originally Posted by electure
HighPotter,

It doesn't say where in SoCal you are, but what are the City Fathers going to do about this?

Title_24_Part_6

(10ea) 1500 Watt Metal Halide fixtures just to light up the City Logo? That is ludicrous in light of the fact that California's trying to SAVE energy, not WASTE it.



Well, I'm not saying that there won't be a bit of energy wasted here. but.... Is there an agency that will tell a city they are not compliant? And if there is, would this agency be up to spending millions of dollars in lawsuits to stop it? Thats the kind of city I work in.

It is what it is.

But just as a side note. We met with a lighting designer yesterday, and it looks like the fixtures are going to HAVE to be located 250' + away. spaced at 50' intervals, all shining up at a 30 deg. angle.

It'll take that many fixtures for sure.

HP
Posted By: HighPotter Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 02/01/08 04:48 AM
Originally Posted by SolarPowered
One alternative to look at is Electronic Theatre Controls' "Source Four" ellipsoidal spotlights. I believe they have units designed for use outdoors, and also units with metal halide lamps. I don't know if the two features are available in the same unit.

These can give you long throw in conjunction with a lot of light.


Hey Solar, I checked out there website. Pretty inpressive. Couldnt tell if there stuff was more then damp location rated though. Suckers can throw some light though.

HP
Posted By: noderaser Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 02/01/08 11:39 PM
Won't the designer specify what fixtures he wants?

Yes, S4s are pretty good little units. However, there are other fixtures out there (at least for theatrical use) that are just as or more efficient, and have other nice features.
Posted By: rmiell Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 02/04/08 06:31 PM
Since there is power already on the tank, why not use that same power to power up some small wattage spotlights mounted on the catwalk around the tank? Having the power up there also will mean there is conduit run from below, so one could pull another circuit up if needed. I am assumming that there is a catwalk, in order to service antennas and obstruction lights. We have several tanks lit this way.

Rick Miell
Posted By: HighPotter Re: Lighting a TALL water tower - 02/05/08 03:21 AM
Rick,
Interesting idea. For decorative lighting, I can see using something similiar.Our tower does not however, have a catwalk, in the classic sense.

The tower looks very much like this one.

http://content.answers.com/main/con.../24/150px-Carmel-indiana-water-tower.jpg

Access is through the middle, up a LONG ladder, and then with a small "crows nest" at the very top. Only about 8 feet in diameter, for the antennas. At the top, it's about 50' out to the edge of the structure, completely untethered.

There is limited power in the "shaft", just enough for lighting the inside well with the ladders.

It aint an easy one.

HP
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