LED Post Top Lights

What are LED Post Top Lights?

LED Post Top Lights are durable pole-mounted fixtures designed for effective down lighting on poles typically under 20 feet high. Commonly installed in pathways, parks, and commercial areas, these fixtures offer significant improvements over metal halide and high-pressure sodium systems through superior energy efficiency and light quality. Many models include photocell compatibility for automatic dusk-to-dawn operation, while advanced options feature color-adjustable CCT and wattage-selectable output for flexibility.

The U.S. Department of Energy's comprehensive LED lighting resources show that LED outdoor lighting systems can reduce energy consumption by 50-75% compared to traditional metal halide and high-pressure sodium fixtures, making post-top LED upgrades one of the most cost-effective facility improvements available.

The customer wanted to upgrade their pathway lighting. We supplied them with our 80 / 100 / 120 / 150 Watt Adjustable LED Post Top Fixture | 10,400 to 19,500 Lumens fixtures.

What are the Benefits of LED Pole Top Lights?

• Energy Savings: Achieve 60% energy savings over traditional metal halide systems. LED efficiency lowers operating costs from day one.
• High Quality Lighting: Professional-grade LEDs with CRI 82+ provide natural color rendering for safer, more welcoming environments than HID lighting.
• Maintenance-Free Operation: Solid-state LED construction eliminates ballast failures and frequent bulb changes, delivering years of reliable operation.
• Safety: Consistent, flicker-free illumination removes dark spots and improves visibility. Well-lit areas reduce liability risks and enhance security.
• Long Lifespan: 100,000+ hour L70 ratings mean LEDs last 5-10 times longer than metal halide fixtures, reducing replacement frequency and ownership costs.
• Controls Integration: Built-in photocell compatibility and 0-10V dimming enable integration with smart building controls for automated lighting management.
• Instant On: LEDs reach full brightness immediately - no warm-up period like HID systems. Critical for safety and operational efficiency.

What are the Best Applications for LED Post Top Lights?

• Parking Lots: Typically use 15-20 ft pole heights and wide distribution optics for broad area coverage. Most setups use 100-120V fixtures for cost-effective wiring and installation. Another common type of lights you see are LED parking lot lights and LED shoebox lights.
• Pedestrian Pathways: Need uniform lighting at 8-12 ft heights to eliminate trip hazards. Photocell-equipped fixtures automate dusk-to-dawn operation. It's also common to find LED bollard lights here.
• Building Corridors: Post-top lighting provides consistent illumination between structures, preventing shadowing and dark zones common with wall-mounted fixtures.
• Parks & Greenspaces: Warm 3000K color temperature creates inviting nighttime environments. Dark-sky compliant optics reduce glare and skyglow while maintaining safety.
• Outdoor Playgrounds: High CRI 82+ lighting enhances color accuracy for safety and supervision. Impact-resistant housings withstand weather and physical contact.
• HOA Common Areas: Dimmable post-tops balance resident comfort with energy savings. Lower late-night settings maintain security lighting without excessive output.

Proper outdoor lighting design follows established safety and visibility standards. The Illuminating Engineering Society provides guidance on recommended practices for outdoor lighting applications, helping ensure post-top fixtures deliver appropriate illumination levels while minimizing glare and light pollution in residential and commercial environments.

All our fixtures carry essential certifications, including DLC Premium, UL Listed, and ETL Listed approvals. These certifications ensure safety, performance, and energy efficiency while qualifying your project for utility rebates and tax incentives. DLC Premium certification addresses efficiency standards and rebate eligibility. UL and ETL certifications confirm electrical safety compliance.

The DesignLights Consortium sets rigorous efficiency standards for LED outdoor lighting, with DLC Premium qualification requiring the highest performance thresholds for utility rebate eligibility. Additionally, UL safety testing and certification ensure LED fixtures meet essential electrical safety requirements for outdoor installation environments.

Warranty and Warranty Support

All our lights come with at least a 5-year warranty, and all warranty support is based in the USA. Our experienced support team understands the importance of keeping your lighting operational and will work quickly to resolve any warranty issues.

Why Choose LED Lighting Supply for Your Post Top Lighting Project

Our lighting specialists understand the complexities of outdoor lighting upgrades and bring 15+ years of commercial project experience to every consultation. We provide precise energy savings calculations that show your exact return on investment, factoring in your current utility rates and operating hours.

Our team creates custom lighting plans tailored to your facility's layout and illumination requirements, complete with detailed photometric data and fixture placement recommendations. This engineering approach eliminates guesswork and ensures ideal light distribution while minimizing glare and maximizing energy savings. When you purchase from LED Lighting Supply, you receive expert product selection guidance that matches the right fixtures to your application needs, backed by our technical support team who understand outdoor lighting systems inside and out.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Not Measuring Tenon Diameters: Reference the Quick Selection Guide above for proper measurement procedures before ordering any fixtures.
• Poor Photocell Placement: Mount photocells on the side opposite LED output or use remote sensors to prevent false cycling.
• Wrong Wattage Assumptions: Calculate based on actual lumen output and light distribution rather than matching existing HID wattage.
• Incorrect Distribution Pattern: Wide distribution works for parking lots but creates glare on pedestrian paths - verify pattern matches pole height and spacing.
• Ignoring Wind Load Capacity: Verify existing poles can handle larger LED housings before installation.
• Improper Dimming Levels: Test actual visibility at reduced output before finalizing dimming schedules for security requirements.
• Wrong Color Temperature: Reference application guidelines above - warm 3000K may not provide adequate security lighting visibility.
• Voltage Drop on Long Runs: Calculate wire gauge requirements to prevent flickering and premature driver failure on remote poles.

LED Post Top Lights Frequently Asked Questions

What are LED post top lights?

LED post top lights are pole-mounted fixtures engineered for effective downlighting on poles under 20 feet high, commonly installed in pathways, parks, and commercial areas. Many models include photocell compatibility for dusk-to-dawn operation, with advanced options featuring color-adjustable CCT and wattage-selectable output.

What are the benefits of LED post top lights?

LED post tops deliver 60% energy savings over metal halide systems, 100,000+ hour L70 ratings, and CRI 82+ for natural color rendering. Solid-state construction eliminates ballast failures, and built-in 0-10V dimming enables smart building integration.

What applications are LED post top lights used for?

Parking lots use 15-20 ft pole heights with wide distribution optics, while pedestrian pathways need uniform lighting at 8-12 ft heights. Parks benefit from warm 3000K color temperature, and playgrounds require CRI 82+ lighting with impact-resistant housings.

What pole heights work with LED post top lights?

LED post top lights are engineered for poles under 20 feet high and may not provide adequate coverage on taller poles. Confirm distribution pattern matches pole height and spacing before ordering.

What color temperatures are available?

Use 3000K for warm, inviting park environments or 5000K to replicate metal halide brightness for security areas. Warm 3000K may not provide adequate visibility where security lighting is the priority.

How do I choose the right distribution pattern?

Wide distribution works for parking lots, while narrow distribution suits pedestrian paths. Wide distribution creates glare problems on pedestrian paths - verify pattern matches pole height and spacing.

What mounting considerations should I verify before ordering?

Measure existing tenon diameters with calipers before ordering to ensure proper pole mount fit. Verify existing poles can handle larger LED housings since LED fixtures may have different wind load characteristics than HID fixtures.

Do LED post top lights work with photocells?

Many models include built-in photocell compatibility for automatic dusk-to-dawn operation. Mount photocells away from LED output to prevent false cycling issues.

What certifications do these fixtures carry?

Fixtures carry DLC Premium, UL Listed, and ETL Listed approvals. DLC Premium certification qualifies projects for utility rebates and ensures highest efficiency standards.

What warranty is included?

All fixtures include at least a 5-year warranty with USA-based warranty support.

When should I not use LED post top lights?

Do not use when poles exceed 20 feet high, when existing poles cannot handle wind load from larger LED housings, or when long circuit runs without proper wire gauge cause voltage drop. Photocells facing LED output cause false cycling issues.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

Calculate based on actual lumen output rather than matching existing HID wattage. Verify wire gauge requirements for long circuit runs to prevent flickering and premature driver failure on remote poles.