When you buy solar street lights or LED street lights, you must also consider purchasing street light poles. If you are only new to this, you might wonder about the details you must consider when buying street light poles. You might also want to discover the main parameters of the street light pole or how to install them properly. Another thing! Knowing how to incorporate the wire into the poles is also necessary.
Fortunately, ADN is here to answer all your questions about street light poles, the parameters, proper installation, and other necessities, name it!
Classification of Street Light Poles
Let’s get started by familiarizing yourself with the different classifications of street light poles.
Round Street Light Pole
It is the most common type of light pole. The cross-section is a circular light pole.
Hexagonal & Octagonal Street Light Poles
The cross-section of solar light poles can also be hexagonal and octagonal in style. This light pole’s price is slightly higher than other types of poles because the process is more labor-intensive.
Straight Pole
Generally, it refers to circular light poles with the same diameter at the top and bottom. Straight rods are the cheapest, given the same parameters. If you want to cut down the cost of lighting projects, straight poles are a great choice for light poles within six (6) meters in height.
Large and Small Pole
A large section of the smaller diameter of this pole is welded to a small selection of the larger diameter pole. At the same height, the price of large and small poles is higher than that of straight bars.
Tapered Pole
The bottom diameter of this pole is large, and the top diameter is small. The diameter gradually transitions from a large diameter at the bottom to a small diameter at the top. At the same height, the price of the tapered pole is the highest among the round light poles.
Main Parameters of Street Light Poles
Here, you will come across some of the most important parameters in street light poles. These are the following:
Material
Regarding the material, street light poles are divided into iron street light poles, stainless-steel street light poles, and aluminum alloy street light poles. Most of the street light poles are mainly made of iron. Stainless steel-street light poles and aluminum-alloy street light poles are usually used in garden lighting. It is also commonly used in landscape lighting with a height of fewer than 6 meters.
Thickness
The thickness of the pole wall is generally between 2 mm and 5 mm, depending on the height of the pole. The higher the pole’s height, the thicker the pole’s wall thickness. In addition, the thickness of the light pole’s wall is divided into the thickness before and after surface treatment. After surface treatment, the lamp post’s wall thickness is about 0.2–0.3 mm thicker.
Surface Treatment
The surface treatments of street light poles are mainly cold-galvanized and hot-dip galvanized. The validity period of hot-dip galvanizing to prevent the poles from oxidizing and corroding is more than ten years. However, the validity period for cold galvanized anti-oxidative corrosion is over five (5) years.
Height
The light poles’ height is generally three (3), four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7), eight (8), nine (9), ten (10), and twelve (12) meters. Normally, the light pole’s height for road lighting is more than six (6) meters. On the main road, however, the light poles’ height is over 8 meters. Moreover, light poles below six (6) meters are usually used in outdoor public lighting areas such as parks and community corridors.
Flange
The flange can play the role of fixing the street light pole. The taller the pole, the larger the flange size. For example, the flange size of a 6-meter light pole is 280*280*12mm.
Ground Cages
Ground cages are usually buried in a cement base with exposed bolts on the ground. The flange’s hole position can match the ground ridge bolt, which fixes the street light pole. Therefore, when purchasing light street poles, make sure to carefully check the hole positions of the ground cage and flange.
The Installation Process of the Street Light Pole
The following installation processes for street light poles are described in detail below:
Foundation Pouring
1. Determine the installation position of the light pole.
According to the construction drawings, the construction personnel determines whether it is suitable for construction and whether the street light’s height is appropriate. The geological conditions of the survey site and the surrounding environment are also considered. The initial installation position of the street lamps is planned based on the distance between the street lamps of 40 to 50 meters. Once the determinations are completed, the relevant personnel will adjust the installation position of the street lamps according to the site’s actual environment.
2. Excavation of the street lamp foundation pit.
When the location of the street lamp is determined, the street lamp foundation pit is excavated. Consequently, soft ground soils require a deeper excavation depth. It is also important to identify and secure other facilities (such as pipes, cables, road signs, etc.) at the excavation location.
3. Casting embedded parts for street lamp foundations.
A pit with suitable depth is dug according to the street lamp’s height and geological conditions. Then, pre-welded embedded parts are placed in the pit. Keep the embedded parts, the foundation, and the ground on the same level. Afterward, put two arc-shaped threading pipes with a diameter of not less than 30mm.
The threading pipe is placed in the center of the four screws of the embedded part. One of them goes in the direction where the main cable comes in, and the other goes in the direction where the main cable goes out. Finally, the embedded parts are poured and fixed with concrete. During the pouring process, keep stirring evenly to ensure the compactness and firmness of the entire embedded parts.
Street Light Cables Trenching
- When encountering a cement road, you should break the cement and dig a cable protection trench. The depth of the protection ditch should be determined according to the actual situation. Take note the original strength of the pavement cannot be damaged.
- Cables are generally used for threading. One end is fixed on the guide wire, and the other is introduced into the threading rod. A semi-circular hole is left on the pre-embedded cement base for wiring. The lamp head’s power determines the cable’s size, the lamp’s number in each circuit, and each circuit’s length.
- After the concealed works are qualified, you can only backfill the cable protection trench. The backfilling of the protection trench requires layered landfills. The degree of layered compaction should reach more than 80% of the original and then be paved with cement.
- Clean up the residue on the positioning board as soon as the construction is finished. Then, wait until the concrete is completely solidified (about 3 to 5 days, depending on the weather and temperature) before installing the street light.
Installation of Street Light Poles & Streetlights
Note that the pole installation can either be manually or mechanically installed.
- Pay attention to the flange. Do not press the cable because it will lead to cable skin leakage. Keep light poles away from surrounding buildings and power lines.
- Do not install any equipment on the light pole body. A crane lifts the pole first. When the lamp pole is lifted to the top of the foundation, slowly lower the lamp pole while rotating the lamp pole. Adjust the lamp head on the road so that the hole on the flange is aligned with the anchor bolt.
- After the flange falls on the foundation, cover the flat pad, spring pad, and nut. Finally, tighten the nut evenly with a wrench to fix the lamp pole.
- Buckle the lightning protection angle washer to ensure that the lamp pole and lightning protection angled grounding pile is connected as one.
- Connect the main cable and wire to the light pole. Then, apply the waterproof treatment.
- A fuse is required for the phase line of each lamp. Make sure to secure the fuse firmly. The bending direction of the terminal end should be clockwise. The fuse’s upper part is connected to the power inlet line, and the lower part is connected to the power outlet line.
- Installation of street lights. The street lamp control box components include leakage protection, a timing microcomputer switch, an AC contactor, a branch switch, and an electric meter. Check whether the connection of each element in the street lamp control box is correct and whether the connection is firm. First, connect the street lamp output wire, then the power input wire, and lastly, connect the ground wire of the distribution box.
- Finally, the embedded nut of the lamp pole is brushed with asphalt for rust prevention. The street lamps and rods are installed.
Outdoor Street Light Grounding Guidelines
Outdoor street lamp grounding is divided into TT and TN. In turn, TN is also divided into TN-C, TN-S, and TN-C-S.
TT refers to the direct grounding of the street lamp shell. When the street lamp shell is charged, the electric shock hazard is reduced by tripping the low-voltage circuit breaker. TT grounding is suitable for places where the pole installation is very scattered, and it is rarely used now.
TN refers to the connection between the street lamp shell and the neutral line. Once the street light housing is charged, the leakage current becomes short-circuit. This current is 5.3 times the leakage current of the TT system. For instance, if the fuse blows, the low-voltage circuit breaker releases immediately and trips. So, TN grounding is safer than TT grounding.
It’s a good idea to weld the ground wire according to the regulations.