Buying cheap soccer field lights isn’t a science but it does require knowledge about the lights before you buy them. This guide can be helpful as an introduction to soccer (football) field lights and learning simple tips on how to buy the LED lights on sale. Hopefully, you’ll save some extra money using these tips, and suggestions.
What are soccer field lights?
It’s hard to imagine that this question needs to be asked, but is a vital one that’s here for technical reasons. Soccer field lighting helps for the extended performance of soccer players on the pitch for either day or night. The LED lighting allows the visibility for the football field players and aids in removing shadows. These may be caused by sunlight or overhead pole lighting. There are two types of light including vertical and horizontal light.
Horizontal lights are light poles and vertical lights are separate parameter fixtures used to light up players.
What should we look for when buying soccer field lights for sale?
1. Types of football field lighting
Soccer fields or football fields use light fixtures that all operate from various light fixtures. There is metal halide, high-pressure sodium, Mercury and halogen, and LED. Each of these light fixtures produces a large amount of light and will all have excess amounts of wattage used for each. The one exception is LED, since the amount of wattage a considerably less than the others. Filament-based lights like metal halide and HPS are commonly used for soccer field lights.
They are quickly being replaced with LED lighting fixtures since the quality surpasses these other types of lights. However, the standards for LED lights all differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. While replacement bulbs for filament-based fixtures are easy to sort-of cheap to purchase, they are continually being replaced. Over time this can be very expensive to maintain.
2. Luminous efficiency & Lumen
Comparing lamps such as metal halide and LED will obviously show major differences in luminous efficiency. The issue of Lumens that are produced is the most important part of sports lighting. If you look at LED, a good fixture can produce 130 Lumens per Watt. Putting filament bulbs next to LED also shows how wattage is drastically different. It takes 10,000 Watts to power the same amount of light that a 1000 Watt LED creates in luminosity.
This is why many arena and soccer stadium owners are switching to LED fixtures instead. This is another reason why luminous efficiency will prove to be more efficient by using less Wattage.
3. Lifespan
Of course, the amount of life that a light fixture needs to have, all have specific lifespan hours that are possible. Filament bulbs are the least forgiving since they only last a couple of years. LED soccer field lighting is lasting for at least 20 years. The endless amounts of money that filament fixtures end-up costing due to a short lifespan aren’t cost-effective. For this reason, it’s better to choose LED lighting since it can last many years over filament lights.
This in itself cost-effective as there wouldn’t be any need to replace filaments over the years. Any light fixture that lasts several years should always be chosen to avoid constant maintenance. This is what makes LED lights more affordable in price in the long-run.
4. Beam angle
Each soccer pitch can have several lights that are used to light up the entire field. Smaller fields only have 4 light poles while larger fields will have 4-6 light poles. For each pole that is set-up, the angle that’s used to point at the pitch, all remains the same. This means that an angle where a light pole is placed, the same angle must be duplicated for each fixture. Beam angles converge across the field since they all have the same angles.
The beam angle is also important for secondary lights that are used as fill lights. These should also follow a similar angle wherever they are mounted.
5. CRI
CRI is very important for soccer lighting since it allows light levels to be bright but with crisp luminosity. The main point of CRI is to have a level of light that is set to a level that doesn’t overpower the object that’s being illuminated. This can often happen with sports lighting when objects become washed-out or over-exposed. Just as lighting levels are adjusted for making professional photos, CRI levels are adjusted for visual performance.
Just as lighting levels are adjusted for making professional photos, CRI levels are adjusted for visual performance. The amount of CRI for soccer is normally >80 for general soccer events but can increase for larger event games such as the FIFA World Cup.
6. Power input
The amount of electrical power that’s used for lighting will need an electrical connection so it can work. The amount of electricity that comes from a source location needs to have electrical cables that are rated for each light fixture. The reason for this is so the Wattage that is needed for each fixture can handle the electrical load delivered to each fixture. Fixtures that have higher wattage will need connections and lines that can handle them.
While LED lighting can use standard electrical cable connection rated for the amount of Watts used for each fixture. Each connection needs to be wired by an electrician or lighting contractor who does professional installations.
7. Maintenance option
Not every LED fixture is easy to repair due to the manufacturing methods that each company may use. Some designs allow for semiconductor chips to be replaced manually, while others need to be sent back to a company for repair or replacement. It’s a good idea to ask each company what the repair-ability level is for their fixtures ahead of time. This way, spare light fixtures can be purchased beforehand.
If a fixture is down for repairs, a new fixture can replace the previous one so that lighting isn’t compromised. It’s not very common that LED fixtures stop working, but finding the kind that can be fixed easily should be a priority.
8. Weight of the soccer field light fixtures
Light poles all have a certain amount of weight that can be placed at the top. This isn’t just for weather or wind concerns; it can be that it has a weight rating. The size of your field and the size of the light fixtures will need the appropriate light poles for the job. You’ll want to make sure that whatever is mounted at the top is stable enough to support the weight. LED lighting fixtures have an advantage over standard filament fixtures except for weight.
Your light poles will need a steady mounting surface that can support their weight. The pole should also have enough structural strength to not sway much if there is medium to high wind.
9. Certifications
If your light fixture comes from an overseas factory made in China, chances are often sketchy for electrical certification. You want to know that any lighting product has at least a UL or CE certified. The UL listing is for all USA products, while the CE is rated for European products. This tells you if it’s been tested for electrical safety and has earned a certification number for that product.
It’s not one of the more important things that most people are looking for, but when it’s used for lighting, it’s essential. Without seeing these types of certifications on a light fixture is simply asking for trouble.
10. Warranty
All sports lights will offer a warranty of some kind, but these are tricky if you buy from overseas companies. Will they be around to help if something goes wrong with your lights? Will they repair them if they stop working for whatever reason? A good sign of a warranty is one that has at least half of the proposed lifespan they are rated for. Most companies offering LED lighting have a 10-year warranty, which is an excellent value for any lighting product to be covered that long.
It also tells you that your confidence in knowing that product is covered for half its life is a true value.
Pros and Cons of buying soccer field lights for sale
Pros
1. Save on costs and increase the profit on electricity savings
Looking at the bigger picture of costs that go with lighting installation, it’s always a plus if you control outgoing costs. An electrical contractor is going to have their project fees which are going to be a small fortune. But knowing about the cheap soccer stadium lighting beforehand is your biggest strength at reducing extra costs. Knowing exactly what kind of lights that your field needs should be your concern and right to choose.
This is why anything that’s bought (beforehand) for your contractor to install, can save you extra money on the overall project for affordable prices.
2. Fast delivery
Many cheap football field lights for sale are often premade models that are based on wattage and the number of Lumens they produce. Special lighting needs time to assemble and build, but general lighting such as field floodlights are generally off-the-shelf. It makes it easier to buy them when they’re in stock and ready to install. Being aware of how much power you need is all your lighting supplier needs to know.
The rest is just a matter of how many fixtures are in stock and ready to be shipped after a sale. Beware of any company that takes their time to check on the availability of a fixture. This can mean that they are ordering from overseas companies and can be expensive for you.
3. Expert service and free lighting consulting
One bonus that any sports lighting company can offer is extra help through consulting. If they offer a free lighting analysis to show what their stadium lighting systems and fixtures can do is great. It can also speed up the process and show how it would look using realistic 3D modeling. It also helps that they’ll know what products work best for certain applications. This can be especially the case for regulation arenas and stadiums.
Or whenever the field is used for professional events and requires the correct Kelvins for television crews. Anytime that your lighting supplier helps you understand more about their product is always a big help.
Cons
4. Few customizations on power, lumens, beam angle, color temperature, CRI
Soccer lights can supply a specific amount of Watts and Lumens standards but are limited to some specific because of how they are produced. The lighting temperature cannot be adjusted because the Kelvin setting is very specific. This goes along with CRI and beam angles if they are pre-made fixtures. These might sound like a disadvantage but a light that is meant for off-the-shelf use is limited to only do what it’s’ meant to do.
5. The chances of buying shoddy soccer field lights for bad suppliers and manufacturers
There is always the product that is offered through online sources such as Amazon that can seem like such a good deal. There is no guarantee that the cheap field lights will work as you intended them to. Many of the suppliers that sell stadium lighting equipment online may also be reselling imported lighting. The problem is not being sure if they will be worth buying if they haven’t gone through in-house testing.
You should always look for a LED supplier that produces its product locally. This way, you’ll have less risk of buying poorly produced lighting equipment,
6. Supplier is hard to contact in person or has language issues
Anything that’s sold overseas is going to be a language barrier if their offices are based in China. Even if there is a phone number that you can call, how do you know the person you talk to will understand your problem? Cheaper soccer stadium lighting that comes from factories can be a bargain, but is it worth the headache later? The other problems can be with sending the equipment back for repair. The shipping costs alone will cost you more in return.
Don’t settle for cheap when you can buy quality soccer field lights that can be repaired domestically. And at least you’ll be able to talk to them without language barriers.
How to save money when buying the soccer field lights?
1. Knowing the soccer field layout and requirements
Knowing the soccer field is one thing, but knowing where the flood lights should be placed might not be your biggest strength. You should know what are the latest requirements that can make your present field more up-to-date. Depending on the level of gaming at your soccer field, you can upgrade and replace your lighting for better results. These might include league requirements that allow more access to television crews and higher spectator numbers.
2. Ordering lamps with the same power and beam angle
Some light fixtures are obviously going to be the same, especially for vertical floodlights used for reducing shadows. In the case that you need to order up to 100 fixtures that all have a 1000 Watt luminance, price breaks are usually provided. And thus, lowered costs for ordering the same models are cost-effective.
3. Asking for discount if you order the soccer field lights in bulk
Depending on the size of the arena or soccer stadium, it’s going to take a lot of flood lights to properly light-up the pitch. Bulk orders are especially important for any sports lighting supply business. You’ll find that anything that counts over 50 of the same item counts as a bulk order. Considering that you’ll likely need many different types of soccer field lights, bulk orders will help lower the total costs buying in bulk.
4. Buying directly from a soccer field lighting manufacturer
You can further keep costs lower by not dealing with expensive sports lighting company agents who work from commissions. There is also the chance that some lighting contractors will mark-up costs if they buy the lighting through their company. Always try to keep your budget as affordable as possible and buy directly from your lighting manufacturer.
Common issues of buying soccer lights for sale
1. Unknown origin of the soccer field lights
It goes without saying if you can’t pronounce the name of the city where a product was made; don’t waste your money. Overseas products might have greater control from mega-corporations, but this doesn’t always work out well for smaller vendors. Suppliers that are out of state aren’t a good idea if you can’t reach them easily. It’s also risky if anything goes wrong with your lighting and suddenly you can’t reach them at all.
2. Overstating the luminous efficiency
It’s going to be very common that lighting manufacturers want to make their product sound better than anything. The first thing you’ll hear is how luminous their sports lights are. It can be a real guessing game to figure if this is the actual Lumen count. A lamp might advertise it has 180lm/W when the real number is 130lm/W, so you need to be careful with this info. The best way to avoid being lied to is by asking for a certificate that was issued, proving its’ lighting efficiency.
3. Poor LED driver
There can be problems with some LED fixtures that have poorly designed LED drivers. This is the power source that allows the electricity to run the light itself. If these aren’t well built, the fluctuations of electricity going into them can automatically shut-off a light. This can typically happen if they are built in factories where quality control is non-existent. Many new automated assembly lines make more mistakes then they produce a faster product.
4. Flicker issues
It’s not very common that you can detect flicker with filament-based sports lighting. Usually, with LED sports lights you don’t notice this either. Unless there is something seriously wrong with the driver or electronics, flicker shouldn’t be visible. The only time flicker problems are present in LED is towards the very end of their life for each LED diode.
Our conclusion
We hope this guide was helpful for you and allows a better understanding of buying LED soccer field lights. Perhaps this guide has also given you some ideas to think about and have a better plan on how to start a lighting upgrade.
