Gas stations are extremely important to travelers of all kinds, whether for business or pleasure. These stations must be well lit and easily visible from a long distance. Most often, gas stations opt for canopy lighting because it is visible from the roadside and it allows customers pumping gas to see well.
There are three types of gas station canopy lighting: original, first retrofit, and second retrofit. These terms are also called, respectively, non-cutoff, full-cutoff, and cutoff. The following information is from a study conducted by the Lighting Research Center concerning the effectiveness of each type of gas station canopy lighting. Original lighting uses twelve LSI Petroleum recessed luminaires arranged in a four by three array. Each luminaire contains one 320 watt vertically burning metal halide light with the lamp projecting down into the refractor. First retrofit lighting uses twelve Ruud Lighting recessed luminaires with a flat and clear glass lens. In this method, the luminaire is the same as the original lighting. The second retrofit uses the same lighting method as the first retrofit; however, the flat lens was replaced with prismatic glass that had a drop-lens option which extended two and a half inches below the canopy. Drivers in the test were more likely to turn in to the station when the first and second retrofit lighting was used.
LED canopy lighting is a relatively new light form. In 2009, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District conducted several projects that explored the potential of LED light in an application such as a gas station. Overall, the results showed higher initial illumination, less visual glare and light pollution, and an energy savings of up to 80 percent. When compared to metal halide lights like those used in the Lighting Research Center study, there was an energy savings of close to 63 percent. The wattage for the metal halide bulbs was much higher than that of the LED fixtures, even when the power supply is included. Many business will sell and install any LED lighting fixture or retrofit existing ones. For example, LED Lighting Shop company sells canopy lights, recess fixtures, industrial LEDs, and vapor tight LED fixtures.
