Wondering which type of light will be suitable for the basketball court? Thinking of using LED lights? Basketball is among the most popular sports in the world. It is played on many different levels and is one of the best activities for students.
The basketball court is a rectangular solid plane without any obstacle. For seeing the ball and performing well in the game, proper lighting is required. The light should offer sufficient and uniform luminosity. In addition, the light must be installed in a way that will not cause any hindrance to the vision of the players or the audience.
The market is filled with tons of lighting options; nonetheless, not every light is made equal. This is why you have to be careful when picking the right light for the basketball court. LED light for a basketball court is a great choice. This is because they are long-lasting and more energy efficient. This type of light offers uniform light, which will not obstruct the vision of the players, audience, or referee.
Choosing the best-suited light is not an easy task. To help you buy the perfect light, we have created this buying guide.
Advantages of LED Lights for Basketball Court
There is a plethora of reasons for investing in LED lights for the basketball court. Have a look!
Lifespan is Long
The best thing about LED lights is its lifespan. The average lifespan of LED light is 80,000 hours. If you turn on the light for 7 hours a day, it will last for 30 years. This means you will not have to frequently change the lighting. It will even reduce your maintenance and running costs. The brightness level of these lights is high.
brightness it provides is 140 lm/W. When it comes to saving energy, it uses less electricity that means you can save 50% on energy expense without compromising the brightnessTraditional lights will trap heat inside the body of the light. This is not good as it will damage the lights. As far as the LED light is concerned, it has a great heat dissipation. The heat will not be retained in the light. It will even improve the performance of luminaires. The heat sink enables LED lights to last for a long time.
Lighting Requirements for Basketball Court
To have proper lighting in the basketball court, here are the lighting standards you must follow.
Efficacy
One of the requirements of basketball court lighting is efficacy. It measures the efficiency of the bulb, indicating lumens created for a watt of electricity used. LED lights are known to be efficient because they have high luminous efficacy. Luminous efficacy for the basketball court should be between 130 to 180 lm/W.
Color Rendering Index (CRI)
One of the requirements of basketball court lighting is efficacy. It measures the efficiency of the bulb, indicating lumens created for a watt of electricity used. LED lights are known to be efficient because they have high luminous efficacy. Luminous efficacy for the basketball court should be between 130 to 180 lm/W.
Lux Level
The most important factor you have to pay attention to is the brightness of the light. This will help the players and audience to have a clear vision. The light must also be evenly distributed. For recreational and backyard games, 200 lux is the standard. For a professional tournament, LED light with 1500 to 2000 lux level is more than enough.
Foot Candles
For those who don’t know about foot candles, you are in the right place. The official sports lighting standard is measured in foot candles. It indicates how much light you have for per square foot. The brightness of the court depends on the venue. The foot candle ranges from 50 to 100.
For instance, an elementary league will only require 50 foot candles while a championship game will require 125 foot candles. A local high school basketball court will need 75 foot candles.
Factors to Consider When Designing Lighting for Basketball Court
The lighting standard and design for all types of basketball court varies.
Foot Candles
For those who don’t know about foot candles, you are in the right place. The official sports lighting standard is measured in foot candles. It indicates how much light you have for per square foot. The brightness of the court depends on the venue. The foot candle ranges from 50 to 100.
For instance, an elementary league will only require 50 foot candles while a championship game will require 125 foot candles. A local high school basketball court will need 75 foot candles.
Lighting Setting
Both outdoor and indoor basketball court has different lighting setting.
For indoor basketball court, the LED light has the following arrangements:
◉ The lights must be installed on both sides of the basketball court. It should have a belt pattern, which should be 1 meter above the field.
◉ The LED light should not be installed above the circular area within 4 meters diameter of the basket.
◉ The light should not be installed less than 12 meters.
◉ Lights must not be installed in the stadium.
◉ The light angle should be 65 degrees.
For outdoor basketball court, you should follow the below setting:
◉ The distance between the realization of the arena and the bottom of the light pole should not be less than 1 meter.
◉ The light must not be installed in the range of 20 degrees near the bottom line of the ball frame.
◉ The angle between the ground plane and lamp should not be less than 25 degrees.
◉ Ensure the height of the light meets the vertical connection between the middle line of the court and light.
◉ There is no TV broadcast that is perfect for both sides of the basketball court.
◉ The minimum height of the light is 12 meters and the height of luminaire should not be less than 8 meters.
◉ It is crucial that the light post should not any hindrance in the view of the audience.
◉ The symmetrical lighting setting should be installed on both sides to offer adequate lighting.
Lux Level
You have to consider the lux level of the LED light. The main purpose of lighting in the basketball court is to enhance the vision of the players and spectators. If the court is not well-lit, it will negatively affect the performance of the players. So, the lux level is essential.
Flickering Free Lights
The LED lights must be flickering free. This is because poor quality lights will strobe under the high-speed cameras. When you get quality LED lights, there will be less rate of flicker, nearly less than 0.3%. This is not detectable by the camera.
Have Photometric Report
The photometric report is crucial for designing lighting for the court. This is because you will be able to see a 3D model of your basketball court. It will enable you to see how it will look using LED lighting. You can change the optics and luminaries for choosing the best option.
Have Photometric Report
The photometric report is crucial for designing lighting for the court. This is because you will be able to see a 3D model of your basketball court. It will enable you to see how it will look using LED lighting. You can change the optics and luminaries for choosing the best option.
How to Choose the Best LED Light for Basketball Court?
When it comes to selecting the right LED light, there are many factors that you must consider.
Have Photometric Report
Not all the lights are made equal, this is why you need to focus on the type of light. You have to make sure you are getting the right light for the environment. Whether you want LED lights for the indoor or outdoor basketball court, Onor Lighting has it all.
Color Temperature
For basketball court, it is crucial to use the right color temperature. The 5000K color temperature is preferred for almost all fields. This offers similar energizing effects as natural light because it is closest to the daylight. If you want to have warm light, 4000K is recommended.
Lumens Per Watt
For basketball court, it is crucial to use the right color temperature. The 5000K color temperature is preferred for almost all fields. This offers similar energizing effects as natural light because it is closest to the daylight. If you want to have warm light, 4000K is recommended.
Anti-glare
Many people complain about the glare produced by LED lights. This causes irritation and discomfort for the audience and players. It is why you should get a light with an anti-glare lens. You should make sure the Unified Glare Rating (UGR) for the light is less than 19.
In addition, you have to keep in mind that the basketball court has a shiny surface. It means that it will reflect light, maximizing the glare in the court.
ONOR Lighting has a wide range of outdoor and indoor LED lights for a basketball court that decreases glare.
Final Word
Therefore, basketball courts must be properly illuminated for both players and spectators to enjoy the match. Whether you have a court for recreational purposes or professional competitions, lighting has a huge role to play. In order to see everything clearly, the court should be well-lit. However, there is a lot of math that goes into deciding the best lighting solution for the basketball court.
Onor Lighting provides LED lights that will decrease costs, overhead, and increase visibility. We have a team of experts who have comprehensive knowledge about the lighting requirements for the basketball court. If you need any more information, feel free to get in touch.
Post time: Jan-08-2022