Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the world, especially in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is played in just about every part of the globe. The Rugby league is highly televised and internationally broadcasted. Lighting is crucial to rugby. The rugby field requires the best lighting and that is why LED lighting is commonly used for lighting up a rugby field.
Rugby can either played at an amateur level, club level, recreational level, or professional level. Sufficient lighting must be ensured if one hopes to enjoy a superb rugby match. LED lighting is the answer to rugby lighting needs. It has a long life of 80,000 hours. Besides, LED lighting is more durable than HPS or HID lamps, and metal halide. The rugby field is also prone to rough weather conditions and that is why LED lights are mostly used. Whether there is a storm or just rain, LED lighting will keep the rugby field illuminated. Excellent quality LED lights work in low temperatures such as -40 degrees as well. LED lighting is known for its versatility.
Lighting Requirements for Rugby Field Lighting
When it comes to rugby field lighting, there are certain lighting requirements that have to be met. Generally, it is advised that the LED lighting should be uniform and bright. It offers many benefits. As there are many different types of LED lighting options, it is crucial to determine which LED lighting to choose. Visual obstruction should be minimized in order for athletes and spectators to enjoy the tournament. The following will allow one to meet the lighting requirements for a rugby field.
Size of Field
When focusing on the lighting requirements, the size of the field has to be considered. By knowing the exact size of the field, one will be able to determine the appropriate lighting for the rugby field. There are different types of rugby fields and hence, the size of the field varies depending on the purpose.
Uniformity and Brightness
In order to meet the lighting requirements for a rugby field, the uniformity of illumination and brightness have to be considered. If the rugby field is dedicated to general commercial and recreational use, the brightness level can be anywhere between 250 and 300 lux. The total amount of lumens required can be easily calculated by multiplying the brightness level with the area of the field. For instance, if the field is 120 meters in width and 70 meters in length, then the lumens required for the rugby field can be calculated. In order to determine the amount of lumens needed, 250 lux would be multiplied by 120 meters and 70 meters. The brightness required would equal 2,100,000 lux. Keep in mind that a greater brightness level will be needed for a professional match and thus, 500 lux is sufficient for such a match.
The next lighting requirement is uniformity. A sports field such as a rugby field must have a lighting uniformity of at least 0.6. To achieve the desired illumination uniformity, the beam angle of the LED lights and the individual power will be taken into account. A rugby field that has uniform illumination will experience better athlete performance.
Factors to Consider When Design Lighting For Rugby Field
Great care is required when designing the lighting for a rugby field. It is important to ensure that there are no shadows that are projected on the field. The design and placement of the LED lights and reflectors must be done in such a way so as to minimize any shadows. Design plays a huge role in LED lighting effectiveness. It is crucial to get the design of the LED lighting right during the first time around. Onor Lighting offers the ultimate high voltage solution. The standard voltage required for a rugby field is 100 to 277 V. As for high voltage required, 280 to 480 V is suitable. The following factors should be considered when designing the lighting for a rugby field.
High Power
A rugby field requires high power of about 130,000 lumens and more. The sports field has to be brightened using optics and high-powered LED lights. The best way to design the LED lights is by creating a model to determine the type of optics that would offer the best results.
Luminous Efficacy
A major factor that should be considered when designing the LED lighting is luminous efficacy. It is easily calculated by dividing the lumens by watt required. By comparing the luminous efficacy, the ideal design can be made. Lumens play a huge role and should be considered. A high luminous efficacy rating will allow rugby field owners to benefit from lower energy and maintenance costs. Moreover, the LED lights would need to be replaced less frequently.
Beam Angle
The beam angle is another important factor that has to be considered as it dictates light distribution. The illumination on the ground would be quite low if the light uniformity is too high and the beam angle is wide. However, light uniformity tends to be low when the beam angle is narrow as there would be a lot of dark spots despite the high level of brightness.
It is crucial to select lights with the right beam angle to ensure that the brightness level and light uniformity is optimal. A photometric analysis will come in handy when designing LED lighting for a rugby field.
Heat Dissipation
Another vital factor that influences the design of the LED lighting is the heat dissipation system. Heat can easily make its way into the LED fixtures and could damage them due to overheating. When designing the LED lights, make sure that pure aluminum is used as it offers the best heat conductivity. The higher the quality of the aluminum, the better conductivity levels can be experienced. An efficient heat dissipation system will help ensure sufficient air ventilation. There must be enough space between each LED chips row. It will allow for heat to be transferred from the fixture to the surroundings. Moreover, the heat dissipation system has to be dense and large.
Color Rendering Index
The CRI or color rendering index is a vital factor that has to be considered when designing the LED lighting. It measures how colors appear as compared to a specific light source. It determines the way an object appears.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the CRI, the better the colors appear to the human eyes. A CRI of 70 and above is sufficient for a rugby field. Onor Lighting offers LED lights that have a CRI of 70 and more.
Glare Rating
Sports lighting design has to take the glare rating of the LED lights into account. Too much glare can make it difficult for the rugby players to perform their best and the spectators will have a difficult time concentrating on the match.
The vision of objects and details will also be impaired due to the glare. This is why it is important to ensure that the LED lighting meets the glare rating standards as set by the rugby council. Moreover, glare also decreases illumination for some parts of the rugby field. Onor Lighting offers LED lights that use advance lenses to ensure that there is less light leakage and the light beam is focused.
Color Temperature
Finally, when designing the LED lighting, the color temperature has to be considered as well. The color temperature required for rugby field lighting is about 4000K. Our eyes can easily adapt to different color temperatures. However, proper correlated color temperature is vital to ensuring that the true colors are shown in all their glory. Furthermore, keep in mind that the color temperature influences the design of LED lighting.
How to Choose the Best LED Light for a Rugby Field
A rugby field requires just the right type of LED light. This can make it difficult to choose the best LED light for the rugby field. There are certain factors that must be considered to determine which LED lighting is the best.
Energy Savings
The main factor that differentiates the best LED light from average LED lights is energy savings. It is the most important factor which one has to look at. As electricity costs tend to be on the higher end for most sports including rugby, it is crucial to ensure that only the best LED lights are selected which offer maximum energy savings. Onor Lighting provides LED lights that allow you to take advantage of as much as 70 percent energy savings.
Durability
Durability should never be overlooked. When choosing rugby field LED lighting, also opt for the one that offers the most durability as it would translate to lower maintenance and replacement costs. Moreover, durable LED lights can be used for longer hours as compared to other lighting options. This makes durable LED lights the perfect choice for rugby. In order to determine durability, always look at the number of hours that the LED light will operate for.
Post time: Jan-08-2022