Tips for choosing floodlights?

B

Bounty

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We finally have our PP for having floodlights installed
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Does anyone have any tips/recommendations for which sort, how many and where?

The school is 20x40 and I'd just want enough light to be able to do flatwork/lungeing.

I was thinking along the lines of low-sodium (?) lights as I thought they'd give a softer, more even light - we've got a 500W floodlight halfway up the drive and when that is lit it is so bright that you can't see anything for being dazzled unless you are directly underneath it!
How many do you think I'd need?

All help appreciated as I am clueless, and electrician is booked for tuesday!
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My old yard just had one floodlight in their 20x40 school, so you could probably get away with 2 (one at either end) if you didn't mind a darker bit in the middle.

On the current yard I'm on there is a 45x45m school, and there should be 8 or 9 floodlights, but only 6 are working at the moment, and there is still enough light for jumping and schooling. They are spaced evenly around the school.

I'm afraid I've got no idea what type they are, but I do know they guzzle electricity, so go for as few as you can get away with!
 
Did read on 1 site that sodium are not good for equine visability - not sure if true.

Avoid halogen if mounting in a brrezy area as they don't like too much movement - tend to blow frequently.

We bought metal halide and they've been brilliant we bought them form and ebay seller who was brilliant - like these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/400-WATT-HIGH-PERF...1QQcmdZViewItem

Will check with OH what wattage we went for.

We have a 20x50 arena and have 3 of them down one long side pointing towards a leylandii hedge. One at E and the other 2 8m in from the short edge. They are mounted on telegraph poles 1.5m from arena fence at 2.8m height I think. Angled down at about 30 degrees

Brightness is enough for jumping but would need light coloured poles.
 
I'm not fussy about the light being even as such, I just want it brighter than pitch black!
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The school is next to our neighbours massive glasshouses which they used to light through the evenings, but they've now retired and stopped growing, so I don't get the benefit of their light anymore
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Brill Claire, thanks! Have emailed already
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Things are moving pretty fast at your place now aren't they? Have you got any pics?! I've not seen any since you first started!
When are you hoping to start up properly?
 
I would check your planning permission that they haven't specified how many and what sort and what height. Theu do do this.

Congrats on getting lights though. We got ours 2nd hand from a demolition site.
 
That's one of our big problems, the wind really whips across our place
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I have some 5ft Birch trees on order to plant down the side of the arena to try and make a bit of a windbreak in time, but there's no magic cure unfortunately.
We have telegraph poles here ready and waiting... just need to suss which lights and where to put them
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Thanks for your info.. will try to find out some more about the sodium lighting and equine visibilty
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Will check
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Will also get my Dad on the case... he has alot of council-worker friends which could probably get me some lights, we've had just about everything else over the years!
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I'm trying to get my mitts on some of those new road barriers (they come in red and white, and are A-frame type construction, poloyjump style) to use as fillers, but no one wants to chuck any of those yet *sigh*
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