Choosing a Lighting Tower for Night Work
Night shifts, winter afternoons and emergency call-outs all end in the same place: a site that has to be as safe and productive after dark as it is at midday. A mobile lighting tower is the usual answer, and the right one depends on more than its lamp count.
LED or metal halide
Most new towers are LED. They draw far less power for the same useful light, so the engine works less hard and burns less fuel, and they reach full brightness the moment they are switched on. Metal halide lamps still give a lot of light for the money, but they need time to warm up and, once switched off, to cool down before they will strike again, which is a nuisance when a tower is turned off between tasks.
How it is powered
Diesel towers carry their own generator and run for long periods between refuels. Hybrid and battery towers run quietly from a battery bank for much of the night and start their engine only to recharge, which suits sites near homes, hospitals or anywhere noise is controlled. Solar towers suit long-term, low-demand use such as car parks and compound security.
Mast height and coverage
A taller mast spreads light over a wider area with less glare at ground level. Think about the area each tower has to cover, where machines and stockpiles will cast shadows, and whether two smaller towers would serve better than one large one. Aim the lamps down into the work area, not out towards roads, neighbours or oncoming drivers.
Checks before you hire or buy
- Run time on a full tank, and how refuelling will be handled on site.
- The wind rating of the mast, and the stabiliser or outrigger arrangement.
- Towing and lifting points, and whether it can be moved by forklift.
- Automatic dusk-to-dawn switching and remote monitoring, if nobody will be on site to switch it.
- Noise level, where the site has limits.
Browse our tower lights, or tell us the area, the hours and any noise limits and we will help you choose.