# Airport Hangar Door Beam lighting, need help.



## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

You need a wall wash fixture. Does it have to be mounted under the overhang? Something like a sign light that you mount on the wall right above the overhang and shine down on the door.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

I'm thinking it should, because the hangar doors gradually get further from the above exterior wall. So it would be difficult to keep a consistent downward look if I mounted them to the above wall. I've talked to the customer about that, he's really wanting something more recessed where you can't see the fixture.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

JasonCo said:


> I'm thinking it should, because the hangar doors gradually get further from the above exterior wall. So it would be difficult to keep a consistent downward look if I mounted them to the above wall. I've talked to the customer about that, he's really wanting something more recessed where you can't see the fixture.


If the customer is a pilot, there's a good reason for wanting them recessed or something like that.

Looking at a light like the one pictured will destroy your night vision. When operating a plane at night, you really need good night vision. 

Any sort of indirect lighting will work but anything that shines in your eyes won't.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

JasonCo said:


> ...Customer is unhappy, as I expected. So am I. Forget it, I'll find it on my own. Brought the pallet of lights back to the shop to have it returned. Well... this isn't my forte, but I'd like to expand my knowledge of lighting so here we go.


So far so good, good for you...



> What the customer is wanting is lighting that illuminates each hangar door, but in a way that looks nice, that showcases each door. Kind of like taking a paint brush and side swiping down so it hits a nice portion of the door at a nice downward side angle. No idea how to explain lol. Can lights light up 180 degrees, which isn't really meant for what we are trying to achieve. Hopefully you get the idea though.


OK, it's good to ask the customer what they want with no conditions or restrictions. Sometimes it's simple and easy, which is good. Sometimes it's not so simple or easy, but doable, still good. It's seldom really impossible. But very very often getting exactly what they want is very very expensive, so you have to weigh how much they want their first choice unconditional want, against how much money they are ready willing and able to part with. 



> These are called angled beam lighting? No idea what I'd even type into google. I've been searching for an hour


an hour is nothing down the rabbit hole, you wait


> and haven't found anything yet. I'm a little lost. My boss says the supply store found an option for $400 a light, and we have to pick what angle we want, which I'm not even sure. $400 per light though... That's ridiculous. I refuse to give into something so absurd.


How did you decide that's ridiculous? More than you'd pay? It's not your money so that doesn't matter at all. Keep in mind, your budget isn't the one that matters here. You at least have a starting point. 


> I'd *rather sacrifice my time* and do some research to try and find a good option for these airport hangars.


Whoa, what are you saying, you'd rather work for free saving someone money than have somebody buy expensive lights? Some kind of communist.


> I can't imagine a can light with an angled LED beam being $400 vs a normal LED can light that's $40. The difference is too silly to believe.


Now, now. If you think it's really too expensive you go start up an angled light factory and see how much you have to charge. When you find out how few people are really that passionate about the way the light falls on the wall, you might find out you're barely scraping by pricing them at $500 and can't figure out how these bastards are undercutting you at $400. Or maybe you'll make a fortune in angled downlights, I don't know. But you don't either. 


> Hopefully there is a cheaper alternative. Was hoping someone could maybe gear me in the right direction? Very much appreciate any help, hope everyone's having a nice weekend.


Hopefully, and by all means do a little homework, that's expected. Just a couple things to think of. What if you find something that costs an extra $50 per door and they say "That's all you found? Well thanks but screw it it's nice but not $50 nice, put in what you had before." What if they let you dig around and find a good one and they say "well at that price we can't afford you to install it, we're going to have to have our maintenance people install it." (Or, they'll have the first wino that shows up when they answer their craigslist ad install it.) So thanks but no cabbage for you. 

But I guarantee you $400 per hangar is not going to break the bank for the airport. It might be more than they wanted to spend, but I bet if they really want a certain look, they won't even balk. Unless you go on and on to them that it's highway robbery, don't put that idea in their head. There's a plane in there that costs way more than $400. The owner has a lot of money invested in this place.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

How about something sorta like this?
Perhaps more of the commercial or industrial variety.

Small private airport near me has a few like this on the hangers.
Hangers only hold one small plane, two at the most.
They have only one on each hanger, centered on the building.



Amazon.com


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

JasonCo said:


> View attachment 159703
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> View attachment 159702
> 
> ...


Have you asked the customer if they saw it somewhere else? If so, where? How did they do it?

As to cost, if the guy owns a jet, I doubt he's worried whether they are $200 fixtures or $2,000 fixtures.

Does your local supply house have a lighting rep? Have you reached out to them?


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

they call them "cut off lights" where I live. Don't ya just love words?! Can mean so many different things to so many people.

first link helps describe what I mean








Luminaire arrangement | ERCO Lighting knowledge


Luminaire arrangement: ERCO Light Knowledge provides you with all the information you need on this subject. Find out now!




www.erco.com





next is a fixture that might help








Luminaire arrangement | ERCO Lighting knowledge


Luminaire arrangement: ERCO Light Knowledge provides you with all the information you need on this subject. Find out now!




www.erco.com





Biggest problem is how high the doors are. Most recessed fixtures are shotguns not rifles.
You as I understand it want a rifle. Light on the lower door and ground.


I have used similar to these for door lights at the mine. 








LED Full Cutoff Adjustable Wallpacks - Choose Your Options


Find Slim and Large Full Cutoff LED Wall Pack in stock now. Buy LED Fixtures At Wholesale Prices with Fast Shipping.




www.superiorlighting.com





They pretty much shoot straight down. Work well for identifing a door in the middle of an ocean of darkness. Put them on doors for the emergency equipment. Could see the doors from almost a mile off on a clear dark night. Could not see the building attached to the door. 
They are made in adjustable as well. But these are not what you looking for. The over hang will get ya every time. 
Hope it helps


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

Thanks for all the advice and help! Going to read through it now and soak it in. Definitely have a better idea. I'll try and look for wall wash recessed lighting or cut off lights. Customer is really adamant it seems on getting something recessed. That cutoff wall pack would be perfect but I wouldn't be able to mount it to the door. It gives me a good idea what to search for though, really appreciate the help.

@SWDweller, that 2nd link you provided is the same as the first link.

@MikeFL, yes they got the idea from another Hangar. I've tried showing up super early before sunrise, multiple times, but they never have them on. I did take a photo of what the fixture looks like at least.








There's also another Hangar in this airport that does have them on at night. They look pretty nice. Not sure what fixtures these Hangars are using though.








*These photos are from two different Hangars.


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## Orthalion (Oct 8, 2021)

That fixture on the other hangar looks like a pot light can to me. I've used pot lights to wash a wall as an accent before but not to function as site lighting. If you can get a part number or at least the brand off of an existing fixture, that's the place to start.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

Maybe something like this... 






4" LED Medium Beam Reflector, Polymer Trim Ring, Specular Clear F | Crescent Electric Supply Company







www.cesco.com





Spec sheet for this Cooper fixture seems to give me the impression that it would work. Depending on the accessory trim I buy for it. 

@Orthalion, Thanks. I'll check out Pot lighting. Wish they'd turn them on at night to see how it works on a wall. The photo of the lights that are on, those are pretty nice. I need to see what type of fixture that one is. I need maybe some sort of can light with a shielded reflector trim piece built into it. Maybe that's what they are using for the photo with the lights. Wish I took a photo of the fixture itself. Kicking myself because now I'm tempted to make the drive down there before dark to see.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Sorry about the double links, fat fingers again. Primary reason for me not to text anyone unless I have a full sized key board.

The concept is easy once you can get your hands on the photo-metrics of the fixture/bulb
Long ago they used to include them with the cut sheets. Made it easy to see what you were getting. Today hard to tell if the product is UL/CSA listed for the purpose. 
I have been looking for Dark Sky wall fixtures for my new home. Down light, no side light allowed. Big telescopes (a 4 meter one 45 miles away). Once I find a fixture then the MFG says ETL, but not for what listing. You would think a simple barn light would not be so hard to find with a UL label for a wet location for less than $200 bucks.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

You would think! What's getting me now is the terminologies. Everywhere I look uses a different term, makes it hard to find the fixture I'm looking for. You have Wall washer lighting, Wall grazer lighting, Beam angle lighting, Accent lighting, cut off lighting, list literally goes on and on and on. There's definitely not an industry standard when it comes to lighting. There's a million different styles with a million different names, and they're really hard to research and hunt down when you are wanting a certain look. Wish there was literally one single lighting company out there that would throw a photo example of each product illuminated for it's indented application and what it looks like. I can't seem to find a company that has done this, it's crazy this doesn't seem to exist.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

You know what... I'll be back in a few, making the drive down to the airport to snap a photo of what fixture these people are using. This is somewhat what I'm looking for. I just gotta know! Will post a photo when I get back.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

Here we go.










Can't tell from the photo but it's exactly like the other photo I took and posted on here. The "pot" lights. Only difference is the amount of LEDs in the fixture, the other one looks to have 6, this one has 4. Whatever though, pot lighting is what it is! They don't seem to have aluminum reflectors in them to spread the light out, which is probably why it works well for this application. So we know that pot lighting works pretty well. Probably angle beam lighting with shielded reflectors would also work, but way more expensive. If I go with a pot light with 6 or so LEDs, with anti-glare. This should be perfect. Think I'll focus on finding a pot light to throw up there to see if he likes that. They're also inexpensive! Will post update photos when done.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

I wired a apartment in a hanger once. Most all of the piping was Class 1 Division 2 ( I think)

Used to remark to my partner, You know how dirty you get flying around in a jet, need somewhere to take a shower and clean up. Yuck, Yuck Yuck.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

I've been in most of the hangars up in this private airport I do work for. This place has serious wealth. You go through the guarded gates and you walk into the other side of life where people have too much $ to know what to do with. Each hangar is pimped out with ridiculous apartments/homes (that no one stays in) that use the finest materials, things on display that are worth hundreds of thousands. Game rooms, candy rooms, putt putt golf, simulated driving ranges, massage rooms, entertainment rooms, theaters, INSANE hobby rooms, idk I could go on and on. Then you get to the Hangar portion where you find the 10 million dollar jets, 20+ car collections, crazy looking plains and helicopters you've never seen before. Idk, when you got throwaway $ in the millions, this airport delivers a taste of that lifestyle that's pretty wild to see.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Jay Leno's "garage" is a hanger (or hangers) at Burbank Airport IIRC.


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## danhasenauer (Jun 10, 2009)

Most quality can lights have wall wash trim as an option. That, with a PAR style LED lamp installed may solve the problem. Don't over think it. Some solutions are simpler (and cheaper) than they appear.


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## JasonCo (Mar 23, 2015)

Hmm yeah I like the idea of going with a regular can light with a PAR style LED, using a wall wash trim. You might have hit it on the nail. Been busy all week, haven't had any time to further research and make the purchase. I like your idea because if the LED goes out it's as simple as changing the bulb, which the customer will reek the benefits from in the long hall. Yeah this is a solid idea, thanks!


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