# Gas station canopy lighting



## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

If it were me, I would do something like this:

RAB Lighting Inc.

.....and get a tin shop to make me new trims.

If you are thinking corn-cob style retrofit lamps, you might find the interior space is not sufficient for cooling. I believe this is critical in canopy lighting.


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## BlackHowling (Feb 27, 2013)

joe-nwt said:


> If it were me, I would do something like this:
> 
> RAB Lighting Inc.
> 
> ...


We usually do this when upgrading canopy lighting. You can find other models with less protrusions in the back but best bet is to get a square plate for over the old hole and mount your new light to that. You'll either have wood framing to secure to or it may be metal cross bars. 

Sent from my SM-G975W using Tapatalk


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

I have never done gas station light retrofits. Done a bunch of low bay and high bays. Cleaning up the fixtures was the hard part. I could not get comfortable with some old dirty thing up there and they were paying me to do something to upgrade. You .need to know how much light there was and what the owner expects. I have seen places nowadays that are what I consider over lit. I see that as a waste, however some owners want their property to stand out. Does you area have a Dark Sky Ordnance? Do you have a lumen meter? Measure it now and again after the job is over.

I offer these fixtures and company as alternative. Gas Station - Canopy Lighting Knowing what is out there is always a good thing. The fixtures with the motion sensors make sense to me. Example 1/2 the light until a customer comes. Money savinging and fixture longevity.


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## Sim (Feb 12, 2017)

joe-nwt said:


> If it were me, I would do something like this:
> 
> RAB Lighting Inc.
> 
> ...


Yes this is defiantly the kind of light I would like to install. I don't really want to give them a corn-style retro fit I can avoid it. I think it would not look that great.
I guess I have to open her up to get the last bit of information I need. Also the tin is a great idea I'll have to call a few shops to check that out.


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## Sim (Feb 12, 2017)

SWDweller said:


> I have never done gas station light retrofits. Done a bunch of low bay and high bays. Cleaning up the fixtures was the hard part. I could not get comfortable with some old dirty thing up there and they were paying me to do something to upgrade. You .need to know how much light there was and what the owner expects. I have seen places nowadays that are what I consider over lit. I see that as a waste, however some owners want their property to stand out. Does you area have a Dark Sky Ordnance? Do you have a lumen meter? Measure it now and again after the job is over.
> 
> I offer these fixtures and company as alternative. Gas Station - Canopy Lighting Knowing what is out there is always a good thing. The fixtures with the motion sensors make sense to me. Example 1/2 the light until a customer comes. Money savinging and fixture longevity.


I agree old things should be replaced if possible. "Dark sky ordinance" had to look that up. I believe there may be some local code about it. I will have to call my local inspectors to find out more.
A lumen meter is a great idea, I may stop and get one today. From a quick search there are some lumen meter apps or do you think the actual device is better than the apps?


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

I have never owned a lumen meter, I own a decibel meter. I had a smart phone once that would not work with a compass. So the app is an idea and might be cheaper. Wonder if your phone would use it accurately.
HARD part is get to a level of illumination and stick with it. lumens, footcandles, and lux are all used. I like foot candles as it is used in the NEC and most fixtures come with that as the level used.


https://www.nwf.org/Eco-Schools-USA/Our-Partners/~/~/media/E7B37A6C61264B5B84ED7C76433AF907.ashx


does a gas station need more than a class room?


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Sim said:


> A lumen meter is a great idea, I may stop and get one today. From a quick search there are some lumen meter apps or do you think the actual device is better than the apps?


I did a little reading on both and I didn't really trust the apps so I bought a meter. I am glad I did, I think a meter is easier to work with. Cheap meters are available under $50. I might get one that you ca attach the pickup to the body of the meter, sometimes it would be nice to be able to use it one-handed.


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## dspiffy (Nov 25, 2013)

I agree with avoiding anything corn-cob style.


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## kb1jb1 (Nov 11, 2017)

Replace the whole fixture with the right one instead of trying to retrofit. Older fixtures are not designed for retrofitting. I just finished replacing the canopy lights on a gas station where the owner purchased the lights from his "gas station supply store". Yes they have stores that specialize in gas stations only and I was glad he did. He first bought the 110 watt ones and after installing half of them we stopped and he bought the next larger size. The station is open 24/7 and he wanted it bright. We are about 35 foot candles. Whatever you buy check out the canopy first. Some canopies have a hollow space between the roof and bottom while others are only a single sheet of metal where all above wiring is exposed to the weather.


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## HID lights baby! (11 mo ago)

Looks like that fixture is made by ESSCO lighting


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Bugs are a problem if you’re retrofitting. So is water. I installed some LED units that a gas station bought. Fixtures were HID mogul base. New ones slipped over the lamp base. They had a big heat sink and fan on top. Within two years over half failed. Looked like the dead bugs had covered the heat sink, or water had gotten on them.


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## HID lights baby! (11 mo ago)

backstay said:


> Bugs are a problem if you’re retrofitting. So is water. I installed some LED units that a gas station bought. Fixtures were HID mogul base. New ones slipped over the lamp base. They had a big heat sink and fan on top. Within two years over half failed. Looked like the dead bugs had covered the heat sink, or water had gotten on them.


Gasket failed most likely, because they can get brittle to the point of peeling off or they will just get stiff (rubber specifically) which makes these gaskets break into chunks or powder


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