A light tower is a piece of mobile equipment which has one or more high-intensity electric lamps and a mast. Almost always, the lights are attached to the mast, which is attached to a trailer, with a generator set to power the lamps. Normally the lamps are
metal halide bulbs and the generator is powered by a diesel engine. However, battery-powered, solar-powered and hydrogen-powered sets are available; light towers with
electrodeless lamp
The induction lamp, electrodeless lamp, or electrodeless induction lamp is a gas-discharge lamp in which an electric or magnetic field transfers the power required to generate light from outside the lamp envelope to the gas inside. This is in co ...
s lighting are also sold. Modular kits permit separation of the generator set, trailer, lights and mast from each other. Another variation is an inflatable mast. Particularly when an inflatable mast is used, the lights may be placed close to the ground, with a reflector attached to the mast. When soft lighting is wanted, an inflatable "balloon" diffuser may be used. An inflatable mast may serve as a diffuser.
Light towers are used when illumination is required but not otherwise available, both outdoor and indoor, usually temporarily. Example activities are
construction
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...
, mining, motion picture production, demolition,
emergency services, sport or agricultural sectors.
Image gallery
File:USMC-080708-M-MLG-9028.jpg , construction of military base
File:COAL_SHOVEL_BEING_WORKED_AT_NIGHT_OFF_ROUTE_9,_MOST_OF_THE_MACHINES_ARE_USED_SEVEN_DAYS_A_WEEK,_24_HOURS_A_DAY_-_NARA_-_554771.jpg, light tower (far left) at open-pit coal mine
File:Vehicle_Assembly_Building_damage_from_Hurricane_Frances_night_view.jpg , repairs to building
A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and fun ...
File:2010-03-09_-_Airport_Link_-_01.jpg, construction of highway tunnel
File:Hoover_Dam_Bypass_Bridge_Construction_11.jpg, light towers (upper left) used in construction of bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
File:US_Navy_060531-N-4267W-045_Utilitiesman_2nd_Class_Daniel_Dellamonica_assigned_to_Naval_Mobile_Construction_Battalion_Seven_(NMCB-7)_uses_a_Dumpy_level_to_make_sure_the_wooden_forms_are_evenly_placed_before_the_placement_of_conc.jpg, construction of military base
File:US_Navy_081103-N-7367K-011_Seabees_assigned_to_Naval_Mobile_Construction_Battalion_(NMCB)_1_build_at_night_at_forward_operating_base_zero.jpg, military training for construction
File:WKA_Ingersheim_25012012.JPG, construction of wind turbine
File:Penn-North Light Tower by Woodbrook Ave.jpg, light tower placed at street intersection by Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) is the municipal police department of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Dating back to 1784, the BPD, consisting of 2,935 employees in 2020, is organized into nine districts covering of land and of waterway ...
See also
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High-mast lighting
High-mast lighting is a tall pole with lighting attached to the top pointing towards the ground, usually but not always used to light a highway or recreational field. It is used at sites that require lighting over a large area. The pole that ...
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Moonlight tower
A moonlight tower or moontower is a lighting structure designed to illuminate areas of a town or city at night.
The towers were popular in the late 19th century in cities across the United States and Europe; they were most common in the 1880s and ...
External links
''Equipment World'' article on light towers
References
{{Reflist
Construction equipment
Firefighting equipment
Lighting