"We're doing an energy audit for Tuscumbia and helping with an energy plan"

quote:

Originally posted by James Holden:
http://www.timesdaily.com/arti...-to-get-solar-panels

i hope they say something about the 20 or so street lights that stay on even when spring park is CLOSED.


the following numbers are based on 0.09cents per KWH electric cost and 600w incandescent lighting. i am not sure what the park uses or tuscumbia utilities actual kwh cost- these numbers are only for the 8 hours the park is closed - i am not objecting to evening lighting of the park, it is a nice luxury.

it would cost about 45cents a day to run each light

thats $10.80 a day to run 20

or $3145 per year to run 20 lights 8 hours a day.

if the park is using lower watt lights (ex. 400w) the price would go down some, but not much.. the only way price would go down considerably would be if they used CFL -- but that would require more lights to light the same area.

electrical math assistance by electricity-usage.com

Your information on the lights is incorrect. In Spring Park there are 9 high pressure sodium lights that stay on all night which is one of the most energy efficient types of lighting available, they are probably 200W but it would be best to check with the city for that info.
There are also 24 metal halide lights which are not as energy efficient as the HPS lighting but close and the metal halide has a more natural light color which is a bit better for security lighting. There are also 4 CFL's that stay on all night on the "train station" The CFL's are really not all that efficient compared to the HPS or metal halide lighting but it is probably the most practical for where they are, with the price of led's coming down they may be able to replace the CFL's with LED bulbs soon which would save some energy.
As for the swan out in the pond, I don't know for sure what type lighting that is but it sure looks nice.
It looks like that for now they are using the most practical technology available from a mix of cost, energy efficiency, and safety for people using the park. People use the park all hours of the night and the lights being on likely save far more than their cost in just being a deterrent to vandalism alone. If anything, I might suggest that the city add some pathway lights.

I thought the park closed at 10:00 every night?

quote:

Originally posted by semiannualchick:
I thought the park closed at 10:00 every night?

There is one sign in the park that tells opening and closing hours (can't recall what they are and the sign is sort of grown over a little) but the entrances are not gated and you can see people down there pretty late a lot of nights. I live close to the park and I do believe that the lights discourage undesirable elements from congregating in the park.
One of my points though is that there are actually more lights down there than JH estimated in his post but the energy to run all of the lights being used in the park is only a fraction of his estimate. I believe that if the lights were turned off during closing hours that we would see an increase in property crimes in the park and at homes & businesses located near the park. Might even see a mugging or three.

quote:

Originally posted by James Holden:

it would cost about 45cents a day to run each light

thats $10.80 a day to run 20

or $3145 per year to run 20 lights 8 hours a day.

electrical math assistance by electricity-usage.com

I think that website's math is a little off. U say .45 per light. At 10 lights, thats 4.50, so at 20 lights that would be 9.00 per day. At 365 days, that would come to 3285.00 per year. I dont know the answer, just thought I would bring it up

quote:

Originally posted by RickyC31:

quote:

Originally posted by James Holden:

it would cost about 45cents a day to run each light

thats $10.80 a day to run 20

or $3145 per year to run 20 lights 8 hours a day.

electrical math assistance by electricity-usage.com

I think that website's math is a little off. U say .45 per light. At 10 lights, thats 4.50, so at 20 lights that would be 9.00 per day. At 365 days, that would come to 3285.00 per year. I dont know the answer, just thought I would bring it up

The 45 cents per light per day would be correct if it were 600W bulbs as indicated by James Holden, these are HPS and Metal Halide lamps which are very energy efficient and put out a lot of light per watt used and are probably only around 200W. So anyway, think more along the lines of it actually being about 15 cents per day (if his .09 per KWH is accurate)