Purchasing Arena Lights

shibaura_4043 · May 7, 2012

I just finished rewiring my arena and round pen and I need a couple arena lights. I am wondering where the best place to pick them up online or locally is...any input will be helpful. Thanks

weedsportpete · May 7, 2012

Where do you live? I bought 8 Stonco metal hallite 400 watt lights with ballast, reflector, lamps and hooks for $1492 10 years ago, still working fine. For 60 x 160 arena. This was from a local residential / commercial lighting store.

shibaura_4043 · May 8, 2012

weedsportpete said:
Where do you live? I bought 8 Stonco metal hallite 400 watt lights with ballast, reflector, lamps and hooks for $1492 10 years ago, still working fine. For 60 x 160 arena. This was from a local residential / commercial lighting store.[/QUOT

I live in North Texas, my arena is about the size of yours I have two lights on each end 20 ft up. Im just looking for lamps for these. You say you have 8- 400 watt lamps Im guessing my two probably arent going to get the job done are they? or yours light up the entire street! :laughing: I do need to buy 3 smaller wattage complete lights for the roundpen.

hr3 · May 8, 2012

We use these guys all the the time.. Ruud Lighting Direct

weedsportpete · May 8, 2012

Our lights are for our indoor arena; we spaced them equally apart length and width-wise (pairs every 30 feet and 15 feet from the outside wall. Several people told us that we would need a lot more light, and I'm sure it would be nicer, but we don't use it for competitions so no one has a problem - you can see where you are going..

I had fun putting them up. Only had time in the evenings, mostly after dark, so there were no lights at all in the arena, and I've got a battery operated "miner's" headlamp on my head to light up my work area, using a one piece 20 foot old wooden ladder to climb up into the trusses and walking carefully around on the trusses. I put in 3/4 conduit from a new subpanel at one end and ran #8 for the farthest pair, #10 for the two middle pairs and #12 for the closest pair, and ran all those wires back. The wires/conduit ran up the middle of the trusses and I have junction boxes at 30 foot intervals, with a set of wires running out from the boxes to that pair of lights. The wires ran to a 'regular' outlet receptacle box that was attached to the trusses near the light, then I wired a grounded plug to each light, and then just plugged it in to the receptacle. Makes it easy to detach if I need to. Plus I have an extra outlet by each light, though I'm not sure what else I'd plug in 14 foot above the ground. Was not fun pulling all those wires through the conduit though.

shibaura_4043 · May 9, 2012

weedsportpete said:
Our lights are for our indoor arena; we spaced them equally apart length and width-wise (pairs every 30 feet and 15 feet from the outside wall. Several people told us that we would need a lot more light, and I'm sure it would be nicer, but we don't use it for competitions so no one has a problem - you can see where you are going..

I had fun putting them up. Only had time in the evenings, mostly after dark, so there were no lights at all in the arena, and I've got a battery operated "miner's" headlamp on my head to light up my work area, using a one piece 20 foot old wooden ladder to climb up into the trusses and walking carefully around on the trusses. I put in 3/4 conduit from a new subpanel at one end and ran #8 for the farthest pair, #10 for the two middle pairs and #12 for the closest pair, and ran all those wires back. The wires/conduit ran up the middle of the trusses and I have junction boxes at 30 foot intervals, with a set of wires running out from the boxes to that pair of lights. The wires ran to a 'regular' outlet receptacle box that was attached to the trusses near the light, then I wired a grounded plug to each light, and then just plugged it in to the receptacle. Makes it easy to detach if I need to. Plus I have an extra outlet by each light, though I'm not sure what else I'd plug in 14 foot above the ground. Was not fun pulling all those wires through the conduit though.

I wish I had an indoor arena sounds like you have a nice setup. I bet you'll find those extra plugs useful one day.... X2 on pullin the wire through conduit I ran #12 through 3/4" it went pretty smooth but not fun at all. I sure was happy after I pulled it through that last stick of conduit. I ran a couple of different circuits for different projects....grand total of wire pulled in two days about 450ft.

shibaura_4043 · May 9, 2012

hr3 said:
We use these guys all the the time.. Ruud Lighting Direct

thanks

Depmandog · May 21, 2012

I have a 42x68 workshop with 14' sidewalls. For lighting I bought 6 400 watt metal halide low bay fixtures. 8 years ago, I paid around $115 complete for each light. Was purchased at a local commercial electric supply house. I don't recall the brand name, but have yet to replace a bulb.

I have great lighting, almost too much light. It works out to .84 watts of light per SF. I have concrete floors which reflects light as opposed to an arena floor which would absorb the lighting. Also have stark white insulation jacketing on the walls and ceiling.

I guess where I am going with this, .84 watts/sf would be a max goal if you were wanting to light it up like a library, which obviously you don't. But .3 watts / sf might be something to consider.

NHmitch · May 21, 2012

We use spotlights, for our outdoor arena, but the problem you run into is shadows. That can especially be an issue, if someone is jumping, or your horse spooks easily. I would make sure that you have good coverage. You can look at sodium vapor lights, like people use for security lighting. They can be expensive, but if you are on a budget, you can pick them up fairly cheap. They even sell them at Walmart, but the quality will be less, however you will save a lot initially if that is a concern.

Cat_Driver · May 21, 2012

My advice to anyone who has area lights or needs them, go with the NEW LED flood lights area lights. They are up to 60, 100 watts and throw as much light as a 1000 watter at a fraction of the electricity. PLUS they never ever get hot.

I just bought two to replace the 500 watt area lights on the portable work lights. Those work lights alway got dangerously hot inside. They throw the same light and are cool to touch.

I also bought some LED street light bulbs. These things are amazing. They throw the same light as a street light, but I run them off a 12V battery. I can walk around like the statue of liberty with a battery and a street light. Talk about light. Again running only about 28 Watts.

I'm no longer stressing over burning a 500 watt or 1000 watt light all night long and making the electric company rich.

Heck I even bought a LED 1600 LUMENS led flashlight. I did a comparison test with a mag light and it put the mag lite to shame. I shot it about 100 yards and the area I hit looked like day light. The mag light never even reached it.

Bottom line LED is the way to go.