It is often believed that LED floodlights do not require regular lighting maintenance, and we hear this more frequently when speaking with new and potential clients. Whilst LED sports lighting typically requires less maintenance than traditional metal halide flood lights, routine floodlight maintenance is still important. A planned flood lighting maintenance programme helps prevent avoidable flood light problems, protect light levels and support the long-term performance of the system.
The main reason is that regular floodlight maintenance often forms part of the warranty terms, so planned maintenance lighting checks help ensure the warranty remains valid.
When it comes to the performance of LED floodlights, maintenance helps to ensure optimum light output and therefore appropriate and safe light levels for the facility. A proactive floodlight maintenance service also helps to safeguard against potential LED floodlight problems within a lighting system and can therefore reduce costs in the long-term whilst ensuring maximum lifespan from this important asset. Modern LED floodlights also include integrated control gear and smart dimming components, which benefit from regular inspection to prevent avoidable faults or performance drops.
As a minimum, a professional LED floodlight maintenance service should include the following maintenance lighting checks:
A structured floodlight maintenance service should look beyond simple cleaning. It should assess the condition of the fittings, electrical connections, seals, heat management and overall lighting performance, helping to identify issues before they affect safety, visibility or system lifespan.
It is also recommended that lux audits are performed before and after maintenance to ensure light levels are what they should be for the facility and sport taking place.
With regards to frequency of maintenance required for LED floodlights, each manufacturer will have their own recommendations and it is also dependent on usage and geographic factors, such as salt spray, UV exposure, sandstorms and other climate-related influences. In the UK, maintenance is commonly scheduled every 18–24 months for LED systems used regularly in sports environments, but more frequent checks may be needed in coastal or high-pollution areas.
To ensure you plan and budget for LED maintenance accordingly, we advise you to check the information supplied by the lighting manufacturer in the Operation and Maintenance (O & M) Manual and also the terms of the product warranty. Learn more about an annual floodlighting servicing.
When it comes to who you should employ to carry out floodlight maintenance, it is important that you select a suitably qualified and experienced lighting contractor or manufacturer’s representative who can ensure that maintenance is carried out to uphold the conditions of the warranty.
If maintenance is not completed appropriately, there are a number of LED floodlight problems which can arise. These include:
