One of the towns near me has fallen ill with the LEDisease. They replaced perfectly good and working HID fixtures with these dim LED streetlights. I find that very wasteful replacing perfectly working sodium and mercury lights. I doubt the LED lights will last 25+ years like the MV lights did.

I agree. When I was in Hawaii, particularly Kaua'i, it was lit entirely with GE ERS-1 LED streetlights. The streets looked so dim. Seeing the 250w HPS missouts, they were brighter then the LED streetlights.

Isn't Hawaii used mostly LPS because of Mauna Kea Observatories?

Isn't Hawaii used mostly LPS because of Mauna Kea Observatories?

I believe they found an LED alternative. Also the island I was on (Kaua'i) is very far from the observatories on the big island. 296 miles.

I agree. When I was in Hawaii, particularly Kaua'i, it was lit entirely with GE ERS-1 LED streetlights. The streets looked so dim. Seeing the 250w HPS missouts, they were brighter then the LED streetlights.

I've just never understood why utilities replace perfectly good and working fixtures, it seems wasteful. If it's not broke, don't fix it!

I've just never understood why utilities replace perfectly good and working fixtures, it seems wasteful. If it's not broke, don't fix it!

Because they're being told that these fixtures will save them money in the long run compared to HID lighting (ex: lower maintenance cost, less energy used, etc)

I've just never understood why utilities replace perfectly good and working fixtures, it seems wasteful. If it's not broke, don't fix it!

And if it is broke, TRY to fix it, NOT replace it.

Because they're being told that these fixtures will save them money in the long run compared to HID lighting (ex: lower maintenance cost, less energy used, etc)

Yeah, that's a joke. Some of the GE Evolves in my town are starting to fail, while the HPS missouts are still working because their lamp is still working. Most of the HPS lights were replaced in 2017.

I saw them replacing more fixtures today and stopped and asked them if I could have some of the old ones, but they said that I have to call Alabama Power about it. I know if I do that they will either say sorry or put me on hold all day. Oh well.

I saw them replacing more fixtures today and stopped and asked them if I could have some of the old ones, but they said that I have to call Alabama Power about it. I know if I do that they will either say sorry or put me on hold all day. Oh well.

When some linemen were retrofitting some HPS Teardrops in the city next to me, I asked them if I could have some of the old gear and explained how I liked lights and even dated the old lamps in front of them. They gave me a multitap Advance 250w HPS ballast, a Philips 250w ALTO, and a Sylvania ET23.5 150w lamp. They asked me if I wanted more (they had a bucket filled with hundreds of HPS lamps and a separate one for the ballasts) but I declined because of time limitations. They said they were going to replace the HPS streetlights (GE M-250R2s) and asked if I wanted some but my dad said no to them.

Well at least you tried. I never see any linemen here replacing lights, I only see the lights changed after. But if I did I would be too nervous to approach them to ask.

Well at least you tried. I never see any linemen here replacing lights, I only see the lights changed after. But if I did I would be too nervous to approach them to ask.

A lot of the time they will be willing to give stuff away because it's just going to be scrapped anyways, but sometimes they aren't able to and I understand that. I have been able to get some stuff in the past though. The guys who I talked to yesterday, I believe, were working for a company that was hired by Alabama Power and that's most likely the reason that they couldn't give anything away. They were really nice though and thought it was cool that I collect lighting. So don't be afraid to stop and ask! More likely than not you can score some pretty sweet stuff for free! And don't forget to thank them for all they do for us.

I agree. When I was in Hawaii, particularly Kaua'i, it was lit entirely with GE ERS-1 LED streetlights. The streets looked so dim. Seeing the 250w HPS missouts, they were brighter then the LED streetlights.

I agree they Replaced a Cooper OVZ that wasn’t there for even a year old along with some other lights on major roads with these.

Same here. They have almost completely replaced all HID fixtures here with LED, and the level of illumination now on most streets is so low that we do not feel safe going out after dark. Which at this time of the year up here is about 4pm  

I remember at some point seeing an article in the paper that one of the cities here (Denver) was going to replace streetlights with LED.

I guess when all is said & done, when I look in that direction at night, they'll be even less nuclear-waste-orange skyglow from HPS (instead replaced by white).
Sad to think of all those nice old (perfectly working) cobrahead streetlights being junked