Light Brightness Comparison

NYC Department of Parks and Recreation

AGENCY

Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)

SITE

DPR Facility

SYSTEM OF INTEREST

MEASUREMENTS

EQUIPMENT

Light Meter ➜

Activity Description

We were interested to see if foot candle measurements met established standards, and how brightness compared between different types of lights.

Measurement Strategy

We used the LT300 light meter to measure brightness of outdoor lights.

Results

We found that all lights measured met established standards in foot candles. We also found that lights on shorter poles were brighter than lights on higher poles

Lessons Learned

When using a light meter, it is a good idea to test it ahead of time. We also learned to read the manual and understand what range of values would be relevant. The first time out, the meter gave inaccurate measurements and we had to repeat the task the following week with a different meter.

Equipment 

Light Meter

Measures visible light from fluorescent, metal halide, high-pressure sodium or incandescent sources with a measuring range of up to 20,000 foot-candles. Utilizes precision photo diode and color correction filter.