Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

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Gwhite
Posts: 3427
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by Gwhite »

We are going to propose upgrading the target lighting in our range to meet ISSF standards. One of the requirements is that the lighting be "uniform". We can easily reach the required levels on the targets with spot lights, and the lighting on each target would be uniform, i.e. the same on all targets. If we have to get the light levels up to the required brightness so that the entire target area (not just the targets) is uniform, that will take a lot of large fixtures. We will still have general range illumination, but it's currently about 1/2 to 1/3rd of the required levels.

Has anyone dealt with this issue? I've certainly shot at air gun ranges where they used spots of some sort. With electronic airgun targets, they have their own lighting, which suggest that additional lighting at just the targets is OK.

Thanks!
David Levene
Posts: 5617
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
Location: Ruislip, UK

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by David Levene »

I'm not certain where you have found the word "uniform".

Just measure the lighting level at the targets. The space between does not need to be at the same level.
Gwhite
Posts: 3427
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by Gwhite »

I just checked with the guy who did all the light measurements on what we've got, and apparently the "uniform" term is his interpretation. He stated it like it was in the specs.

Thanks!
spektr
Posts: 887
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by spektr »

Uniform becomes easy if you load a bunch of these into the building.
https://m.costco.com/Feit-4'-Linkable-L ... 10429.html

They work exceptionally well and are 4000 lumens each. The only maintenance needed so far is to dust the fixtures once a month. They do attract a bit of dust from the air in a firearm range.
Gwhite
Posts: 3427
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by Gwhite »

Thanks for the suggestion.

I've been working through some numbers, and 4000 lumens doesn't go very far if they aren't reasonably directional. We can mount the lights up above an angled steel baffle plate, but that would be about 8 or 9 feet back from the targets. We currently have single tube fluorescents there, and they probably put out about 1500 lumens, but that puts us almost a factor of five below the ISSF required Lux levels. Assuming the Costco shop lights are similarly directional to what we've got (big assumption) , we'd need at least eighteen of them, drawing a total of 756 Watts.

The alternative is to get MR-16 LED spot bulbs and mount them on track-light rails. A 9W 550 Lumen 15 degree LED spot bulb will give over 1600 Lux at the targets (spec is 1500), and 15 of them draws only 135 Watts. The fixture cost would a good bit more than the Costco shop lights, but without data on the beam angles, those would be a risk.

We will also have to pay the school's union electricians to do the wiring. Getting them to put in 3 outlets for the track lights will be much cheaper than getting 18 outlets wired for the shop lights. Mounting the tracks with magnets is also very straightforward.
Pat McCoy
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:34 pm
Location: White Sulphur Springs, MT, USA

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by Pat McCoy »

Check the rule book (mine is for 2013, but newer one is available).

6.4.14 Indoor Range Light Requirements (Lux)
Indoor
Range for
General Targets
Minimum
Recommended
Minimum
Minimum
Recommended
Minimum
10m 300 500 1500 1800
10m RT 300 500 1000 1000
25m 300 500 1500 2500
50m 300 500 1500 3000
Finals ranges must have a minimum general lighting of 500 lux
and minimum of 1000 lux on the firing line. For new ranges lighting
of about 1500 lux on the firing line is recommended
Gwhite
Posts: 3427
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:04 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Range Lighting: Interpretation of "Uniform"?

Post by Gwhite »

The formatting got trashed, so it's hard to decipher. Here's the rules from 2017:
Indoor Range Light Requirments (ISSF 2017).gif
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