Lighting Requirements

[ihasagun]

I need to upgrade the lighting on my 10m air pistol/rifle range at home and I'm not really familiar with the general lighting requirements. I've been to one meet and I can't remember what kind of lights were used, such as fluorescent vs incandescent, etc. My home range is just one trap and it actually extends from one room into another through a doorway, so I expect to use separate lighting sources for the target and the sights. I Can just spotlight the target with something bright and use high wattage incandescent bulbs above the sights, but maybe there are some special considerations I need to the aware of. Please let me know if there is something I shouldn't overlook.

[Chia]

I don't know specifics about lighting requirements (probably varies by range), but you may want to try some of the LED lights you can pick up from lowes or home depot. Cheap, no batteries, and sticks to the wall without any cords. You activate them by pressing on them like a car light.

[ihasagun]

I don't know specifics about lighting requirements (probably varies by range), but you may want to try some of the LED lights you can pick up from lowes or home depot. Cheap, no batteries, and sticks to the wall without any cords. You activate them by pressing on them like a car light.

Exactly what I was thinking of for spotlighting the target. I was just concerned that LEDs are single wavelength, and if there is a compelling reason to go full spectrum, or to choose a particular wavelength, I'd like to do it right.

[Chia]

Okay, first fair warning: I'm talking out of my ass while reading a rulebook, but I want to help and I think this is what you need. As you may have noticed, I have not actually attended a competition, but in my defense I can do research fairly well (and quickly).

http://www.issf-sports.org/documents/ru ... Target.pdf

David Levene feel free to correct me, but it looks like 6.4.14 and 6.4.14.1 of the ISSF Technical Rules covers this. Take a look on page 233. It has a chart.

If you (like me) don't know what the hell a lux is, check here

6.4.14 text:

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

For 10M, the required target minimum is 1,000 lux and it recommends greater than 1,500 lux.

6.4.14.1 text:

All indoor ranges must have artificial illumination providing the necessary amount of light without glare or distracting shadows on the targets or firing points. The background area behind the targets must be a non-reflecting, light even neutral color

There does not appear to be any specific type of light required, beyond it not having glare or distracting shadows.

[SPPcoach]

The NRA Range Source book lists specific recommendations for the amount of illumination at the firing line, at the target line and general room lighting. This document does not specify any type of lighting, ie. incandescent, halogen, flourescent, or LED. That technology is relatively new and these chapters were written long ago.

[TenMetrePeter]

If it helps, on our range we use the old 100Watt pearl incandescents at about 18 inches in an overhead holder shielded from the shooter. When we run out we may look at alternatives and 50W equivalent LED GU10 down lighters seem promising at 18 inches. We dont measure Lux! However 100W bulbs for our 240V circuits are still available online despite the EuroGreeny ban.

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[jhmartin]

HOW TO MEASURE ....

If you have one of those new fangled cell phones you can get the "Light Meter" app.
It's pretty close in what it measures.

[Ricardo]

No light can be single wavelength and be perceived as white. "White" LEDs emit at two wavelengths, and if that's perceived as white, that's good enough.

[SPPcoach]

if that's perceived as white, that's good enough.

I am inclined to disagree. Many LEDs are sold as white and perceived as white. When splunking (caving) depth perception is not a preference, it is a matter of life and death and some 'white' LED headlamps are MUCH better than other 'white' LEDs at giving better depth perception. This is not as noticeable in shooting but since shooting is considered an endurance sport the cumulative additional stress on the eyes could certainly affect the outcome of a match that is often determined by tenths of a point.

[dulcmr-man]

if that's perceived as white, that's good enough.

I am inclined to disagree. Many LEDs are sold as white and perceived as white. When splunking (caving) depth perception is not a preference, it is a matter of life and death and some 'white' LED headlamps are MUCH better than other 'white' LEDs at giving better depth perception. This is not as noticeable in shooting but since shooting is considered an endurance sport the cumulative additional stress on the eyes could certainly affect the outcome of a match that is often determined by tenths of a point.

Please expound on this. WHICH white LEDs are better than others for depth perception and why. Thanks.

Dennis in the PRK

[SPPcoach]

Please expound on this. WHICH white LEDs are better than others for depth perception and why. Thanks.
Dennis in the PRK

This is not something I can explain empirically. I don't have any tools or measurements that I can share. It is my opinion based on my experience. My TacTikka white LED headlamp is much better (safer) than my Princeton Tech white LED headlamp and others i have looked at, even though they are both rated at 100 lumens. I suspect that that the TacTikka emitter is more multi-spectral and therefore gives better depth perception. I admit that I may be wrong about the theory, but not the conclusion.

[Pat McCoy]

"White" comes in various shades, These are listed on the bulb as degrees Kelvin. Noon sunshine is in the 5000K to 6000K range, and LEDs are available up to at least 5000K. I put two of these in my four season entry, and we are still getting new blossoms on the tomato plant (keeping the lights on until about 10pm) at 5900' alt and out side temps in the teens (inside 64+).

The 5000K LEDs are what we are going to in our range, but you still need to be sure you have enough total lumens (and well balanced across the range).

[Ed333]

I cannot comment on lux or lumens or kelvins, but I would say avoid fluorescent bulbs because of the flicker. I use an aluminum reflector with spring clamp, ordinary incandescent 75 or 100 watt bulb, clamped below trap, shining up against target.

But my club has submitted a grant application for construction of a new addition to the clubhouse, 6 lane 10 meter airgun range, to also serve as indoor archery training (not sure how that is going to work), and if there is a definitive source of lighting guidelines, I would be very interested. If we get the grant, we should do it up right, and I have high hopes.

[TenMetrePeter]

I cannot comment on lux or lumens or kelvins, but I would say avoid fluorescent bulbs because of the flicker. I use an aluminum reflector with spring clamp, ordinary incandescent 75 or 100 watt bulb, clamped below trap, shining up

Kelvins are color temperature. 2800 is warm white like your 100W tungsten bulb, 4800 is pure white like direct sunlight, 7000 is ice blue white.
Lumens is light emission of a bulb irrelevant of type. Your 100W tungsten bulb is about 1100 Lumens as would be a 14Watt LED bulb.
Lux is amongst other things a measure of incident light falling on a surface. ISSF gives minimum level of lux on the target. moving the 1100 lumen lamp away from the target reduces the lux because 1 lux is 1 lumen per sq metre. . Hope that helps. Hope I'm correct!

[Pat McCoy]

if there is a definitive source of lighting guidelines, I would be very interested

Here is a link where you can download the rules: http://www.issf-sports.org/documents/ru ... Target.pdf

[Gort]

This is what I use, 50w (250w halogen equivalent) 6000K daylight LED. Mounted about 2m from and above the targets. One light nicely covers two points. Economical and far exceeds minimum lighting requirements.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1
Gort

[ihasagun]

HOW TO MEASURE ....

If you have one of those new fangled cell phones you can get the "Light Meter" app.
It's pretty close in what it measures.

All the apps I found require that you enter an iso, and the reported value is quite different depending on the iso chosen. For example, the one I got reports the result as EV, and my measured EV can be anywhere from 7 to 9 depending on which iso I choose. That may not sound like much, but it's the difference between 500 and 1500 lux. Is there an iso that should be chosen to get an accurate measurement?

[TenMetrePeter]

you need a lux meter app not light meter app. The one I found needs calibrating against a real lux meter for accuracy but gives a reasonable reading of lux uncalibrated.

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[ihasagun]

you need a lux meter app not light meter app. The one I found needs calibrating against a real lux meter for accuracy but gives a reasonable reading of lux uncalibrated.

I got a couple of those, and with the light strip I bought, the lux reading reflecting off the target is still only about 150 lux. But if I hold the camera near the target and point it at the light source, it's more like 85 thousand lux. So which reading is the correct one to use? The target looks plenty bright. It's hard for me to believe it's not bright enough for competition standards.

[David Levene]

you need a lux meter app not light meter app. The one I found needs calibrating against a real lux meter for accuracy but gives a reasonable reading of lux uncalibrated.

I got a couple of those, and with the light strip I bought, the lux reading reflecting off the target is still only about 150 lux. But if I hold the camera near the target and point it at the light source, it's more like 85 thousand lux. So which reading is the correct one to use? The target looks plenty bright. It's hard for me to believe it's not bright enough for competition standards.

Have you looked at the rules as already suggest by two other posters?

Rule 6.4.14.2
Measuring target illumination on targets with external lighting must be done with the measuring device held at the level of the target and pointed toward the firing point (A). Measuring target illumination on targets with internal lighting must be done by measuring reflected light from the target face.