4 ms·

Any parking lot with lamp posts has electricity. Takes way less time to install an exterior outlet than it does to build a vehicle.

innocenat 6y ago
Are you implying that circuit driving the lamp posts can handle multiple 15A load?
- SECProto 6y ago
  You'd be surprised how much load runs through a chain of streetlights. 3phase/400V and they pull heavy duty conductors through the conduit. Could definitely handle multiple 120v/15A equivalents (but it'd be way cheaper and more effective to pull dedicated conduit + conductor)
  - clort 6y ago
    also: In my city (in UK) the lamp posts date from a long time ago. Only a few years ago all the sodium lamps were replaced by lower power LEDs, which presumably means that much of the cabling is now massively redundant.
    - mavhc 6y ago
      Correct, which is why they're installing lamp post EV chargers
    - makomk 6y ago
      Don't underestimate the efficiency of old-fashioned sodium lamps, they're pretty close to that of LEDs from what I understand. I think part of the reason places are so keen to install LED streetlights is that on paper they have a much longer lifespan than the bulbs in the sodium lamps they're replacing. Also, they're more modern and everyone knows how efficient they are.
      - Sanzig 6y ago
        Low pressure sodium vapor lamps are also very yellow [1], whereas a modern LED is much more broad-spectrum and thus looks nicer. Unfortunately, it does mean that LED lamps are a greater hazard for light pollution. [1] Low-pressure sodium vapor lamp spectrum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp#/media/File:Low-pressure_sodium_lamp_spectrum.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp#/media/File:...
        clort 6y ago
        interesting, perhaps the new design for the lamp covers is part of it but in my direct experience from a boat there is massively less light pollution with the LEDs which shine downwards only and show in a town on the side of the hill as a set of twinkling fairy lights and in a city over the hill as not much at all whereas the sodium lights produce an orange glow which can be seen for 20 miles or more at night. However, that doesn't say anything about the frequency which could of course be more damaging locally even if it scatters less.
pionar 6y ago
Those lamp posts aren't close to every space. Are you going to run extension cords for the 150+ feet to each outlying vehicle? No? Then you have to tear up asphalt to lay down new lines. That's not cheap, especially with a USPS that's so strapped for money right now (for political reasons).
ksec 6y ago
1. Do they park at the same place every night? 2. Do they have to install electrical charging to all possible parking space? 3. Are these installation paid by government or the USPS? 4. Are those installation done on government property? Or on private property? Do the owner agree to do so? 5. Miles and Maintenance / TCO flavour Electric in these usage? 6. Insurance?
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

innocenat 6y ago

Are you implying that circuit driving the lamp posts can handle multiple 15A load?

SECProto 6y ago
You'd be surprised how much load runs through a chain of streetlights. 3phase/400V and they pull heavy duty conductors through the conduit. Could definitely handle multiple 120v/15A equivalents (but it'd be way cheaper and more effective to pull dedicated conduit + conductor)
- clort 6y ago
  also: In my city (in UK) the lamp posts date from a long time ago. Only a few years ago all the sodium lamps were replaced by lower power LEDs, which presumably means that much of the cabling is now massively redundant.
  - mavhc 6y ago
    Correct, which is why they're installing lamp post EV chargers
  - makomk 6y ago
    Don't underestimate the efficiency of old-fashioned sodium lamps, they're pretty close to that of LEDs from what I understand. I think part of the reason places are so keen to install LED streetlights is that on paper they have a much longer lifespan than the bulbs in the sodium lamps they're replacing. Also, they're more modern and everyone knows how efficient they are.
    - Sanzig 6y ago
      Low pressure sodium vapor lamps are also very yellow [1], whereas a modern LED is much more broad-spectrum and thus looks nicer. Unfortunately, it does mean that LED lamps are a greater hazard for light pollution. [1] Low-pressure sodium vapor lamp spectrum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp#/media/File:Low-pressure_sodium_lamp_spectrum.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp#/media/File:...
      - clort 6y ago
        interesting, perhaps the new design for the lamp covers is part of it but in my direct experience from a boat there is massively less light pollution with the LEDs which shine downwards only and show in a town on the side of the hill as a set of twinkling fairy lights and in a city over the hill as not much at all whereas the sodium lights produce an orange glow which can be seen for 20 miles or more at night. However, that doesn't say anything about the frequency which could of course be more damaging locally even if it scatters less.

pionar 6y ago

Those lamp posts aren't close to every space. Are you going to run extension cords for the 150+ feet to each outlying vehicle? No? Then you have to tear up asphalt to lay down new lines. That's not cheap, especially with a USPS that's so strapped for money right now (for political reasons).

ksec 6y ago

1. Do they park at the same place every night? 2. Do they have to install electrical charging to all possible parking space? 3. Are these installation paid by government or the USPS? 4. Are those installation done on government property? Or on private property? Do the owner agree to do so? 5. Miles and Maintenance / TCO flavour Electric in these usage? 6. Insurance?

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]