Tennis Court Lighting Installation – Everything You Need To Know!

Below is a guide on all the different factors that are involved with tennis court lighting installation:

Lighting Levels

The lux levels, or lumen levels, measures how bright a light shines and how visible it is to the human eye. When it comes to basic residential play a minimum of 100 lux is needed to comfortably see the ball at night. 250 lux lights should be used when the tennis court is going to be used more seriously, such as training at night. The Australian standard when it comes to residential lighting in tennis courts is 250lux. For commercial tennis courts the lights will need to be a minimum of 350 lux while the more serious and professional international tennis courts have a minimum of 1000lux. 250-350lux provides a good amount of light for higher speeds of play for most places. 

Light Control

It is important that the light is installed in the correct spaces to prevent neighbours from being impacted and that the light covers the whole court properly. Lights should be mounted horizontally to ensure that it focuses on the tennis court and not outside of it. When choosing a cheaper light for the tennis court lighting installation it will often not be directed at the ground and the glare will frustrate surrounding areas.

A quality light for the tennis court is optimal to prevent the tennis court light from being seen kilometers outside of the home which can frustrate many people. It is also best that the light is horizontal and facing the ground so that the light is distributed evenly and the game can be played without the issue of not seeing the ball correctly. The lights should be distributed correctly around the court to minimalise glare and allow the tennis game to be played properly. 

Tennis Court Lighting Pole Height

When it comes to pole height and tennis court lighting installation the light poles should be of the correct height. In residential tennis courts the poles should be as low as possible to prevent over-spill light and glare, often a height of 6-8m is needed. Within commercial tennis courts the light pole will be up to 20m in height, especially when the pole will light numerous tennis courts. 

When lower poles are used this might mean that more poles are required to have an even distribution of the light. When 10-15m poles are being used for instance then 4 will be needed to have the 250 lux and for proper light coverage. If 6-8m poles are being installed then 6 light poles might be needed for the proper light coverage and lux levels. Taller poles will mean fewer poles are required but changing the light bulb will be harder. 

Tennis Court Lighting Pole Installation

There are many reliable places that sell tennis court lighting poles but it is important that the one you purchase complies with all regulations. The poles will most times come with an installation package that has all the needed parts, frame structures and ground connectors. There will be instructions that come with them as well but a licensed contractor will need to install the poles and lights. Most poles also come with LEDs which are much more effective, energy efficient and longer lasting than other lights. Additionally, the tennis court lighting pole should be galvanised to resist rusting while it can be various colours to match the aesthetics of the court. 

Electrical Requirements with Tenis Tennis Lighting Poles

Since the light is a more powerful light there are specific requirements that come with tennis court lighting poles. An electrician will need to install all the cabling and lights with regard to the tennis light pole. The average current draw for a residential tennis court is from 2.4kW to 6kW for up to 10 poles. An electrician will be able to safely and properly install all the wiring and perform any light repairs or replacements on the tennis light poles as well. 

Considering having a Level 2 Electrician perform a switchboard upgrade to 3 phase power should also be discussed with your electrician – we offer reliable services with these and are here to answer any questions!