Since Apple released the first iPhone in 2007, it has launched the next iteration of the popular model each following year. Each updated version of the phone supersedes its predecessors in a manner of ways, including aesthetics, usability, but most of all technology.
The frenetic rate at which new models are released means the technological capabilities of previous iPhones are left in the dust.
This is equally relevant for products in the civil and road construction space, and part of the reason why PR Power bided its time and waited for the latest advancements in LED lighting technology before entering the Australian LED lighting tower market.
“LED has been around for quite a while but, because of continual improvements in technology, we have waited for the right time to introduce our next generation LED lighting towers,” explains Craig Parker, Director at PR Power.
“It is important that everything is to Australian Standards in terms of safety and efficiency, and we wanted to ensure the lighting system on the tower, including the LED light fitting, was 48 volts.
“As a national Australian company, we took a more conservative approach, waiting for the LED technology to mature, and for the LED light fitting to meet our very high expectations. The LED light fitting is key.”
PR Power’s long-term relationship with its supplier played a pivotal role in its decision to invest and ultimately distribute the PR ECO LED Lighting Tower. The company also has a long term relationship with the manufacturer, which has enabled them to have significant input into the product development, ensuring it meets Australian conditions.
The PR ECO LED Lighting Tower utilises LED lamps mounted atop an 8.5-metre vertical, hydraulic mast with a 48vDC extra low voltage lighting system.
“Part of selection process for this product was also about making sure it was going to be sufficient for Australian means in terms of fuel burn,” says Mr. Parker. Compared with a lighting tower with a standard three-cylinder diesel engine, the PR ECO LED has 70 per cent fuel savings because of its fuel efficient, two-cylinder, 1500-rpm Kubota diesel engine.
“It also has approximately 200 hours of operation, which reduces maintenance and fuel costs, but also onsite labour costs because the workers aren’t refueling every three or four days,” adds Mr. Parker. It also boasts CO2 savings of 888 kilograms per month.
“One of the standard features is the stop/start function, which means the lamps ignite or switch off immediately. By doing this, we control and monitor the fuel burn too.”
The LED lamps illuminate approximately 3800 square metres (or 108,000 lumens), with a 350-degree mast rotation for efficient light coverage and 8.5-metre vertical hydraulic mast extension.
The tower utilises the unique Automatic Mast Operating Safety System (AMOSS), which prevents the operator from moving the tower when the mast is raised.
“If we were to move a unit while the mast was raised and start by taking the handbrake off, the AMOSS system will automatically lower the mast. This minimises any risk of injury to the operator and any incidents such as the mast hitting power lines, which has happened on civil sites before,” says Mr. Parker.
The lighting tower is simple to tow, easily manoeuvrable via forklift and designed for compact transport, with up to 12 units able to be simultaneously transported on a typical B-Double.
With a strong background in mobile lighting internationally, Mr. Parker believes the PR ECO LED Lighting Tower is the best product on the international market today and is well placed to enter the Australian civil sector.
“We’ve just released it recently in Australia and are very excited to see how it goes after proving itself in Europe,” says Mr. Parker.
“Major European rental companies have purchased a number of these units, including large firms that will only accept products built to quality and meeting the world’s highest safety standards,” he says.
“Because of products like the PR ECO LED Lighting Tower, the name PR Power is synonymous with quality,” states Mr. Parker. “We’re specialists in what we do and the majority of our business is repeat customers – we pride ourselves on our long term customer relationships.
“The PR philosophy has always been to supply products that are reliable, efficient, built to quality and meet the world’s best safety standards.”