I have stumbled upon a simple & inexpensive solution to what used to
be a complicated & expensive problem.
Our facility used to spend thousands of dollars and hundreds
manhours keeping our parking lots lit. Our lights are on 30' poles so
we can't reach them. We used to call an electricain with a bucket truck
or cherry picker to change the lamps at $270 each. Then I found out
what lamps cost at any electrical supply, about $12. I felt cheated, so
I fired him and bought a lift. After paying for the lift, maintenance
and taxes on the lift, employees hourly wages, insurance, training and
the occasional worker injury claim, I realized I wasn't saving a penny.
In fact, I was probably spending more.
Recently, I saw an ad for innovative gadget called "retropole" that
claimed to be attachment to my existing light poles. This device allows
a person standing on the ground to lower the entire light head for lamp
and ballast replacement. I ordered one as a test case. When that lamp
burned out, we were able to get it back on in ten minutes with zero
expense, except for the $12 lamp. Soon after, I outfitted the rest of
my poles. Today, I'm saving maintenance dollars, my lot is always safe
and well-lit, I'm selling the lift, and my CFO is happy. Why hasn't
anyone thought of this sooner?
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