Question
QUESTION: We have a twenty foot flagpole that we wish to illuminate. Will a 50 watt halogen floodlight provide enough light? The streetlight is nearby, so the area is not totally dark.

ANSWER: Proper flag etiquette dictates that if you are to leave a flag out over-night, it is to be illuminated, so good for you!  You must have been a boy scout.

I'd personally install a fixture that can take up to 150 watts, and play around with the different types of bulbs available.  At our Church, the 35-foot steeple is illuminated with three 150-watt fixtures on two sides, and you can barely see it at night - but I do live in a Casino town, so there is lots of competition!

And, in many urban areas there are "dark sky" ordinances that prohibit you from "poluting" with lights outside or on a structure such as a flag.  These regulations are more for things like empty parking lots being lit up all night, but some ordinances also dictate porch lights and landscape lights - Such as a historic district or in an up-scale subdivision.  

If you live in a city or community with a home-owner抯 association, please check with them first, before going the expense of installing lights that you cannot use.  If you are a rural dweller, you're probably safe from the light police.

Good luck!  ~M






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So where do you reccomend this purchase be made? The standard Home Depot/Lowe's options only go up ro 50 watt?

Answer
Here is a company that sells direct to consumers.  Their fixtures go up to 250W.

http://www.americanflagstore.com/lighting/lighting.htm

Seems to fit the bill.  

If that isn't quite what you were looking for, and since I don't know the particular installation method of your pole, I cannot specify for you which would be the best fit.  You've got to decide which will work for your situation.

There are many other manufacturers I could recommend, and I have NOT gone to each of their individual websites to see if they have appropriate in-ground or above-ground fixtures for your flag pole.  

Kinda like asking a painter what color house you should have without seeing it first - too many options.  Many manufacturers to chose from (The last three are low-voltage system manufacutrers, but sometimes have 120V items):

Hadco
Unique
Greenlee Lighting
LSI
King Luminaire
Nightscape
Focus
Vista

These are the companies. Type in their names at Google.com to get their website addresses. They have distributors all over the US & Canada.



Good luck.  ~M