There are many different types of fixtures and lamps and they all have different primary applications.
There are so many lighting projects out there that have nothing but PAR well lights which are being used to illuminate a house, trees and everything else. These projects were probably installed by an irrigation or landscape company that installs lighting as an “add on” item for a little extra profit. Not to say that there aren’t landscape or irrigation companies that can and do install quality lighting systems and take the task seriously. While this lighting looks better than no lighting at all, it doesn’t look like it should, if it were designed using the proper fixtures, lamps and lenses for the many tasks.
A little history about the ever popular PAR well light. The PAR lamp was originally designed to be a head light for tractors and cars back in the 40s or so and have changed very little since. Really the only change is that the lamp is now available as a halogen lamp. As for the fixture itself, it is a piece of 6” PVC pipe with a lamp holder and that’s about it. The wire attaches directly to the lamp on the back side.
We have very rarely used PAR well lights for several reasons. First is that it is very old lighting technology and is not very versatile. There are however filters and lenses that can be used to change things up a little. Another issue is that this fixture should NOT be used in flower beds that have leaves and mulch. These lights can get very hot and have been known to catch flower beds on fire. One more issue is that this fixture does not protect the lamp at all, allowing water and other things to contact the lamp which can cause all kinds of problems. Here in the south you will find these fixtures completely engulfed with ants trying to stay warm. Where we have used these fixtures is in turf areas. In these cases we use a cast brass grate over the fixture to cover and protect the lamp. When installing this type of fixture we are sure to add about 4” of pea gravel at the bottom of the fixture for drainage and we also use an insect repellent in the fixture to help keep the ants and other bugs away.
Regular maintenance is crucial for PAR well lights. If you have this type of fixture on your property you should check them often for debris, water build up and insects. If you find standing water in the fixture, pull the fixture out, dig the hole about 4”-6” deeper and add pea gravel which will help drainage. You can clean the lamp with just about any household cleanser with something to cut through lime and calcium which will build up on the lamp.
When replacing the lamp in these fixtures DO NOT use the plastic lamps that you will find at the local big box store. Instead, go to a lighting store, irrigation supply store or auto parts store and get a quality lamp. You’ll want to treat the screw terminals of the lamp with an anti seize compound which will protect them if they do get wet.
