Get FinancingAtlas Copco Goes Hybrid With Its HiLight BI+4 Light Tower
Atlas Copco has developed its first hybrid-powered light tower, the HiLight BI+ 4, which is equipped with an EU Stage V diesel engine, lithium-ion batteries, and efficient SMD (surface mount device) LED floodlights. It has the flexibility to operate using 230-volt 50-hertz main power, its batteries, its engine, or a hybrid setting that combines the latter two.
“This new hybrid light tower is the first of a kind, combining the very latest SMD lighting technology with lithium-ion batteries to deliver the very best performance and efficiency,” says Eric Tomin, Atlas Copco product marketing manager, lighting towers and portable generators.
The manufacturer suggests the HiLight BI+ 4 for greater operational performance at construction sites and events, in mines, and during emergency situations. Atlas Copco also touts the new hybrid light tower for use by rental companies seeking to reduce costs and carbon footprint.
All-Night Illumination
The HiLight BI+ 4 can run on its batteries alone from 7 to more than 20 hours, depending on the setting of its lights’ dimmer switch. At maximum, its four 150-watt LED floodlamps can cover up to 43,055 square feet (4,000 square meters) with an average light output of 20 lux.
Their SMD LEDs—a first in an Atlas Copco light tower—are about 20% more energy efficient than chip-on-board (COB) LEDs, the company says. The batteries can be recharged in four hours. An external power plug is available as an option.
Atlas Copco points out that operating the HiLight BI+ 4 on its batteries generates no emissions or noise. The lithium-ion batteries also have a 36,500-hour approximate service life, the manufacturer says, as opposed to absorbent glass mat (AGM) lead-acid batteries that may last only 1,500 hours.
Coincidentally, 1,500 is also the number of lighting hours in HiLight BI+ 4’s service interval, as its 2-cylinder, water-cooled Kubota diesel engine can operate about 60% less of the time than the motor in a conventional diesel light tower. During operation, the Kubota diesel produces a sound power level of 81 dB(A) and emissions in compliance with EU Stage V standards. In hybrid mode, the tower consumes an average of 0.08 gallons (0.30 liters) of diesel fuel per hour. Its tank can hold 47.6 gal (180 L).
The HiLight BI+ 4 Is Light In Weight, Too
The HiLight BI+ 4’s mast extends hydraulically to a maximum of 26.3 feet (8 meters) and can be electrically rotated 340 degrees. The light tower is safe to operate in winds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h).
At 2,216 pounds (1,005 kilograms), the HiLight BI+ 4 is 15% lighter than competing hybrid light towers, according to the manufacturer. A standard 42.7-ft (13-m) Eurotruck can haul up to 22 of the units at a time, it says.
Atlas Copco says each HiLight BI+ 4 hybrid can save up to 7.7 tons (7 metric tons) of CO2 per year compared with a traditional diesel light tower.
HiLight PE 3 & PS 3 Portable Light Towers
In related news, Atlas Copco introduced a pair of portable light towers also using dimmable SMD LED floodlights. The HiLight PE 3 is a compact unit on a tripod, whereas the HiLight PS 3 rolls along on a trolley and can use two 200-W solar panels. Both portable models can spread an average of 20 lux over 32,292 sq ft (3,000 sq m) of area and can be used in winds of up to 31 mph (50 km/h). The manufacturer claims a 50,000-hour lifespan for each.
Source: Atlas Copco