Floodlights are mechanisms designed to provide artificial light to a large expanse or area. The floodlights proper will include the use of high intensity lamps that are configured to hold up to repeated use for extended period of times. Because of this property, floodlights work very well in sports stadiums as well as theater stages.
When utilized as part of the lighting system for a sports stadium, floodlight panels are usually installed at strategic locations around the perimeter of the playing field. The powerful lamps are arranged in sections at each point of installation, and trained to highlight a given portion of the field. Often, the overall effect of the floodlights is to create the same degree of visibility that is possible at full sunlight during the middle of the day. The use of floodlights revolutionized sports such as baseball and football, as the lights made it possible to play in the evening hours.
Stage performances such as plays and concerts also benefit from the presence of floodlights. Generally, the arrangement and function of the lights is more complex than the systems used at sports arenas. In addition to providing an ample amount of general light for the stage area, the lamp system will also incorporate spotlights that can be used to create heightened attention to one area of the stage. The spotlight is often employed when a singer is performing a solo, or an actor is delivering an important soliloquy during the course of a play.
Another common use of floodlights is in the creation of a searchlight system for a municipality or waterfront. Searchlights can allow rescue crews and local law officials to quickly scan a wide area in very little time. This use of floodlights can often lead to saving lives as well as helping to protect the citizens of a given city or town from some type of danger.
By Malcolm Tatum