Maintenance

Download the maintenance manual 2007 (14 pages)

1 - Maintenance for marker lights

In the world of urban street furniture, and particularly in the world of outdoor lighting, the rapid increase in the importance of aesthetic considerations in projects and in the equipment specified for them, has led to increased expectation that the finished effect should continue to look good over time, as should the products.

Today a marker light does not just provide light : it has to look good too. Therefore the appearance of the product needs to be looked after throughout its life.

Just as changing lamps is vital to ensure that the product continues to work, so proper maintenance of the fitting itself will ensure that it continues to look good, irrespective of which materials are used to make it.

Th e notion of sustainable development dictates that products should continue to work and not be allowed to decay. So it is that a commitment to maintenance is essential, not just for the lights themselves, but also for the fi ttings that contain and support them.

Allowing for the maintenance of Aubrilam masts is therefore part and parcel in the business of capital investment in sites and projects.

2 - Maintenance of aubrilam columns

Aubrilam masts are made of a combination of materials : wood and metal.

WOOD : In this guide we will address only the maintenance of the wooden parts of our products. The technical characteristics and function of wood are not much affected by lack of maintenance as of course it does not rust. On the other hand, the appearance of wood can suffer considerably if it is not looked after.

METAL : For guidance on the maintenance of the non wooden parts of the light fitting (metal, electrical components), we suggest that you consult an Exterior Lighting maintenance guide issued by your own national Electrical Standards Authority.

3 – Maintenance of aubrilam wood

The basis of our approach is correct diagnosis of the problem.

Aubrilam’s HTE-E manufacturing process is designed to assure the ability of our products to continue to perform and to optimise the durability of the glued laminated wood outside. This procedure includes a woodstain finishing component which colours and protects the surface of the wood.

To achieve the required finish three woodstain coats are applied ; one coat to penetrate the wood and two colouring and protecting coats. Woodstain is a surface treatment which reduces the damage done by humidity and protects from UV. Th e micro-porous quality of the woodstain chosen enables it to tolerate dimensional variations in the wood without flaking. The great advantage of this is that it means there is no need to sand the shaft when maintenance work takes place, making it a lot simpler than a similar procedure carried out on metal (brushing, sanding, primer coat, two top coats of paint).

The interval at which maintenance work will need to be done, taking into account our manufacturing techniques, the fact that the wood is in an upright position and the quality of the woodstains we use, will be around seven years. An exception are sites next to the sea where sand and salt will sandblast exposed materials : the heat coating lacquer and woodstain are equally affected. Remember that wood is not sensitive to salt.

When carrying out preventative maintenance, by opting for a quality woodstain, a single coat will be enough to preserve the surface of the wood for another maintenance interval.