Updated 11/7/23 by Angela Rogers

Nobody wants to walk across a parking lot with poor lighting and large pools of darkness. If this describes your parking lot, it's well past time to upgrade. Optimizing your shoebox lights improves security, visibility, and safety for both employees and customers.

Now, you might be thinking that this means you have to completely replace all of your traditional light fixtures. Not necessarily. If your fixtures are in good shape, all you need to do is retrofit them with LED bulbs. In this post, we’ll take a look at the best options for retrofitting shoebox parking lot lights.

What Are Shoebox Light Fixtures?

Shoebox fixtures, also referred to as area lights, are fixtures used for illuminating parking lots, streets, intersections, and other large outdoor areas. These fixtures are extremely durable and are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Traditionally, parking lot lights were more square in shape (as seen in the image to the left) and used HID bulbs. Newer LED shoebox lights use integrated LEDs, have a more streamlined appearance, and have improved energy efficiency over traditional fixtures.

Why Retrofit Parking Lot Lights with LEDs?

Retrofitting a shoebox fixture with an LED retrofit provides a variety of benefits and advantages. Due to their energy efficiency, LED retrofits reduce energy costs. They also last far longer than traditional lighting for reduce maintenance costs. Unlike older lighting technologies, LEDs don't loose part of their light output to heat, making them brighter overall. This greatly improves visibility and safely.

The biggest benefit of retrofitting with LEDs this they don't require ballasts. The ballast, capacitor, and starter must be removed from the fixture before using the retrofit. This eliminates any ballast compatibility issues and maintenance costs. It also reduces the overall wattage of the fixtures.

Shoebox Fixture Retrofit Options

Now that we've cover the benefits, it's time to take a look at what your retrofitting options are. At 1000Bulbs, we offer a wide variety of retrofit LED bulbs for retrofitting your parking lot lighting that fit any budget.

Economical Option: LED Corn Bulbs

For a quick replacement that won't put a strain on your bank account, LED corn bulbs are the most economical retrofitting option. Getting their name from the rows of LEDs that make up the body of the bulb, these lamps come in a variety of wattages and outputs. These ballast bypass lamps operate directly off line voltage, so you will need to make sure that the ballast is removed during installation.

One-for-One Replacement Option: ED LED Replacement Bulbs

While LED corn bulbs are economical, you may not always be able to find one that will fit in your area light. For a one-for-one replacement option, look for ED LED replacement bulbs. Utilizing LED sticks similar to the ones used for LED filament bulbs, these bulbs are designed to match the size and shape of standard HID bulbs.

When illuminated, you may have to do a double take to note that they're LED. Like the LED corn bulbs, these bulbs operate without a ballast to provide you the same energy and maintenance savings. Because ED LED replacement bulbs so closely match the look of the bulbs they are replacing, you won't be able to tell much of a difference between fixtures that have been retrofitted and those that haven't. This makes these bulb perfect for retrofitting a few parking lot lights at a time.

Best Option: Wall Pack/Area Light Retrofits

The best solution for retrofitting shoebox light fixtures are LED wall pack and area light retrofit bulbs. Unlike the previous two options, these lamps provide directional light. The bulbs are designed with multiple rows of LED diodes, similar to corn bulbs. However, the diodes only cover one side of the bulb.

During installation, the base rotates to allow you to point the lit side straight down. This ensures that all of the light being produced is aimed at the ground and not lost within the fixture. Like the other retrofit options, these lamps don’t require a ballast to operate.

High-Wattage Option: LED Retrofit Panel and Driver Kit

One final option for upgrading existing shoebox fixtures is LED retrofit panel and driver kits. Again, operating without a ballast, these high-output kits replace 1000-Watt metal halide bulbs and consist of a driver box with a screw base and a LED panel.

After the ballast has been bypassed, the driver box screws into the lamp socket. Then using the adhesive backing, the LED panel is permanently attached to the inside of the glass lens. All of the diodes face out, ensuring that 100% of the directional light is aimed out of the fixture.

A Few Last Minute Tips

Check the Measurements: When selecting any retrofit option for commercial parking lot lights, make sure to check the dimensions of the bulb or kit components. LED lamps can vary in size, with higher wattage options being fairly large. We strongly recommend measuring the inside of your existing fixtures so you know how much space is available.

Check the Burn Position: If opting for corn lamps or ED LED replacement bulbs, be sure to verify the burn position of the lamp. Burn position is the position in which the lamp is designed to operate. When used in the correct position, lamps will operate at peak performance and safety. Using a lamp in the incorrect position can operate less efficiently. The most common burn positions are:

• Horizontal - bulb can be used in a horizontal position, which is the most common position for shoebox fixtures

• Vertical - bulb can be used in a vertical position. This is often broken down as either Base Up or Base Down.

• Universal - bulb can be used at any angle.

Whether you go with bulbs or a full retrofit kit, 1000Bulbs.com has the right retrofit options for your parking lot lights. For help choosing the right options for your shoebox fixtures, call 1-800-624-4488 to speak with one of our US-based lighting experts.