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epee
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/30/06
Posts: 582
Loc: Suh-van-nuh, Jaw-juh
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I've tried contacting the local electric company concerning street and yard lights that "intrude" on my property. At first I thought I was in luck because of the positive reply to my request that these lights be shielded. But when the engineer arrived all he offered was to "spray paint" the lights. Further communication with the utility company resulted in them confirming that they no longer shield lights but spray paint them on the offending side.
Anyone have any experience with this?
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Jim Girardeau
Orion XT12 Intelliscope
Celestron 11X80mm binoculars
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1965healey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 2844
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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Sounds pretty sleazy, I'm not sure how effective painting one might be. I guess you could ask them where an example of a painted street light is and go take a look at it at night.  
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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I saw a yardlight that was painted; it did block the light from spreading; the light is directed straight down; the yard was extremely dark, where it was very lit up before. So I would say it is successful; at least it was with this one. This was the type that is amber in color when on.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
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o1d_dude
o1der than dirt
Reged: 10/03/07
Posts: 1431
Loc: The Big Tomato, California
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Painting a street lamp actually works.
From the utility's standpoint it's a win-win. Costs them next to nothing, resolves the complaint, and the utility still gets to bill the municipality for the street light.
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Kit
"There's only two things that excite a man, expensive toys and real expensive toys." - Red Green
* A bunch of old ATM stuff that cost me next to nothing
* A bunch of new commercial stuff that cost me an arm and a leg
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doug76
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 2632
Loc: SE Louisiana
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On the corner by my house is a unshielded street light. One day the guy was there to do something with it, I forget what, and I asked him if he had a shield for it as I was an amateur astronomer. He said they had them, but he didn't have one on him. He offered to paint it, if I had some paint, so since I did I brought him some nice gloss black Rustoleum, which he applied to the clear housing. That night, when I went out, the yard was much darker. The light was no longer bright but through the paint looked a dim gray. Very nice for me!
Doug 
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Doug
The Truckstop Astronomer
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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The yardlight I mentioned was painted inside with a dark red; it was very effective at night; unless one wanted to wonder around the yard outside of the area of about 25 ft from the light.  You could look directly at the light with no discomfort, also.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
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StarStuff1
sage
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 437
Loc: East Tennessee
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Yes, painting the light black can do wonders...for a while. Depending on many factors such as the paint used, how much was applied, the local enviroment, etc the paint will eventually fade and the light becomes more intrusive.
About 6 years ago I lived in another house. The electric company, with permission from the guy who paid the monthly bill for the light, painted the offensive light. Very nice results. Today the light is almost full strength but the family who now owns the house really like the "safety" of their brightly lit yard.
Now theres this guy that built a house about 500 ft away with two 150 watt porch lights shining directly at my observing spot in the yard. He must be very safety conscious as they automatically come on at dusk and go off at dawn. Gotta talk to this dude soon...
Terry
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Two dozen eyepieces, a dozen binoculars, a half dozen refractors, two reflectors and a homemade Image Intensifier Eyepiece (IIE). All products subject to change by the owner at any time.
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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Quote:
Yes, painting the light black can do wonders...for a while. Depending on many factors such as the paint used, how much was applied, the local enviroment, etc the paint will eventually fade and the light becomes more intrusive.
The light I mentioned has been painted for 4 years now, & remains effective. Our Utility Company painted the Inside of the glass.
As cost effective as this measure is for the utility companies; I'm sure they would have no problem repainting a light, when necessary. Still much cheaper than a light block.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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StarStuff1
sage
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 437
Loc: East Tennessee
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Ahhh, they painted the INSIDE. Yes that technique would be more lasting. In my case a guy on a lift spray painted the outside of the light. But like I said earlier, the family living there is happy so it was a win-win for all.
Terry
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Two dozen eyepieces, a dozen binoculars, a half dozen refractors, two reflectors and a homemade Image Intensifier Eyepiece (IIE). All products subject to change by the owner at any time.
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Gregk
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/19/06
Posts: 954
Loc: Gilbert Arizona
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Hi,
I live in Gilbert ,Arizona and I got the paper work from the city to do a lens painting but they get 75.00 and you need to get 5 signatures of other neighbors affected by the change and the city signs away their leagal rights to the modification and puts the requester in a potential legal jeopardy. I decided not to do it.
Greg 
Edited by Gregk (04/15/08 02:29 PM)
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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Greg; that's a shame. Now the light I've been mentioning was on private property, leased from the utility company. This required no paperwork, nothing. Perhaps the fact it was on private property is the difference.
Also, I'm sure requirements change from one utility company to another.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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doug76
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 2632
Loc: SE Louisiana
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Post deleted by csa/montana
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Doug
The Truckstop Astronomer
Meade 12" Lightbridge/Dob Driver II
Celestron C6 SCT
Celestron C6R/Moonlight focuser
Celestron XLT150
Astro-Tech AT80EDT
TOWA 60/700 (under construction)
Celestron CG5-ASGT, CG-4
Celestron Nexstar SE (large)
Meade SWA 34mm
Televue Panoptic 24mm
Pentax XW 10mm, 7mm
------------------------
Astro-Tech AT66ED
Celestron Nexstar SE (small)
Televue Plossl 32mm
Smart Astronomy Solar System 14.5mm
BO/TMB Planetary 9mm, 7mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3.2mm, 2.5mm
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~Steph~
Texas Wildflower
Reged: 06/11/05
Posts: 21658
Loc: North Texas
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No, no there's not. CN does not condone illegal activity, which includes shooting out lights...even when posted in jest. 
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Steph
10" RCX400 ~~ 4" TV102 ~~ WO ZS80FD ~~ PST
Serenity Observatory 
HansenAstro | CN Member Websites
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28628
Loc: montana
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As Steph said, not even in jest on the CN forums. 
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Jim Rosenstock
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/05
Posts: 2402
Loc: MD, south of the DC Nebula
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Bad Doug!
No Nagler!
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