LED Parking Lot Light Accessories

Parking Lot Light Mount Types

Every LED parking lot fixture requires a mount to secure it to a pole, wall, or structure. The mount you choose affects aim adjustability, installation complexity, and aesthetics. Here are the most common options:

Slip Fit Mount. The most widely used parking lot light mount. A slip fitter slides over a standard 2-3/8" round tenon pipe and locks in place with set screws. It offers excellent adjustability, letting you tilt and aim the fixture after installation.

Arm / Direct Mount. Popular in retail parking lots for its clean, streamlined look. The fixture bolts directly to the pole arm from the top or bottom. Less adjustable than slip fit, but provides a polished appearance. Works on both round and square poles.

Yoke / Trunnion Mount. A U-shaped bracket with side-mounted bolts that attach directly to poles, posts, or walls. Best suited for roof mounting and horizontal flat surfaces. Not recommended for very heavy fixtures since the side-bolt design has weight limitations.

Flood Mount — A large U-shaped bracket that mounts to walls or roofs. useful when wiring cannot be run through the mounting surface, since the bracket allows surface-mount installation with exposed conduit.

Tenon Adapters & Bullhorns

Tenon adapters convert a pole top to a standard 2-3/8" tenon. This allows slip fit fixtures to mount onto poles of various sizes. round or square. Bullhorn adapters extend this concept with 2 to 4 tenon arms on a single pole, letting you mount multiple fixtures pointing in different directions. Tenon wall adapters serve a similar purpose for wall-mounted installations. This enables much brighter parking lot fixtures to be used where smaller wall lights would otherwise be the only option.

Photocells, Surge Protectors & Other Essential Accessories

Photocells (Dusk-to-Dawn Sensors)

Photocells are one of the most common parking lot light accessories. They automatically turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn, eliminating manual switching and reducing energy waste. Most LED parking lot fixtures include a standard NEMA twist-lock receptacle. the photocell plugs in with three prongs and locks into place, making installation or replacement a quick job.

Bypass / Shorting Caps

When a fixture has a photocell receptacle but you want to use a timer or manual on/off switch instead, a bypass cap (also called a shorting cap) fills the receptacle and passes power straight through. Since most modern fixtures ship with photocell receptacles, shorting caps are a frequently needed accessory for timer-controlled installations.

Surge Protectors

Parking lot lights sit on exposed poles and are highly susceptible to power surges, lightning strikes, and dirty power. A surge can damage an LED driver or photocell. Adding surge protective devices at the pole and panel can reduce risk, especially in lightning-prone or unstable-power areas. Confirm the protection level with the project electrician. A 10kV-rated SPD is a common baseline for commercial outdoor lighting, with higher protection considered in lightning-prone or unstable-power areas.

Spare LED Drivers

LED drivers are one of the service parts most likely to be checked when an LED fixture fails. Keeping a few spare drivers on hand can allow quicker field replacement without waiting for shipping, reducing downtime in your parking lot. A small inventory of drivers can cover many fixture models.

The best accessory is the one that matches the fixture, pole, voltage, control method, wind load, and service plan. Confirm those details before ordering.