Adding two padel courts to an existing venue is not simply a matter of ordering twice as many lights. The electrical supply, cable routes and control system need to support the expanded site. Raise these questions early, before surfaces are finished and installation access becomes more difficult.
Give the electrician the whole site's requirements
Provide a list of existing and proposed equipment, not just the court lights. Include the clubhouse, heating, catering, charging facilities and any other significant loads. Explain which equipment may operate together during busy evening periods.
Ask a qualified electrical designer or installer to assess capacity, distribution, protection and the requirements of the selected LED drivers. Total rated watts are useful for an initial equipment list, but are not enough to choose cables, protective devices or a connection arrangement.
Map cable routes before construction
Put proposed courts, poles, distribution points and control equipment on one drawing. Identify known underground services and access constraints. Coordinate the electrical route with the court contractor, drainage work and any future canopy.
The SAPCA padel construction guidance hosted by the LTA highlights existing lighting positions and potential conflicts with underground service cabling when adding courts to floodlit areas. Your installer must establish the actual conditions on your site.
Decide how the expanded courts will operate
Will every court be switched separately? Will one booking system control the whole venue? Who can override it for coaching or maintenance? Record these decisions before specifying the controls and drivers. A new lighting circuit does not automatically integrate with an existing booking platform.
Keep the operating instructions clear: staff should know which controls affect which court. Test the behaviour when some courts are occupied and others are empty. Discuss the separate needs of paths, entrances and emergency lighting with the relevant specialists.
Build in sensible provision for later phases
If more courts are likely, share the intended final layout and timetable. Ask the designer to identify which provisions are economical now and which can wait. The right answer may involve reserved routes or space in equipment locations; it should follow a site assessment rather than a blanket rule to oversize everything.
A future roof or relocated court may change lighting positions and access needs. Have those changes considered in the plan before committing to permanent infrastructure.
Separate the quote into clear responsibilities
Request separate lines for fixtures, electrical design, supply work, cabling, controls, installation, testing and reinstatement. State who coordinates each part and who supplies the final drawings and operating information. This makes gaps easier to spot when the court builder and electrician are different companies.
Do not use fixture price alone as the expansion budget. Our padel lighting cost guide covers the equipment side; the site-specific electrical work needs its own quotation.
Prepare one project brief
Send the existing and proposed court layout, mounting heights, photographs, operating hours and expansion timetable. Contact Global LED Lights to discuss the lighting portion of the project. Electrical capacity and installation design should be confirmed by your appointed specialist before equipment is ordered.