6th August 2026 · Blogs
Street lighting is an incredibly valuable, and yet often overlooked, asset in modern urban infrastructure.
A prime example of this is street lighting columns…
As municipalities and organisations seek to expand connected services, lighting columns are increasingly viewed as ideal mounting locations. They’re elevated, widespread, already connected to power, and positioned exactly where many smart technologies need to operate. Whilst originally designed for solely illumination they have evolved into a key connection point for everything from CCTV and wildlife sensors to EV charging points, Wi-Fi access points and traffic counters.
So, how do you turn this simple infrastructure into an invaluable asset? How can you safely and reliably power this equipment without additional infrastructure or expensive electrical work?
The Role Of ANSI/NEMA Receptacles
Many modern luminaires feature ANSI/NEMA receptacles – electrical connectors that comply with standards established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). Originally intended for photocells and lighting controls, these receptacles are increasingly being recognised as a practical access point for auxiliary power.
By drawing mains power directly through the luminaire’s ANSI/NEMA receptacle, outdoor equipment can be powered swiftly and efficiently from existing lighting infrastructure. This simplifies the installation of third-party devices without intrusive modifications to the existing lighting columns.
Take the Westire Power Taps for example, you simply insert them into an ANSI/NEMA receptacle and twist. Then insert the photocell into the top of the Power Tap – now, thanks to the Power Tap, both the photocell and device are powered by mains. And you can step towards smart city status with connected IoT devices tapping into your streetlight luminaire.
The result is a cleaner installation process with fewer modifications and significantly reduced deployment complexity.
For the luminaire owners, this often also means:
- Faster installation times
- Reduced resource requirements
- Less disruption on site
- Easier maintenance
Westire Power Taps
Whether you’re looking to operate temporary lights or enable a smart device, our streetlight Power Taps can provide the power you need. They enable organisations to transform street lighting from a passive structure to an active delivery point for smart infrastructure.
Our Power Taps have been engineered for housing estates, roads and motorways, streets, campuses and car parks. We’ve developed three versions to suit varying output requirements, below we explore their capabilities and applications.
Mains Power Tap
When temporary or auxiliary mains power is needed outdoors, the Westire Mains Power Tap offers a straightforward solution. By utilising the existing ANSI/NEMA interface on compatible streetlights, it provides a safe and convenient power source without the need for additional infrastructure or complex electrical work.
Designed for demanding outdoor environments, our Mains Power Tap’s enclosure is manufactured from UV stabilised polycarbonate, providing long-life durability and it is sealed to IP65 protecting against dust and water ingress.
It’s well suited to a wide range of applications where quick deployment and dependable performance are essential. This includes festive lighting, CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi access points, licence plate readers, smart city IoT devices, pollution and noise sensors, emergency EV charging, holiday park temporary lighting, wildlife monitoring, town and city weather stations, small cell radios, and traffic and pedestrian flow counters.
DC Power Tap
Our DC Power Tap makes it easy to power low-voltage equipment directly from compatible street lighting.
Available in multiple output voltages – 5V, 12V, 24V & 48V – it is the most versatile 3 & 7-pin NEMA/ANSI outdoor lighting method of connecting an auxiliary load, Wi-Fi or IoT sensor to a streetlight, without interrupting photocell or streetlight operation.
Its applications include DC festive lighting, DC CCTV cameras, DC Wi-Fi access points, DC smart city pollution sensors and noise sensors, DC holiday park temporary lighting and DC temporary signage.
What’s more, its compact design allows devices to be added with minimal installation effort, making it an efficient choice for smart city projects and other outdoor deployments.
Power Over Ethernet Power Tap
The Westire Power over Ethernet (PoE) Power Tap is a 7-pin ANSI/NEMA solution that provides reliable PoE power directly from existing streetlight sockets, allowing LoRaWAN and other wireless base stations to be installed without affecting normal streetlight or photocell operation.
Featuring an integrated single-channel Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) module, it delivers power from 15.4W (IEEE 802.3af) up to 75W proprietary output, providing a simple, cost-effective way to power a wide range of PoE-enabled devices from existing streetlight infrastructure. The result is faster installation, reduced cabling, and lower deployment costs.
Applications include LoRaWAN and wireless base stations, digital signage, security camera systems, traffic and environmental sensors, public Wi-Fi hotspots, and industrial or remote communication networks.
Ready to unlock the potential of your street lighting network? Get in touch with our team to discuss the right Power Tap solution for your project.