ForConstructionPros.com

There's a new portable lighting solution pushing aside the darkness on many jobsites these days (or nights). Balloon lights, which have been around special events and parties for several years, are now cropping up in various applications, including construction, disaster relief, drilling, farming and agriculture, landscaping, paving, road repair and more.

These self-inflating illumination units are easy to use and extremely portable. As Marc James, product manager with Ingersoll Rand, which offers the BL2000 balloon light, explains, "You just plug and play."

Assembly of balloon lights is fast and typically takes about five minutes to unpack, inflate and mount.

With Ingersoll Rand's BL2000, you simply remove the unit from the storage case, and plug it into a 120-volt/20-amp outlet (wall socket or generator). The unit features an internal fan that inflates the shroud. "Tiny vent holes will provide circulation for cooling and prevent overinflation," says James.

Airstar Space Lighting's Sirocco Lighting Systems inflate in a similar manner and are equipped with a pressure sensor. "When the unit reaches 90-percent pressure, the lamps automatically illuminate," says John Wessels, national sales manager - construction. "In less than two minutes, the system will self inflate."