A towable light tower hires for roughly $95 to $175 a day and $300 to $600 a week, and the rate is only part of what a night shift costs. Fuel, transport and the ground the mast stands on decide the rest. Most units carry four lamps on a mast that winches up to around thirty feet.
What one tower actually lights
Four lamps on a thirty foot mast throw a usable pool over a work area rather than a whole site, and diesel metal halide units are still the common rental. LED heads draw far less fuel and restrike instantly after a shutdown. Ask which type you are getting, because run time between refuels is not comparable.
Fuel is the line that grows
The engine runs right through the dark hours, and tank sizes are quoted in run time rather than gallons. Expect the unit to arrive full and to be refilled at the yard's counter rate if it comes back low. On a job of any length, arranging your own fuel delivery to site is normally cheaper.
Standing it up safely
The mast is winched vertical with the outriggers down, on ground firm enough that it will not settle overnight. Overhead lines are the hazard that matters, since a raised mast reaches straight into them. Aim the lamps away from the road and from neighbouring windows, or the local authority will take an interest.
When a generator makes more sense
Where a site already has a set running, string lights and plug in flood stands cost a fraction of a tower per night, on properly rated cable and protected circuits. A tower earns its keep where there is no power at all, where the light must move with the work, or where one mast replaces a dozen stands.
Questions people ask about light tower rentals
How long does a light tower run on one tank?
Yards quote run time rather than tank size, and metal halide units generally need refuelling sooner than LED ones for the same hours of light. Plan the refuel into the shift rather than sending somebody out with cans at two in the morning.
Can I tow a light tower with a pickup?
Most are light enough for a half ton truck with the right hitch and working trailer lights, and the yard will check both. Confirm the coupler size when booking. Many renters still take delivery, since the unit has to be sited and levelled on arrival anyway.
What does a light tower cost for a month?
Monthly rates typically sit near three weekly ones, so roughly $900 to $1,800 plus fuel and transport for a standard towable unit. Storm and outage work is the exception, when availability rather than the published rate decides what you pay.