When landscaping a personal and garden plot, it is strongly recommended that you carefully consider lighting. Most often, lighting fixtures illuminate the main entrance, swing, gazebo and paths. Also, lamps can be used as a decorative addition and to highlight interior items. Solar-powered lamps are beginning to be very popular. The main advantage is the absence of the need for power from the network.
Advantages and disadvantages of solar street lighting
The great demand for solar street lighting is due not only to the complete autonomy of work, but also to other advantageous features. However, it is worth considering the presence of disadvantages that should be taken into account when choosing and installing equipment.
The main advantages of autonomous lighting devices:
- The devices do not consume electricity, therefore, this is not reflected in the utility bills. There is no need to supply voltage.
- Wide price range. Some models have more than reasonable cost. This allows you to install multiple devices on the site.
- The ability to illuminate even the most inaccessible places. There are modifications that have compact dimensions and light weight, so they can be mounted even in tight spaces.
- Special attention should be paid to the operating period declared by the manufacturer, which is often true. The average duration of each solar-powered device is up to 30 years.
- It is not required to carry out expensive work to create the necessary technical conditions required for powering traditional lighting devices.
An important point is the environmental friendliness and ease of disposal when the device fails.
Disadvantages:
- The performance of solar-powered lighting devices is directly dependent on weather conditions. Solar cells are able to pick up scattered sunlight, but at the same time, the performance of the structure is significantly reduced.
- When choosing a design, you need to pay attention to an extensive list of selection criteria. For example, how many LED lamps are equipped with a design, manufacturing material, and battery capacity.
- Prolonged operation at subzero temperatures can cause a decrease in performance or battery failure.
- To ensure reliable operation of the devices, it is necessary to maintain them regularly and with high quality. The accumulation of dust, dirt and other contaminants adversely affects the absorption of ultraviolet radiation.
With prolonged and strong gusts of wind, the protective glass clogs. To avoid such problems, it is recommended that structures be installed in secluded, calm places, if possible.
Reliability of work of street lighting solar lamps
At night, weather conditions on this kind of lighting devices do not have much impact. The main thing is that the daylight should be enough for the intake of batteries needed amount of energy.
As practice shows, even the most budget models withstand strong fat or frost (in the range from -50 to +50 degrees), rain, dew and snow. Most models are equipped with standard household nickel-cadmium batteries, the average service life is 15 years, and the installed LEDs have a life of about 100,000 hours of continuous operation - the service life reaches 20 years. However, only mid-range and high-end devices can "boast" of such a service life, budget ones fail earlier.
Autonomous street lighting device
There is a wide variety of autonomous lighting systems, they are easy to implement, as a rule, their price is acceptable for everyone. This is due to the simple design features of solar-powered luminaires. The composition includes:
- case, as well as parts for its fastening;
- LED bulbs with different lighting colors or transition from one color to another;
- the light photosensor, which automatically turns on the device with the advent of darkness, turns off when there is enough light;
- solar battery - its task is to convert solar radiation into electric current;
- voltage converter or charging controller to increase energy;
- a rechargeable battery, which in daylight runs on a charge, and with the advent of darkness gives off energy.
The luminaires can additionally be equipped with auxiliary parts, for example, light and movement level sensors, sound devices.
The protective bulb of the lighting device is made of heat-treated, structured or smooth glass. In fact, tempered glass showed itself best, but in comparison with analogues its cost is much higher.
Choice of fixtures
When choosing street lighting on a solar battery, it is important to be guided by the following criteria:
- Power and number of LEDs. The brightness and intensity of lighting will depend on this factor. Lanterns can be equipped with one or several LEDs, each power approximately 0.06 watts. Devices with a single lighting element are characterized by soft and diffused light, several provide bright and even lighting.
- Battery capacity Battery life depends on the level of conversion of solar energy that is stored in the battery. In order for the light to work continuously throughout the night, the battery voltage must be at least 3 V.
- The correct operation of lighting devices largely depends on the quality of the controllers that control the operation of the battery. Their high technical characteristics are the key to the durability of the device.
- Ability to work in difficult climatic and weather conditions. When buying a device, it is important to familiarize yourself with its degree of protection. This information can be found by marking IP. To work in the open, this parameter must be at least 44, and in a humid environment 67.
- Design plays an important role when choosing autonomous solar-powered luminaires. It is important that the elements coincide with the design style of the infield or suburban courtyard.
When buying, pay attention to the packaging, its appearance and integrity. Lighting devices must be well-packed, all the technical parameters of a particular model are indicated on the outer protective shell of the lamp.
Varieties of models
Solar-powered streetlights are classified according to the material of manufacture, by the type of battery used, the type of silicon for the photoelectronic elements, and also on the design features.
Production material
For the manufacture of lighting devices, various types of durable plastic, wood, metal alloys, bronze and steel are used. The luminaires are designed to work in an open area, so the surfaces of the housings are almost always additionally treated with special means, for example, the wood is coated with compounds that protect the surface from drying out and decay, and metal structures are coated with an anti-corrosion compound.
For the manufacture of protective shades using the following types of glass:
- Smooth surfaces for maximum light transmission.
- Tempered glass is characterized by high resistance to mechanical stress.
- Reflex surfaces do not cast off the direct rays of the sun. This option is most preferred for street lamps, because it absorbs the maximum amount of energy even in cloudy weather.
Experts recommend giving preference to tempered glass fixtures. Their cost is slightly higher, but their service life is longer.
Varieties of batteries
In autonomous lamps, as a rule, two types of rechargeable batteries are used. Their main task is to convert sunlight into energy.
- Household nickel-cadmium batteries, the power of which ranges from 600-700 mA / h. As a rule, charging lamps from such a battery is enough for 8-10 hours of continuous operation.
- Nickel-metal hydride batteries are a more modern and advanced analogue.
The latter variety has a higher cost, but it is profitable to exploit them. This is due to the fact that luminaires equipped with such batteries have a prolonged life.
Solar-powered street lighting is the best option, since it is recommended to give preference to autonomous light sources when arranging a personal or country territory.
