FAQs

FAQs About Solar Street Lighting

1What Advantages do solar street lights offer?

• Solar street lights are independent of the utility grid. Hence, the operation costs are minimized.
• Solar street lights require much less maintenance compared to conventional street lights.
• Since external wires are eliminated, risk of accidents are minimized.
• Electricity produced from solar panels is non-pollutive.
• Separate parts of a solar panel system can easily be transported.
• Energy costs can be saved.

2Why poles are necessary to solar street lights

Strong poles are necessary to all street lights, especially to solar street lights as there are often components mounted on the top of the pole: fixtures, panels and sometimes batteries. However, in some newer designs, the PV panels and all electronics are integrated in the pole itself. Wind resistance is also a factor.

3Features of solar street lights

Most solar lights turn on and turn off automatically by sensing outdoor light using solar panel voltage. Solar streetlights are designed to work throughout the night. Many can stay lit for more than one night if the sun is not in the sky for an extended period of time. Older models included lamps that were not fluorescent or LED. Solar lights installed in windy regions are generally equipped with flat panels to better cope with the winds.
Modern designs use wireless technology and fuzzy control theory for battery management. The street lights using this technology can operate as a network with each light having the capability of performing the turning on and off of the network.

4How does outdoor solar lighting work?

Solar-powered lights each contain a solar panel, long life rechargeable battery, LED light and photoresistor. Essentially, each light solar panel produces energy, which charges the battery during the day. Solar-powered lights stop producing energy at night, so the photoresistor, which detects the absence of light, activates the battery, which turns the LED light
During the day time, solar panels generate DC power, it passes through the controller to charge the battery, when the night comes the controller detects no current coming from the panels then it gives an order, to the LED lamp to turn ON, and the lamp will turn OFF again once the controller detects power current coming from the panel again on the next day.

5What is solar street light?

Solar street lights are raised light sources which are powered by solar panels generally mounted on the lighting structure or integrated into the pole itself. The solar panels charge a rechargeable battery, which powers a fluorescent or LED lamp during the night.
The solar street lights use solar energy, a form of the renewable energy. The solar street lights comprise of the photovoltaic cells, which absorb the solar energy during daytime. The photovoltaic cells convert solar energy into electrical energy, which is stored in the battery. At the nighttime the lamp starts automatically and it consumes the electricity already stored in the battery. During the daytime the battery gets recharged and the process keeps on repeating every day.