Installation Tips for Solar Powered Lights

Homeowners and businesses interested in reducing their energy consumption, maintenance costs, and energy bills are giving solar powered lights a shot because of it's sound investment. It's understood you'll save money in the long run, but your initial costs can be reduced by finding high-quality solar powered street lights.

There are several things to watch out for in order to make the most out of solar outdoor lighting. Here are a few guidelines on how to safeguard your solar powered lights against failure:

Choosing Solar Powered Lights

The performance of your solar system may be considerably decreased due to poor design and improper installation of luminaries. Insufficient power quality can also be the root of many problems.

You may choose your solar powered lights based on price or want to purchase a specific assortment of solar powered street lights from a specific company, you should consider all factors and think of a solar powered lights system as a whole.

An off-grid solar panel lights system needs to be designed and selected based on various calculations. Some of the factors that should be taken into account are the brightness of LED lamps, the life span of every component, autonomous battery storage, and the longest working days without sunshine. The size and quality of the photovoltaic cells will affect the efficiency of solar panels.

Avoiding the Shade, Where to Put Solar Panel Lights Outdoor

Solar panel lights gather the sun's energy and convert it to electricity. Any excess electricity generated during the daytime is stored in the battery bank, which is then used to power the light fixtures during the night.

The amount of energy generated by solar panel lights depends on the amount of sunlight received. Therefore, it varies by season and during the day. There's no better place to install solar panels than a sunny country like California.

Even in regions with such vast solar resources, it is important to avoid installing solar lights in the shade. Shade will impede the solar panel's power production capability. And it is the amount of sunlight that has the biggest influence on the performance of solar lighting.

To get maximum amounts of sunlight which will later be used to power the light fixtures, solar panels should be placed in direct sunlight.

How to Install Solar Lights, Pointing Solar Panels' Lights at the Sun

As previously mentioned, the more exposure to the sun your solar panel lights have, the more electricity will be generated and stored in the battery. Solar panel lights that are oriented towards the Sun or aligned with it intercept the vast majority of sun rays.

The Sun moves from east to west, and the conventional wisdom is that the optimal direction to face solar panels is south. There has been a lot of debating but recent studies show that it is best to point your solar panels somewhere between south and west, so that the panels get maximum sunlight.

Location of the Solar Panel Lights and Fixtures

Solar panel lights switch on and off automatically, and solar panels need to be installed above the light fixtures or in a remote location away from them. Otherwise, the light from the fixtures will interfere with the light sensor and the automatic control signal of street lights.

The sensor is designed to detect the intensity of light. For example, if the amount of light is less than 80 percent, the automatic street light control will turn the lights on. In case the light fixture is located just above the solar panel, the actual solar panel lights will compute for daytime and turn the lights off.

Regular maintenance for Solar Powered Lights

Though solar powered lights require much less maintenance compared to conventional lighting solutions, it still needs to be maintained. The average life expectancy of LED lamps can go up to 100,000 hours, while the battery life span is approximately 5-7 years.

Proper maintenance can help extend the life of your solar system's components. To keep your off-grid solar powered lights at its best, taking preventative measures and scheduling maintenance is needed as much as repair services.