Solar street lights are slowly replacing standard public street lights. These lights have semiconductor solar cells for energy, upkeep-free regulated batteries for storage, and incredibly shiny LED bulbs for illumination. It also has a sophisticated charging and discharging regulator that regulates their operation.
What comprises solar street lights?
Solar street lights comprises a variety of materials. They include; an LED bulb for maximum brightness, a solar cell to gather solar radiation, backup batteries, a solar street lightbulb regulator, a lamp mast, and other components.
Their panels consist of one crystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon, a strong LED supplier, a regulator mounted on the light mast, backup batteries, a Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) cell, and a gel battery.
What is the operation of solar street lights like?
When sun rays make contact with the solar cells, the solar panel absorbs solar power. It then transforms this power into electrical energy, all within the supervision of the sophisticated regulator.
During the day, the solar batteries charge the storage battery, and at night, it turns the LED light on. The regulator is critical in preventing overcharging or over-discharging of the battery bank.
Solar street lights layout.
- The cost of integrated solar street lights is among the most significant factors limiting their advancement. For example, a double light’s solar cell costs $700, and the power supply costs $500. This means that the solar light’s applicability is severely limited due to the hefty expenditure.
- The storage battery’s service durability should also be factored into the budgeting process. Despite having a 3 to 5-year guarantee, the storage battery can never be powered up after use for about a half-year.
On persistent wet periods, this could affect regular outdoor lighting. Thus, high-quality batteries are more appropriate.
- Robbery of storage batteries, which results in unusual lighting and higher expenses, should be guarded against. So, technicians should always take precautions against robbery, to avoid reinforcement of the batteries.
Benefits of solar street lights
Solar street lighting has many benefits, and some of them include:
- Installing a solar street light is less complicated than installing other types of street lights. To do this, mix some concrete, drill a one-meter-deep trench and screw it in place.
Moreover, the intricate patterns required by regular lights will not be needed for solar street lighting.
- Solar street lights can minimize the expenses spent on repairs and power, using a series connection.
- Solar street lamps, a form of renewable power, helps to improve the performance of human ecosystems residential areas, while also lowering property maintenance costs. This means that they also provide environmental benefits, saves energy, are cheap to maintain, and are simple to set up.
- Solar street lights last longer than conventional street lights. Compared to a low-pressure sodium light, which has a lifespan of 18,000 hours, solar street lights can last for around five to ten years.
Conclusion
Solar street lights are easy to maintain and install, and their importance can never be overemphasized. We have discussed some of their advantages in this article.
