Nowadays, almost everyone has heard of solar street lights. Because of people’s increasing concern about saving energy, solar power has become one of the best choices for street lights. Everything began with the discovery of the photovoltaic effect in 1839, and since then, the biggest event in the history of solar street lights has been the use of polysilicon and monocrystalline silicon to collect solar power. Why is solar power such a good option for street lights? Is there any weakness in it? Let us compare its advantages and disadvantages, and then you’ll be sure to know more about it.
How does solar street lights work?
The Solar LED street light collects the sunlight from their solar panels, either made of polysilicon or monocrystalline silicon, and then transforms it into electricity. The battery stores the energy collected. The controller can turn on or off automatically at the time that has already been set. Besides, how bright the light will be and how long it will light up for are also decided by the controller. Most of the light source is LED, which has high efficiency and is more energy-saving. Except for these essential components, what’s left are the case and pole. Solar lights don’t need extra cables.
Pros of solar street lights
Environmentally friendly
As the amount of traditional sources is rapidly decreasing, people advocate renewable energy that comes from wind, sunlight, etc. Moreover, while the solar power is transformed into electricity, no carbin dioxcide will be generated.
Easy to install and maintain
The solar street light doesn’t need extra cables, so the installation will be quite easy. The whole process will include making a cement base, connecting separate parts of the street lights, and adjusting the angle of the solar panel. Similarly, since they have only a few components, there will be fewer places to examine while maintaining the street lights. Now experts have invented lights like all in one lights which make things even easier.
Safe
Due to the complexity of the installation of common street lights, many accidents may occur, like leakage of electricity. Besides, some of the street lights need high voltage to work, which may lead to a short circuit. As for solar LED street lights, the voltage can be 12 V to 24 V, largely reducing the potential danger.
Low consumption
Part of the cost is saved because solar LED street lights seldom need maintenance. What’s more, as the light consists of high-quality components, its lifespan is relatively long. Some can even work for as long as ten years. Another saving is the power bill.
Smart
Besides automatically turning on and off, some solar LED street lights also have sensors in them. With these sensors, the lights can change brightness or turn on when sensing the movement of passersby.
Customization
Since the weather in different areas is different, the setting and configuration of each street light also vary. Manufacturers can customize the street lights according to their customers’ specific conditions.
For remote areas
Traditional street lights need to be connected to cables. This can be very inconvenient and sometimes even impossible for those places, such as mountain areas or areas where power is not available. So the solar LED street light, which is easy to transport and install, becomes a suitable choice to improve the living conditions of people in these areas.
Cons of solar street lights
Unstable
Although solar LED street lights can save solar power for rainy days, they can only last for certain days. If it keeps raining for a long period of time, the solar lights cannot receive constant and stable sunlight, and the light they can provide will not be enough. There is a method to collect more sunlight by improving the energy conversion rate, but the device will be more expensive.
Hot spot effect
This is a possible problem that may happen to the solar panels. If part of the solar panels are blocked by things like trees, dust, and droppings, the voltage and electric current of this part will increase. As a result, this part will emit more heat, shortening the lifespan of the components. Severe hot spot effect may even lead to fire disease.
Low conversion rate
Generally speaking, the conversion rate of the common solar LED street light is only 19%-25%. Thus, it cannot be as bright as the LED street lights. The conversion rate is closely related to the place where the light is installed, the intensity of the sunlight, the angle of the sunlight, and the weather. After using the solar LED street lights for a while, the conversion rate may also decrease because of dust. Therefore, these lights need regular maintenance.
Likely to be stolen
As a high-tech product, the price of solar LED street lights is relatively high. And certainly, the components that make up the light are also expensive. Thus, some thieves want to make a fortune by stealing these parts and reselling them.
Conclusions
Every coin has two sides, just as solar street lights do. They may be expensive when you buy them, but they will save you money in the long run. And you will also need to consider its value in protecting the environment and its weaknesses, such as the low conversion rate. After thoroughly considering the advantages and disadvantages of solar LED street lights, the next step is to choose a reliable manufacturer. Mokolight is a professional LED street light manufacturer with more than 16 years of experience. The lights Moko produces have guaranteed quality and a competitive price. There are hundreds of experienced salesmen and engineers waiting to provide the best service to you. Contact us today for your customized LED street light solution!
