In places where the environment needs to be preserved, such as parks, there is a need for a natural lighting system when illumination is required at night. The use of solar park lights, in this case, eliminates trenching, power cabling, and any other works that may interfere with the soil structure.
Solar park lights are designed for areas where the focus is on the aesthetics and the structure of the lights. Their environmentally friendly working mechanism allows for use in such places and other recreational areas.
At night, you can use solar park lights to illuminate pathways, the lawn, and benches in a park. They aim to enhance the look of the park, ensuring that the parks are useful at night for area residents. Here are seven quick tips you can use when designing your solar park lights.
1. Aesthetic
The aesthetic of solar park lights comes packaged in the design of the lighting and power source. The design is done in such a way that there is minimal hindrance to bird movement and minimal exposure to dust or dirt.
Aesthetics can also be achieved by the type of finishing the perfect match between pole, structure coatings, and the environment. Most solar park lights come with a decorative design depending on the style that appeals to your needs. Stylish lighting fixtures are available when you wish to add aesthetic value to your park lights. Our innovative LED solar street light solutions show the range of designs available.
2. Height
The height of solar park lights is determined by the area that needs illumination. For instance, if you wish to light up the paths in a park, then the height would be shorter than the one used to illuminate an entire park. Our solar light pole systems guide explains how to match height to coverage.
3. The Light Source
As much as the brightness of the light depends on the height of the pole, you can still achieve the level of illumination you need with any height. This requires some professional calculation that starts with the area that needs to be visible, then choosing the light source while keeping in mind the height to brightness ratio.
For maximum efficiency and savings, solar park lights come with LED fixtures coupled with solar panels. LED lamps are associated with cost savings because they produce bright light without consuming too much power. Our comparison of HPS lights versus LEDs explains why LED is the preferred choice today.
Calculations are required to avoid light pollution or spill. After calculating the area where you want your solar park lights to illuminate, you will benefit from motion sensor technology to control the brightness of the lights depending on the conditions you set.
4. Poles
The poles used for solar park lights are usually made of hot dipped, powder coated, galvanized steel. This choice of material allows the streetlight to withstand a variety of harsh weather conditions.
The use of steel poles in solar park lights allows for reflection of light rays because of the shiny surface. Besides boosting your lighting needs, steel poles are corrosion resistant. The type of pole you use should serve you for a long time.
The fixtures on solar park lights should provide a wide range of lighting intensity and a distribution pattern that fits the area you need to illuminate. The height of the poles and the distance between them determine the overall illumination a distance and spacing calculation helps you get this right.
There is a myriad of fixture styles available for park lighting. In areas with high temperatures and strong sand winds, the masts are designed with vertical solar panels to limit silting and increase the performance of the solar park lights.
5. Installation
Solar park lights should be easy to assemble and install. The components should be easily replaceable to reduce the cost and time of repair and maintenance. Besides, solar park lights should allow for customization in case you need to change the bulb type, bulb intensity, bulb shade, or pole height. Our park solar lights installation guide walks through the process step by step.
6. Panels and Tilt
It has been observed that solar park lights with independent solar panels can have a lower performance rate compared to all in one or rigid ones. If you go with solar lights that use split or separate solar panels, then you should determine the optimum tilt angle during installation. Tilting the solar panel makes it somewhat self cleaning, helping to prevent silt and dust from settling on the surface.
The rule of thumb when installing solar panels or PV arrays for your solar light is that they should be perpendicular to the sun’s rays for maximum energy production. By default, the angle of tilt of your fixed solar panel should be equal to your latitude, plus or minus 15 degrees in winter or summer respectively.
Contemporary solar park lights come with adjustable solar panels that track the movement of the sun. The controllability of the solar panels allows for maximum conversion of solar energy into electricity. In short, adjusting the angle of tilt of your solar panel gives you a boost in energy production and reduces the need for cleaning.
7. Batteries
Experts in areas with extreme temperature conditions sometimes avoid the use of certain lithium batteries in solar park lights, because some lithium chemistries perform poorly at very high temperatures. In some cases, a lead acid or temperature tolerant LiFePO4 battery is chosen as an alternative. Proper battery maintenance keeps performance high whichever chemistry you choose.
As much as performance is determined by the type of battery, it is also essential to consider the Depth of Discharge (DoD) when selecting the battery for your solar lights. The DoD directly affects the lifespan of your battery.
Solar Park Lights: Conclusion
The best situation to use solar park lights is when the area of interest is far from the grid power source. They are also suitable when no modification is required on the ground to facilitate the supply of electric power. The best solar park light is one that is customized to your needs and a natural fit for all weather conditions. Generally, solar park lights should complement the open space they illuminate.
If you have any requirement for solar LED street lights or solar park lights, visit solar led street light.com or contact us for expert advice and a customised quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes solar park lights different from regular street lights? Solar park lights prioritise aesthetics and gentle, even illumination suited to pathways, lawns, and recreational areas, often with decorative pole and fixture designs. They are fully off grid, eliminating trenching and cabling that could disturb soil and greenery. Regular street lights focus more on high intensity road coverage than visual harmony with the environment.
2. How tall should solar park lights be? The height of solar park lights depends on the area being lit shorter poles of around 2 to 4 metres suit pathways and benches, while taller poles cover larger open areas. The right height balances coverage against light intensity at ground level. A professional calculation using the height to brightness ratio gives the best result.
3. What pole material is best for solar park lights? Hot dipped, powder coated, galvanized steel is the most common and durable choice for solar park lights, offering excellent corrosion resistance and weatherproofing. Its finish also helps reflect light. For coastal or highly corrosive sites, aluminium with a protective coating is another strong option.
4. Should solar park light panels be fixed or adjustable? Adjustable or sun tracking panels produce more energy because they can be angled perpendicular to the sun’s rays, and tilting also helps the panel self clean. Fixed panels are simpler and cheaper but should be set to your latitude angle for best results. All in one rigid designs often outperform poorly angled split panels.
5. Which battery is best for solar park lights in hot climates? In very hot climates, temperature tolerant batteries such as LiFePO4 or, in some cases, lead acid are preferred because some lithium chemistries degrade at high temperatures. Depth of Discharge (DoD) is just as important as chemistry, since shallower discharges extend battery life. Matching the battery to your local temperature range is essential for reliable solar park lights.