How To Make A Smart And Efficient Solar Street Light Circuit?

Solar street lights are off the grid lights, which are employed for illuminating streets all over the world. These lights also provide a lifetime for areas that suffer from significant power outages due to load shedding or technical issues in the grid. They rely on the solar energy source, which is stored in the battery. Over the course of time, significant innovations have been carried out in technology due to which companies all around the world are manufacturing high-functioning and high-performing streetlights.

Researchers continuously focus on developing smart and efficient solar street light circuit, which can improve the performance of the streetlights as well as the convenience of the users. Significant research has been carried out in the field of automation so that the solar street light circuit can make intelligent decisions during the course of its operation in order to optimise its performance and conserve the energy storage for more efficient use if an efficient solar street light circuit is used.

However, these smart solar streetlights can be expensive and most people might not be able to afford them. Therefore, it is important for people to understand how they can introduce automation features in a solar street light circuit so that they can optimise their operation and increase energy conservation efficiency. In this article, we will explain a method with the help of which people will be able to design a smart and efficient street light circuit capable of making smart decisions during the course of its operation.

The process consists of three major steps i.e. development of algorithm and designing, computer programming, and circuit implementation. We will discuss the three major steps in detail below:

Development of an algorithm and designing

The first step involved in this process is the development of an algorithm depending upon the requirements. It is important to have a clear idea of smart features that you need to introduce in the circuit of solar streetlight so that it is viable to develop a logical algorithm. Some of the common smart features that people tend to introduce in the circuit are as follows:

1. Natural light intensity sensor: It is the most important automation feature, which is important for efficient working of the solar light. Solar street lights should have a sensor, which is capable of measuring the intensity of natural light present in the atmosphere and take decisions based on data that it receives. However, in order to implement this feature, people will have to carry out computer programming based on an algorithm, which will inform the sensor to take appropriate decisions depending upon the sensor data.
2. Motion sensor: It is another significant automation feature, which can optimise the operation of the solar street light and enable it to use the storage energy a more efficient manner. The motion sensor is capable of detecting any motion in the coverage area of street light and turn it on or off depending upon the data. In case, there is emotion in the coverage area then take light will turn on while in case there is no motion in the coverage area for a significant period then it will automatically turn off. In this way, it will eliminate the unnecessary use of the street light. In order to implement this feature, people will have to develop an algorithm based on the sensor data and implement it through computer programming.
3. Battery storage level: It is essential to implement a mechanism capable of sensing the real-time battery storage level and regulate the operation of the streetlight accordingly. The purpose is to regulate the output of streetlights as per the battery storage level in order to enhance the operating hours. Therefore, an algorithm can be designed in such a way that delirium output of the state light drops when the battery storage falls below a particular level.

Computer programming

In order to develop a circuit, a controller will be required has been programmed as per the special requirements. In order to perform this task, people need to possess a significant level of programming skills suitable for implementing the algorithm that has been developed in the previous section. People can seek the services of experts in case they are not fully aware of computer programming or they can look up for codes on the internet that have been developed by people for implementing similar features. Once an appropriate code has been written then it needs to be burned on a microcontroller or any other controlling device, which will be able to make the decisions as per the algorithm implemented.

Solar Street Light Circuit: Implementation

The next step in the process is the implementation of the solar street light circuit. It is recommended that the design circuit should first be implemented in simulation software. In this way, people will be able to have a simulation of the operation of the circuit and find out any issues that might occur during the actual performance. This will help them rectify all the problems and implement a working model of the circuit, which is perfect in every respect. We also recommend people to use good quality components for implementing the circuits which have high efficiency and low energy loss ratings.

Similarly, it is also important to take extreme care in implementing the circuit so that all the connections have been properly made and there are no short-circuiting issues anywhere in the circuit. It is more appropriate to use Printed Circuit Board technology for implementing the circuit since it will be able to contain all the connections and components in a uniform manner, which is optimized through PCB software while eliminating the risk of short-circuiting issues. Similarly, we also recommend using LED technology for solar streetlights because there are highly efficient as compared to traditional technologies.

When all the three mentioned steps have been performed in a sequential manner then the circuit can be placed in a box where it is protected from atmospheric conditions.