Electricity bills are growing exponentially. Willy-nilly, we have to save money and look for alternative sources of lighting. This is especially true for owners of country houses and summer cottages, where lighting is required not only for interior spaces, but also for the adjacent territory. Solar-powered street lights will help illuminate and decorate the site. They do not require the cost of electricity, laying communications, are safe, durable and diverse in design. In the article we will talk about the device, the principle of operation, the advantages, disadvantages of solar-powered lanterns.
Applications
Due to the variety of designs, these lights are suitable for lighting and highlighting various areas. Solar-powered lanterns can be up to 2.5 meters in size. They look like ordinary street lights and can be found in parks and squares. There are alsocompact models of solar-powered camping lanterns. They are often equipped with a loop for easy hanging and several lighting modes. Diffused light is suitable for a tent, a directional beam is suitable for illuminating the road when moving at dusk, and a flashing light is for attracting attention in case of an emergency. Such a lantern is an indispensable thing on a hike.
Solar-powered lamps are widely used in the beautification of adjacent areas and building facades. They are suitable for full lighting of the porch, stairs, driveways, porches and gazebos. Solar powered LED lights are very popular for landscape decoration with decorative lighting.
They decorate sculptural compositions and flower beds, landscape irregularities and alpine slides. There are models in a sealed anti-corrosion shell for decorating pools and ponds. Lanterns floating on the surface of the pond look incredibly beautiful. Trees and shrubs look amazing, decorated with solar-powered LED garlands. Such compositions create the atmosphere of a mysterious fairy-tale forest inhabited by fairies and other mythical creatures.
Device
The design of all solar-powered lamps is similar, but they differ only in design. They consist of the following elements:
- Solar battery. Converts light energy into electrical energy. It can be of different sizes, it all depends on the power of the lamp. Batteries for flashlights are small, almost invisible. Models for lighting roads and parks are large, from 40 cm in diameter.
- Battery. Serves for the accumulation of electrical energy.
- LED. A semiconductor that emits light when an electric current passes through it. LED lamps consume little energy, give good illumination, are safe, do not heat up, and can be used in a wide temperature range.
- Light sensitive element. The device automatically turns on the flashlight when the light level drops.
- Case and fasteners. Cases are very diverse: from classic models to original ones in the form of flowers, animals, fairy-tale characters. The type of fastener depends on the size and location of the lamp. Mounting to the facade is carried out with screws, compact hanging models are equipped with hinges, lawn models have a rod and are stuck directly into the ground.
Working principle
During daylight hours, the solar battery converts light energy into electrical energy, which is stored in the battery. When the degree of illumination of the space falls, the photocell turns on the LED lamp. On a clear sunny day, the device can accumulate enough energy to provide uninterrupted lighting for 8-10 hours. On a cloudy day, the battery will convert the energy of scattered light. If the accumulated charge is not enough, the LED will give off a dimmer light, and the illumination time will decrease.
Benefits
The main benefits of solar home lights include:
- Wide power range. They are suitable for both illumination and illumination of a space with a radius of several meters.
- Autonomy. All structural elements are small and fit in one case. Such lamps do not require laying communications.
- Automation. Solar lanterns for solar-powered cottages are charged, switched on and off automatically.
- Economy. Devices consume free light energy from the sun.
- Safety. LED lamps do not pollute the environment, consume clean solar energy, do not heat up, and are safe for people and animals.
- Easy maintenance. It is enough to periodically wipe the cover with a damp cloth.
- Durability. All structural elements are in a sealed housing that protects them from all weather conditions. They are not afraid of dust, showers, snow, can operate at temperatures from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius. If handled with care, solar-powered flashlights will last up to 10 years.
- Variety of shapes and sizes. A wide range and reasonable prices make it possible to illuminate and decorate the exterior of any scale and style.
Flaws
Despite many advantages, solar-powered flashlights also have disadvantages:
- Dependence on the intensity of solar radiation and daylight hours. If athe device has not had time to fully charge during the day, the light emitted by the LEDs will be dim at night.
- Household lights may fail in very cold weather.
- Impossible to repair despite simple design. All functional parts of the lantern are packed in a sealed case; it will not be possible to return the factory tightness after repair. The luminaire will become vulnerable to weather conditions and dust, which will very quickly disable it again.
Parks
Park solar-powered LED lights are used to illuminate streets, roads, stops, pedestrian crossings. They are located on a pole up to 2.5 meters high, have a powerful LED and a massive solar battery. As a rule, such lamps are stationary.
Facade
Front lights are more compact. They carry out illumination of entrance zones of premises, a gate, an access road. Their design assumes installation on a vertical surface. As a rule, they are installed on the facades of buildings, fences, poles. Less powerful lanterns are used to illuminate stairs, architectural and sculptural compositions.
Garden
Solar garden lights are usually made as bollards or pendant lights. Columns can highlight the paths, recreation area, benches. Usually their height is no more than 70 cm. The ceiling is located on a rod that is easy to deepen into the ground and just as easy to move to another place.
Hanging lanterns are used to illuminate gazebos and porches. Trees decorated with pendant lamps look very impressive. Such models are equipped with a loop for hanging. They are lightweight and can be moved to another place at any time. A variety of hanging models are camping lights.
Lawns
Lawn lamps are designed for decorative lighting of flower beds, rotundas, uneven terrain. There are models in the form of plants, insects, small animals, fairies, gnomes. During the day they are quite invisible, but in the evening they make the flower garden a real work of art. They are fixed, like lanterns-columns, with a rod deepened into the ground. Lawn lighting is recommended to be removed for the winter.
Solar-powered LED lights let you light up your garden at a minimal cost. They are diverse in design and size, suitable for lighting paths, gazebos, porches, porches. With the help of solar-powered lamps, you can decorate the facades of buildings, sculptural compositions, hedges, trees, alpine slides, pools and ponds.
Such lamps are completely autonomous, do not require laying communications, consume clean solar energy, are safe for people and animals, are not afraid of moisture and dust, are easy to care for and are durable.
Park models of lanterns are suitable for lighting squares and roads. A distinctive feature of facade lamps is the mounting onvertical surface. Garden lanterns light up paths and paths, gazebos and verandas.
Lawn lamps are used to decorate flower beds and ponds. A variety of design solutions, simplicity and reliability of design, efficiency and low price have made solar-powered LED lights a popular means of lighting and decorating local areas.
