In the central part of large cities and towns of Russia, autonomous street lighting on solar batteries is not installed. However, in areas where connection to a centralized network is impossible or impractical, their use is fully justified. A simple calculation shows that when the distance from the nearest point of connection to power grids is 8-10 km or more, the installation of lighting equipment powered by a solar panel is beneficial.
Composition of solar street lighting kit
The standard set includes:
- luminaire, most often economical, based on LEDs;
- a photovoltaic panel for generating solar energy;
- a strong, usually aluminum support in the form of a pillar or bracket on the wall;
- vandal-proof metal box for installation inside auxiliary equipment;
- batteries for storing energy, which will be used in the absence of solar lighting (placed in the same box);
- controller for monitoring the battery charge and voltage in the network.
Note: the vandal-proof box can be rigidly fixed to the support or placed under the ground. The first option is more convenient for service, the second is more reliable.
The main parameters of an autonomous solar lighting system
Provided that such lamps are installed in summer cottages, parking lots, garden plots and parks, the approximate design parameters are as follows:
- post height – 5 x 1 m;
- lantern power – 25 x 5 W;
- brightness of light radiation – 3000 x 1000 lumens;
- total power of the solar module – 250 x 50 W;
- battery capacity – 75 x 25 A * h;
- controller – 10 amperes.
For solar-powered lighting with the specified parameters, the price will be approximately $ 800 x 100. In summer, the accumulated capacity during the day will be enough to operate the flashlight throughout the night. In winter – for 1.5-2 hours at 100% power, or 8 hours at 20-25% heat.
Service life:
- LED lamps – about 3 years;
- controller – from 3 to 7 years;
- Battery – from 3 to 12 years, depending on the type;
- photovoltaic panels – 12 years while maintaining 90% power, 25 years – 80%.
Important! When choosing a pole or wall mount, it is advisable to buy models that allow adjustment of the height / length of the supports, as well as the rotation of the lamp in different directions.
Advantages of solar-powered lighting
Individual luminaires powered by the sun have a wide range of benefits.
- Completely autonomous.
- They do not require obtaining permits for installation and execution of contracts with regional power grids.
- They can be installed in any location.
- Solar-powered street lighting allows for a wide range of system parameters.
- The most expensive elements – photovoltaic panels – have such a long service life that they do not require frequent replacement, unlike lamps, for example.
- In some cases, buying and installing solar-powered lighting in Russia can be even more profitable. If solar-powered luminaires are part of a common home solar power plant, there is an opportunity to sell surplus generation to the state at a fixed rate.
But the most convenient and necessary autonomous lighting of any site on solar batteries becomes where connection to a centralized network is impossible or excessively expensive.
Various mounting options
From the point of view of technical equipment, there are two main options for the design of self-powered lighting devices.
Option 1 – for lanterns in public areas. When installed in parks, car parks or streets, the structure must be more robust and equipped with anti-vandal protection. The height of the poles of such lamps is usually from 5 meters or more, and the box for protecting heavy equipment forces the poles to be made thicker and stronger.
Option 2 – lamps in protected areas. Obviously, solar-powered lighting for a summer cottage, home or private garden is not threatened by vandals who can steal a battery or break mounts just for fun. Therefore, the design of “home” configurations can be sleeker, lighter and smaller. And it will cost less.
In terms of battery capacity, there are also two options.
Option 1 – low power. It is used where the lamps are turned on only occasionally, for a short time, or in places where there is no need for significant brightness.
Option 2 – high power. Required for installations intended for streets or sites of a large area with a prerequisite for working at night and in bad weather. The distinctive features of these designs are as follows:
- massive supports, capable of withstanding strong winds, rainstorms and hail without the threat of falling, with a high post height and a weight of anti-vandal boxes for batteries over 30-35 kg;
- if the auxiliary equipment is located underground, it is protected from moisture.
The first, “home” option is more convenient from the point of view of maintenance. The second lengthens the battery life due to less
Kits prices
The complete set of luminaires on photovoltaic panels can be very different, depending on the technical requirements. For this reason, there is a fairly wide range of prices for them. The approximate cost is as follows:
- simple lightweight design of low power – from 25,000 rubles. (purchased for summer cottages, gardens or solar-powered billboards);
- reinforced version with a high-power anti-vandal box – 60,000 – 75,000 rubles. per unit (installed in parks, parking lots, etc.).
Thus, a set of 15 lanterns for an industrial site of 500 m2 will cost the owners about 1 million rubles. The same number of lamps for your own garden is much cheaper, about 325 thousand rubles