Choosing the Right Color Temperature for Your Solar Street Light Project(1)

Choosing the Right Color Temperature CCT for Your Solar Street Light Project

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Understanding Solar Street Light Color Temperature ( CCT ): Kelvin

Kelvin is commonly used as a measurement of the color temperature of a light source. The principle of color temperature is based on the frequency distribution characteristics of light emitted by a blackbody radiator at its temperature. Blackbody temperatures below around 4000K appear reddish, while those above 4000K appear bluish, with 7500K appearing blue.

Generally, the Kelvin temperature of a lamp will fall between 2000K and 6500K.

Choosing the Right Color Temperature for Your Solar Street Light Project

Kelvin temperatures below 3000 produce warm, calm, and inviting light, suitable for general indoor lighting in homes and businesses. Pros: Shorter wavelength yellow light has strong penetration on rainy days. Cons: Low visibility.

LED lights in the 3000K-4500K range are called neutral light. These bright and vibrant lights are very suitable for workplaces such as basements, factories, and hospitals. Pros: 4000-4500K is closest to natural light, the light is softer and can provide higher brightness while maintaining driver attention. Cons: Not as high visibility as above 5000K.

Lights with Kelvin temperatures in the range of 4500K-6500K are called cool white light, producing a fresh color similar to sunlight. These lights are best when maximum illumination is needed, such as for safety lighting, display cabinets, warehouses, and industrial areas. Highest visibility reduces accidents, especially those above 5700K, are popular for engineering projects. Cons: Can cause fatigue and should not be used in long-term workspaces.

LED Solar Street Light CCT Standards

In most countries, four common color temperature options for LED lights are 2700K (some manufacturers write it as 3000K), 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, 5700K (some manufacturers write it as 6000K), with other color temperatures being customized.

Choosing the Right Color Temperature for Your Solar Street Light Project(3)

Road Lighting Color Temperature Illumination Ranges

Highway Lighting CCT

Some countries’ regulations (such as China) specify that the color temperature should not exceed 5000K, preferably choosing a medium to low color temperature. However, many engineering projects in various countries still choose 5700K or even above 6000K because the advantages of high color temperature are also significant, improving visibility and reducing accidents.

Color Temperature Requirements for Airport Road Lighting

According to the technical standards for civil airport flight areas, when using LED as a light source, a lens should be added to control glare, and the color temperature should not exceed 4000K.

Residential Area Road Lighting CCT

For roads with mixed motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic in residential areas, it is advisable to use light sources with low to medium color temperatures, most commonly kept below 4000K.

Color Temperature Requirements for Roads with Rain and Fog

Lights along rivers and foggy road sections should use low color temperature lights, with a recommended range of 2700K-3500K.

Commercial Area Road Lighting Color Temperature

In commercial bustling areas, historic and cultural districts, scenic spots, and other places where color recognition is important for motor vehicle traffic, it is advisable to use high CRI, low to medium color temperature light sources.

Parking Lot Road Lighting CCT

5700-6500K is preferable. A 5700K color temperature can help focus attention and make driving safer.

Color Temperature Requirements for Garden and Industrial Lighting

Spotlights, outdoor floodlights, and other landscape lights used in gardens, road decorations, partial lighting, and other outdoor recreational areas. Generally, warm colors of 2700K and 3000K are more suitable, creating a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

 

Luminous efficacy of different lamps with the same watt

Understanding Watts and Lumens: How to choose the right brightness light fixture for your project

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Lumens vs watts

What does watts mean in light bulbs?

Watts (symbol: W) is a unit of power, measuring the amount of energy consumed. When we pay our electricity bill, we are paying for the watts we use. Since we have traditionally used incandescent light bulbs, we are accustomed to using watts as a unit of brightness, but this is incorrect. The measure of the brightness of a light fixture is lumens, not watts.

lumen and watt

Understanding Lumens

Lumens are the measurement of visible light energy. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. Lighting fixtures used for illumination are usually labeled with their light output (in lumens), which is legally required in many jurisdictions.

Therefore, when we choose the brightness of the lamp, we only need to look for the lumen value on the package.

Understand the conversion between lumens and watts to find the right brightness

If a road contractor asks if we have a 100W solar street light, it is difficult to determine the requirement for how many lumens of solar LED street light they need. To understand the relationship between them clearly, we need to understand Luminous Efficacy (lumens per watt).
This measure indicates how efficiently a light source converts energy (watts) into light (lumens).

Luminous efficacy (lm/W) = lumens (lm)/Watt(W)

Luminous efficacy of different lamps with the same watt

Luminous efficacy of different lamps with the same watt

Luminous efficacy of different lamps

Based on a 2013 report from energy.gov in the United States, there are LED package standards established at 266 lm/W and PC-LEDs achieving over 130 lm/W, with a successful prediction that by 2024 the luminous efficacy of LEDs will exceed 200 lm/W, showing the importance and expectations for future LED lighting.

Luminous efficacy report

As of 2024, LED technology can indeed achieve a theoretical 230 lm/W (actual usage tested at 200 lm/W). Due to variations in specifications among manufacturers and market supply-demand issues, there are still many LEDs on the market ranging from 130 lm/W to 190 lm/W. Therefore, when selecting the brightness of a light fixture, it is essential to pay attention to lumens.

Incandescent technology typically produces 12-18 lumens per watt, while halogen technology usually produces 10-20 lumens per watt.
Therefore, for the same wattage, the brightness of LED bulbs is approximately 10-14 times that of incandescent bulbs and about 10 times that of halogen bulbs. You can roughly refer to this indicator when choosing light fixtures.

lumens to watts conversion chart (in led light Luminous efficacy 130 lm/W)

LumensIncandescent WattsHalogen WattsLED Watts
100760.77
37525202.9
45030253.5
80060456
110075608.5

Lumen to watt chat (In different led Luminous efficacy)

Lumens to wattLuminous efficacy(lm/W)
Lumens130 lm/W150 lm/W180 lm/W200 lm/W
100 lm0.8w0.7w0.6w0.5w
500  lm4w3w3w3w
1000  lm8w7w6w5w
2000  lm15w13w11w10w
3000  lm23w20w17w15w
4000 lm31w27w22w20w
6000 lm46w40w33w30w
8000 lm62w53w44w40w
10000 lm77w67w56w50w
15000 lm115w100w83w75w
20000 lm154w133w111w100w

How to verify the reliability of Luminous Efficacy

Rely on the manufacturer’s provided Luminous Efficacy Test Report.

How do I know how many lumens I need?

Lumen calculator

You can use a lumen calculator to determine this, at https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/lighting

How many lumens are needed for outdoor street lights?

The number of lumens required for street lights depends on several factors, such as the height of the light pole, the width of the road, and the amount of ambient light available. To determine the appropriate lumen output, recommended illumination levels for different types of roads need to be considered.

Generally, residential streets require around 5,000 to 12,000 lumens per light, while main roads and highways may require higher lumen outputs, typically needing 10,000 to 15,000 lumens to ensure safety.

Reference Standards for street lights Pole Height and Lumen

  • 6m Height:6000Lumens
  • 8m Height:8000Lumens
  • 10m Height:10000Lumens
  • 12m Height:12000Lumens
  • 14m Height:15000Lumens
  • 16m Height:18000Lumens
  • 20m Height:25000Lumens

For guidance on how to choose the light pole height, please refer to the article:HOW TO CALCULATE THE HEIGHT AND DISTANCE OF SOLAR STREET LIGHT POLE?

How many lumens are needed for indoor environments

  • Workspace or garage: 8,000 to 10,000 lumens
  • Kitchen work areas: 7,000 to 8,000 lumens
  • Bathroom: 7,000 to 8,000 lumens
  • Home office: 6,000 to 8,000 lumens
  • Dining room: 3,000 to 4,000 lumens
  • Kitchen: 3,000 to 4,000 lumens
  • Dining room: 3,000 to 4,000 lumens
  • Living room: 1,000 to 2,000 lumens
  • Bedroom: 1,000 to 2,000 lumens
  • Hallway: 500 to 1,000 lumens

These are general guidelines that apply to most spaces; however, they may not be applicable to all scenarios. Rooms with darker walls and particularly high ceilings may require additional lumens to achieve the desired effect.

Finally, we recommend you read this article to learn about Light measurement for solar street lighting systems:https://luxmanlight.com/are-solar-street-lights-bright-enough/

Sources of reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_(unit)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt

Solar street light cases

How Long Do Solar Lights Last? 6 tips to make solar lights live longer

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How Long Do Solar Lights Last?

According to the 2024 mainstream model, solar lights are usually set to continue lighting 12 disappear from dusk until dawn. Designed service life of 8~10 years. As a professional solar street light manufacturer, we now use lithium iron phosphate batteries and LED lights to produce solar lights, ensuring they can be used for over 10 years. Lower-quality solar lights may use batteries that last only 3 to 5 years, resulting in short illumination duration and the need for regular battery replacement, which is highly unfriendly.

Luxman strongly recommends using high-quality solar lights and provides a 5-year warranty. Even Luxman’s solar street lights can continue to illuminate for 12 hours every day during seven consecutive rainy days.

Solar street light cases

How to Extend the Illumination Duration of Solar Lights

Keeping the solar panels clean

If you want to make full use of the solar panels, you need to clean them regularly to ensure that sunlight reaches them smoothly and that the batteries receive enough power. If manual cleaning seems too troublesome, you can choose or customize solar lights with automatic cleaning, ensuring that the solar panels always perform at their best.

Installing in open areas

Make sure to install the solar lights in places where sunlight can shine directly on them, ensuring sufficient illumination duration.

Scientific setting of lighting modes

You can use PIR motion sensing modes to adjust the brightness or set lighting brightness according to different time periods, saving more power to ensure longer illumination.

Using LED lights

LED lights have more efficient illumination effect, saving energy.

Proper extreme weather and climate protection functions

Solar lights can be equipped with temperature control functions to cope with extremely cold and hot weather. If this function is not available, it is best to purchase solar lights with corrosion protection for humid areas and coastal areas. Luxman’s solar lights all have these functions. If your solar lights do not have these functions, please bring them indoors during icy weather in winter.

Use lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO₄)

LiFePO₄ can cycle up to 3000 times and are the most ideal solar batteries.

 

Recent updates:

https://luxmanlight.com/what-battery-is-best-for-solar-street-lights-in-2024/

https://luxmanlight.com/what-is-the-best-solar-light-battery/

https://luxmanlight.com/how-long-do-solar-powered-street-light-last-luxman-light/

li-ion battery

What battery is best for solar street lights in 2024

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NICD NOT A PRIME CHOICE FOR SOLAR LIGHTS

NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) batteries are not one of the best solar battery choices on the market for use in solar energy lights. There’s a debate in the “battery community” about what’s called the “memory effect” with NiCd–these kinds of batteries are meant to be charged fully and depleted fully.

That isn’t what happens often with batteries meant for solar lights, where there’s a constant charge-discharge with the cycles of day and night. The memory effect alters the battery’s voltage levels to shrink over time, where the battery “forgets” the highs and lows it doesn’t often charge to. Typically, the best battery for solar lights (with a properly-sized system) will discharge about 15% every day.

Plus, cadmium is a highly toxic metal which defeats one of the purposes of solar lights–to reduce the environmental impact that the use of energy may have. Many NiCd batteries even have “POISON” stamped across the top. We know most project managers just prefer something that saves money over time, but why not go both routes of cost-effective and environmentally safe?

NIMH CLOSER, BUT STILL NO CIGAR

NiMH (Nickel Metal-Hydride) technology is a better choice over NiCd batteries when it comes to the environment, but there are still some pain points with this selection. There’s a lot of maintenance required with NiMH batteries because they need a full discharge from time to time–we’re sure someone doesn’t want to get the task of discharging every battery in a solar parking lot light configuration.

The best application for these batteries are for small electronics like flashlights and toys since they operate best with high energy consumption and demand instead of small, cyclical power drains or low-energy applications. Still not the best battery solution for solar street lights.

lead-acid battery

lead-acid battery plate composed of lead and lead oxide, electrolyte for sulfuric acid aqueous solution. Its main advantages are voltage stability and low price. The disadvantage is that the specific energy is low, resulting in a relatively large volume and short service life, about 300-500 deep cycles, requiring frequent routine maintenance. The battery is still widely used in the solar street lamp industry.

lead acid battery

 

Colloidal battery（gel battery）

In fact, lead-acid battery is an upgrade of the maintenance free version, through the colloidal electrolyte instead of sulfuric acid electrolyte, in terms of safety, storage, discharge performance and service life than ordinary batteries have been improved, the price of some even higher than three lithium batteries. It can be used in the temperature range of -40℃ to -65℃, especially good performance at low temperature, suitable for the northern alpine region. Strong seismic performance, can be used safely in harsh environments. The service life is about twice as long as the ordinary lead-acid battery。

gel battery

Ternary lithium battery

higher than the energy, small size, fast charging, but the price is higher. The number of deep cycles is about 500-800 times, the life of the battery is about 1 times longer than that of the lead-acid battery, and the temperature range is -15℃ to 45℃. However, less stable, unqualified manufacturers of ternary lithium batteries may explode or catch fire when overcharged or too high temperature.Ternary lithium battery

lithium iron phosphate battery(LifePO4 battery)

Hgher than the energy, small size, fast charging, long service life, good stability, the price is the highest. The number of deep cycle charging is about 1500-2000 times, long service life, generally up to 8-10 years, strong stability, wide temperature range, can be used in -40℃ to 70℃.Lithium iron phosphate battery

To sum up, solar street lights of course use lithium iron phosphate batteries best, although the price is higher. At present, the market solar street lamp using lithium iron phosphate battery price is very reasonable product, the life of this product can reach 10 years, the price is also very attractive.

Luxman’s solar street lights are all powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries.

https://luxmanlight.com/how-to-choose-the-right-batteries-for-your-solar-light/

https://luxmanlight.com/what-kind-of-batteries-are-used-in-solar-street-lights/

solar street light project

How to calculate the height and distance of solar street light pole?

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Solar street Light Height Calculation

In determining the installation height of solar street lights, if the height of the lamp poles is between 3 to 4m, the formula H≥0.5R can be used. Here, R is the radius of the illumination area, and H is the height of the street light pole.

If the height of the light pole is higher, such as over 5m, an adjustable lamp panel can be used to regulate the illumination coverage to meet different lighting needs. This adjustable panel can be moved up and down on the pole to achieve the best lighting effect.

solar street light rural

Solar street Light Distance Calculation:

For general road lighting, when the width of the road does not exceed 15m, lighting is usually arranged on one side. distance between two street light pole on this side also depends on the height of the light poles; for poles shorter than 6m, the spacing can be set at about 10m, while for poles taller than 6m, the spacing can be between 10-25m. The specifics should be determined based on the actual site conditions.

For light poles over 10m in height, the general formula is the spacing between lights = pole height × 3.

Additionally, for solar street lights with an 8m pole, the spacing between lights should be 25-30m using cross illumination. This method is suitable for roads that are 10-15m wide. For solar street lights with a 12m pole, the longitudinal spacing between lights should be 30-50m with symmetric illumination, and road illumination width needs to exceed 15m.

Solar street light

Solar Street Light Pole Installation Height and Spacing Recommendations for Different Situations:

Based on construction drawings and the survey of the geological conditions of the site, and in places with no top obstructions, the installation location of solar street lights should use a reference spacing of 10-50m. Specific requirements should be confirmed with the engineer according to project needs, or by contacting us.

  • For average road widths of about 3-4m with pole heights of 3-4m, the installation distance should be 10m;
  • For average road widths of about 5-7m with pole heights of 5-7m, the installation distance should be 10-25m;
  • For average road widths of 8-12m with pole heights of 8-12m, the installation distance should be 30-40m;
  • For main traffic arteries about 20m wide with pole heights of 12-14m, the spacing should be at least 40m.

When the width of the road exceeds 15m, and there is heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic that requires aesthetic consideration, staggered lighting on both sides or symmetric lighting can be adopted. In actual design work, one often encounters many objective constraints. For instance, when the road is wide but lighting can only be installed on one side, the tilt angle of the light fixtures can be increased, generally up to a 15-degree angle. If the tilt angle is too high, the luminous efficiency of the fixtures decreases, and glare can become a problem for visibility.

Different Location street light spacing and height:

  • Parks and scenic areas: Suitable for installing solar street lights around 7m tall, the installation distance should be 10-25m;
  • Along national highways: Height should not be less than 12m, with a spacing of at least 40m;
  • City side roads: Height should not be less than 10m, with an installation distance of 30m;
  • Rural roads: Heights of 6m or more, with an installation distance of 25-30m. Additional street lights should be installed at corners to avoid blind spots;

Four-lane roads or main traffic arteries: Height of 8-12m, with axial symmetric illumination, and an installation distance of 30~50m.
For arrangements with lights on both sides, if the spacing between light poles is too great, it is recommended to use a cross arrangement, as the reason for large spacing is often due to insufficient budget or a lower level of luminous intensity.

The latest solar street light pole is recommended

solar street light pole

https://luxmanlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/10m-Smart-Solar-Street-light-Pole-Design.pdf

This smart solar street light pole can be equipped with a remote monitoring system. The split design can maximize the number of solar panels and improve battery life while saving manufacturing costs. At present, there are three styles of optional height: 6m, 8m and 10m.

Luxman Solar street light with pole ADAPTS to various heights and spacing

Solar street light with pole 

Luxman has different kinds of street lights that can be installed at a height of 3~30m, suitable for high-speed, airport, urban streets, rural areas, parks, squares, parking lots, construction sites and other occasions.

 

Contact us for streetlight engineering design

     

    solar light

    How To Choose the Best Solar light Batteries?

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    Choosing the right solar battery for your solar light is essential to its optimal performance. Whether you are replacing a battery in an existing solar light or selecting one for a new solar light, there are several factors to consider. Knowing the purpose and usage of the solar light, the type of solar panel, the battery capacity, and the environmental temperature are essential for selecting the best solar battery for your solar lights. With the right battery, your solar light can provide reliable illumination that can last for years, making it a smart and economical choice.

    Main types of solar light batteries in the market

    When searching for the right batteries for your solar light, you will have many options to consider.

    Lead acid battery

    LUXMAN - lead acid battery


    Lead Acid Battery

    Lead acid battery is a type of battery whose electrode is mainly made of lead and oxide, and the electrolyte is sulfuric acid solution.Lead-acid batteries have been around for years and have established themselves as one of the preferred batteries in the market. They were the first rechargeable batteries ever created. Although they have high power surges, Lead-acid batteries discharge faster than other modern batteries. There are three types of Lead-acid batteries which include:

    Sealed/maintenance-free Lead-acid battery: This lead-acid battery has vents and valves that are kept open to release pressure inside the battery in case the pressure builds up. The pressure can build up because of rapid charging or high current surge when discharging.

    Starter: This Lead-acid battery is designed to provide a high-voltage surge for a few seconds. It is commonly used in vehicles to start the engine.

    Deep cycle battery: This Lead-acid battery is designed to continuously provide power in golf carts, wheelchairs, and other electrical equipment. They are built to provide maximum power capacity and higher operational cycles.

    These batteries are commonly used to power anything from a car to a solar light since they are inexpensive.

     Gel battery

    LUXMAN - gel battery


    Gel Battery

    The Gel battery is a lithium acid battery that valves to regulate the flow of electrolytes. This battery uses sulfuric acid and an electrolyte combined with silica fumes. It is an old model battery but emits fewer fumes than the Lead acid battery. The Gel battery can be used in areas with poor ventilation because of the low fumes that it produces. The gel battery does not need any maintenance as it uses valves that open to allow the internal gases to combine with water. These batteries are versatile and robust.

    Ternary lithium battery

    Ternary lithium battery


    Ternary lithium battery

    The ternary lithium battery is a type of lithium battery that uses ternary materials as the cathode. The cathodes for ternary batteries are made from aluminum, cobalt or nickel. Ternary lithium batteries are preferred for solar lighting because of their higher energy density than lead-acid batteries. The nickel used in ternary batteries improves the conductivity of the batteries, efficiency, and cycling.

    Lithium iron phosphate battery(LifePO4 )

    Lithium iron phosphate battery


    TLithium Iron phosphate battery

    The lithium iron phosphate battery is a battery that offers high energy density and a high capacity. These batteries are designed to offer high cycles and reliable performance in a wide range of operating temperatures.

    Compared to other batteries, the Lithium iron phosphate battery has a lighter weight, more lifespan, and greater performance and reliability. This battery has a faster charging rate and stores power for longer. This battery does not need active maintenance in its service.

    These batteries are the lightest weight variety of batteries and are the least expensive among all the other solar lights battery types.

    Different solar light battery type

    Battery typeNominal cell voltageBattery pack voltageCycle LifeCostTemperate performance
    Lead acid battery2.2V12V350 timeslow-20℃-50℃
    Gel battery2.35-2.4V12V or 24V500 timeslow-15 ～ 40℃
    Ternary lithium(Li-ion)3.7V11.1V(12V)800-1000timeshigh-20℃~50℃
    Lithium Iron Phosphate battery(LifePO4 )3.2V12.8V or 25.6V1500-2000timeshigh-10℃~60℃

    Lead acid battery: A lead acid battery has a nominal cell voltage of 2.2V and a total voltage of 12V. This battery can be charged 350 times reliably and does not heat up during charging. The charging temperatures of this battery are 20-50 degrees C. This old model battery is bulky and unsuitable for modern solar lights apart from the split type of solar lights. The battery is also heavy and bulky.

    Gel battery: This battery has a nominal cell voltage of 2.35 to 2.4V and a total voltage of 12V or 24V. This battery can be charged 500 times and has a considerably low cost. The charging temperatures of this battery are 15-40 degrees C. The Gel battery is also not suitable for modern solar lights. This battery can be damaged by overcharging. It requires proper regulators to ensure that overcharging does not occur. The Gel battery is not suitable for use in high temperatures. Higher temperature causes the cells to shrink making the gel hard.

    Ternary lithium(Li-ion): This battery has a nominal cell voltage of 3.7V and a total voltage of 11.1 (12)V. It can be charged for 500 to 800 times and has a low self-discharge rate. This battery comes in different shapes and sizes, so it is not interchangeable among various devices. The main advantage of this battery is its high energy capacity.

    It is ideal for use in solar lights because it plays a key role in increasing reliability, reducing maintenance costs, and increasing energy efficiency compared to other batteries currently on the market. Ternary lithium(Li-ion) is also reliable because it can withstand high operating temperatures.

    Lithium Iron Phosphate battery(LifePO4 ): Compared to many other types of batteries, this battery has a longer life span. It also does not lose its charge even when it has not been used for a long time, unlike other batteries. It has a nominal cell voltage of 3.2V and a total voltage of 12.8V or 25.6V.

    This battery is ideal for high temperature operating conditions. It can withstand temperatures of up to 60℃. The Lithium Iron Phosphate battery does not need active maintenance. It can last for up to 2000 cycles.

    This battery is ideal for use in solar lights because it is now being used in some new solar lights due to its efficiency, safety, and durability.

    How does Solar battery influence solar light lifetime?

    Many factors, including the solar light battery type, the battery cycles life, the environment temperature and the stability of the battery can affect how long your solar lights last. influence the solar light lifespan. For example,in hot weather countries the environment temperate is nearly 55℃, Lithium Iron Phosphate battery is the best, safe and reliable choice.

    When looking for a solar battery to power your solar lights, you should consider the application environment, life cycles,  stability and battery pack voltage and your budget.

    Which type of battery is best for solar light?

    Lithium Iron Phosphate battery(LifePO4) is a perfect and reliable option for many solar lights, especially for All in one solar street light. The cost of Lithium Iron Phosphate battery(LifePO4) is higher than other types of batteries, but the reliability is much better,especially the high temperature performance and longer life cycles.

    https://luxmanlight.com/what-battery-is-best-for-solar-street-lights-in-2024/

    https://luxmanlight.com/what-kind-of-batteries-are-used-in-solar-street-lights/