SEPCO-Solar Lighting Blog

  Often in the solar lighting industry, we receive calls asking for a system to meet a need in an area where power is not feasible to bring out, but then months later, the customer tells you they decided to bring power out to the area. This becomes a frustrating reality because most people see the system cost, and instead should look at the overall project cost. Let me explain.  

  When designing a lighting solution, light trespass needs to be considered, especially when located near a neighborhood. Light pollution is another factor that should be looked at when in the design phase of a lighting project. There are a few ways you can prevent light trespass while not losing illumination on your project specifically.

  Parks and Recreation Departments have been using solar lighting systems for many years now as they provide a solution to illuminate the required area without disturbing the surrounding areas. Since most parks are older and did not take into consideration the needs for lighting or power when initially developed, a great many are lacking in lighting for nighttime use.

  Jupiter Medical Center has been working on updating and upgrading their facility. One of these upgrades was to provide a new sign on the corner of the main roadway to direct people to the hospital and emergency room. Because the sign was located in the median, brining in traditional grid power would have increased the construction costs and road closure times. Instead, the Innerface Architectural Signage Inc, the sign manufacturer, worked closely with SEPCO to find a solar solution to power the LED modules from dusk to dawn, year-round.

  Today the market is flooded with stuff. One person creates an item and then everyone else wants to jump in and make their own version of that same thing. Sometimes, real competition comes out, but sometimes, it is just another import from overseas that will promise the world but will never deliver. There is one way you can guarantee what you are purchasing is a quality made, US manufactured (if that is important and / or advertised): go for a visit.

The eye works in many ways. We often see things very differently from one light to the next. Early days of LED fixtures had such a blue light that it was very difficult for most people to deal with. As the blue has been slowly taken out and a more natural white light is being used more often, it is not only changing the way we see light, but also how we should be measuring light. There are tons of scientific articles on the subject, but I wanted to provide something more condensed and simple to understand.

  With the increase of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and blizzards, off grid solar lighting systems can improve the security of an area since the lights do not rely on utility grid for operation. During most natural disasters, the utility grid can become compromised and fail. Solar outdoor lights can be used to generate light for these areas and provide added security during these downtimes.

There is a lot of information bouncing around about solar lighting. Some people love it, some people don’t. There are many pros and cons with solar lighting, but the one thing that always seems to get lost in the shuffle is the reason behind using solar lighting systems. Here are some truths behind solar lighting:

SEPCO recently worked with Parkway South High School to help illuminate their flag. Electrical service was going to be difficult to get to the location of the flag and they were looking for a solution to not have to take it down every night. Since it is good flag etiquette to illuminate a flag from dusk to dawn when leaving it up over night, they started looking for a solar solution.

  Solar lighting solutions have evolved tremendously over the last decade. We have found ways to increase efficiencies, storage capacities, lumen outputs, and so much more. But adding too many options to systems can jeopardize their functionality and cause more issues in the long run. Keeping it simple (sweetie) will ensure system functionality and have less pieces to maintain over the life of the systems. Here are some ways you can K.I.S.S. your solar lighting system in your design phase.