SEPCO-Solar Lighting Blog

  Solar parking lot lighting systems provide a great alternative to standard grid powered lighting systems since they require no trenching for installation, use zero energy, have no monthly bills, and provides a renewable source of lighting night after night. Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes people make with solar parking lot lighting systems that can easily be remedied. Let’s look at a few of them now.  

  Signs often are installed in areas where the power grid is unavailable; however, with SEPCO solar lighting solutions, we can provide the power to the sign cabinet in almost any location. The remote solar power assembly charges during the day to operate the sign cabinet lighting at night. The solar power assembly can be installed in any sunny location and is sized according to the power consumption of the LEDs inside the cabinet, the local solar insolation, and the operation profile required by the customer.

  As the solar lighting industry has evolved over the last decade or two, there has been many advances and setbacks that have happened. There are many expectations of where the industry should be and the reality of where we are. Here are some of the various expectations and their realities.  

Over the last decade, LEDs have evolved greatly. Not only has their light output increased, but also their efficiencies and price points have changed drastically. There are so many benefits to using LED fixtures, but one of the largest is the benefits to nature and the environment. Here are some of the ways that LEDs have really stepped up to the plate to make our world a little brighter.

  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.