Have you ever seen street lights with a black or blue color plate attached above it? Have you ever wondered what it is and how it works? These are solar street lights. These eco-friendly luminaries harness the sun’s energy to cast a gentle glow, saving costs and reducing carbon footprints.

In an era where environmental consciousness and energy efficiency are gaining significance every passing day, solar street lights have become a popular choice for outdoor lighting.

The installation of solar street lights involves multiple key steps, from preparing the site to installing solar panels, light poles, lamp posts, lights, and battery boxes.

In this guide, we will demystify the connection of these green lights.

What Are Solar Street Lights and their Main Components?

Before going into the detailed process of site selection and solar street light installation, it is imperative to understand what solar street light is and its main components.

Solar street lights are outdoor lighting fixtures that use sunlight energy to illuminate streets, paths, roads, and public places by converting the solar energy into electrical energy using solar panels using the principle of photovoltaic effect. It is a sustainable green energy technology that can be used as an alternative to traditional grid electricity.

A typical solar street light is composed of the following important elements:

· Solar panel

· LED Light

· Battery

· Pole

· Wire

· Controller

· Battery Case

· Connectors

· Others

All these components are available in every solar street lights manufacturer.

Site Selection

The site section is the first step in the process of the installation of solar street lights. As discussed before, solar street lights convert solar energy into electrical energy; therefore, selecting a site that receives maximum sunlight and has no hindrance or shading is imperative. So, before going to a solar street light manufacturer to purchase all the components, make a site selection carefully.

Below are some of the points that need to be kept in mind while selecting a site for the installation.

1. It must receive maximum sunlight

2. There should be no shedding

3. No hindrance to sunlight

4. Check soil feasibility

5. There should be no drainage or pipeline below it

6. It should be easily accessible for maintenance

7. Check with local laws and rules

8. It must be safe and secure

Step-by-step guide to solar light installation

Now, it is the time to visit a solar street light manufacturer and purchase all the components. You can get all the electrical components and solar panels from any solar street light manufacturer, but you may need to get poles from a pole manufacturer and customize it.

Following are the steps of the installation process.

Steps 1: Site selection: The first step is the site selection and select a site, keeping in mind all the points mentioned above.

Step 2: Prepare the pole foundation: This is a very important step as it determines the durability and safety of the pole. Dig a hole of the required size, put the base of the pole in it, add cement, and leave it to solidify. Install a wiring tube that goes directly to the battery hole in the middle.

Step 3: Pre-Assembly of Components: Assemble the solar panels with brackets and tighten them with the screw. Additionally, place the battery in the battery box and close the seal. Keep the wires of the battery outside from the top cover wire outlet.  

Step 4: Cabling: Now, it is the time of cabling. Thread the panel and lamp cable from the respective arms of the pole and take it out from the maintenance door. Make all the connections. Similarly, Thread the battery cable and connect it to the solar panel’s cable from the maintenance door.

Step 5: Wiring: Do all the wiring for the lamp head and solar panels. Keep in mind the positive and negative polarity as solar panels produce Direct Current.

Step 6: Assembly of Components: Now, it is time to assemble all the components that you got from the solar street light manufacturer—Solar Panels, Lamp Arms, Lamp Heads, and Lamp Posts. Now, the solar street light is ready to install.

Step 7: Testing: Connect the solar panel, battery, and lamp head to the controller and test it. If everything works perfectly fine, then it is time to erect the lamp post.

Step 8: Lifting the Lamp Post: Depending on the height of the lamp pole, either erect the lamp pole manually or with the help of a crane. 

Safety Guidelines:

Keep in mind the following guidelines.

1. Don’t forget to wear safety equipment

2. Make sure that there are no potential hazards at the site

3. Use the right lifting tools to pick up the pole.