SOLAR LIGHTING DESIGNS

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Exploring the Potential of Solar-Powered Technology and its Application to Road Markers

Solar-powered technology has already revolutionised the way we generate and use energy. Not only do solar-powered systems provide a clean, sustainable, and cost-effective source of energy, they do so for a wide range of applications. One such application is the use of solar lights for signs, especially road markers, also known as solar road studs or solar pavement markers. Ready to learn more about how solar-powered technology can better road safety? Can Solar Technology Be Used For Road Markers? Did you know that the smallest solar panel is the size of your thumbnail? That’s right.  Solar panels don’t just come in the size you see on your roof or the lights on the streets. Since it is possible to design solar panels that can fit a gadget that measures 15cm by 12cm, solar technology can be used for road markers. Wondering why we need solar-powered technology for road markers? Traditional Road Markers Vs Solar Road Markers Road markers, also known as road reflectors or raised pavement markers, are used to enhance the visibility of roads at night and in inclement weather. They are typically made of reflective material and are placed on the road surface to guide drivers and alert them to potential hazards.  Pre-solar technology, different materials were used to provide driving aids on roads. Depending on their placement, road authorities would use either paint, reflective tape, or raised markers with and without retroreflecting lenses. Over time, road markers come equipped with flashing lights and batteries. While their construction material differs, these driving aids serve one purpose–to guide drivers and alert them to potential hazards. Solar road markers are similar to cat’s eyes, the difference being their capacity to harness the sun’s power. A solar road stud typically has an aluminium body with slots to attach it to the ground. The solar panel rests directly under the heavy-duty top face. Reflectors and LED lights are placed on the sides. Their functioning is simple–during the day, the solar panel helps make solar energy, which is then stored in the supercapacitor. Once the road marker no longer sense any sunlight, the LEDS switch on. Traditional road markers have a variety of limitations. Whether paint or reflective tape type, they need regular maintenance and replacement, which can be costly and time-consuming. Similarly, electrical road markers need to be powered by batteries or the electrical grid–power sources that have several limitations–batteries need to be replaced approximately every three years or in rural areas, connecting road markers to the electrical grid can be difficult and expensive. Solar-powered road markers, however, are powered by the sun. They need neither electrical grid connectivity nor batteries. The supercapacitors used in solar road markers only need replacement every 8-10 years, reducing the long-term running cost of solar road markers. Read on to learn why solar-powered road markers are a viable alternative to their traditional counterparts. Benefits Of Solar Road Markers One of the key benefits of solar lights for signs and road markers is that they are highly reliable. Solar road markers can work for years without needing maintenance, and they are not affected by power outages or other issues that can disrupt traditional road markers. They are especially useful in remote areas or where traditional road markers are impractical, such as on bridges or in tunnels as they don’t require any additional infrastructure. Solar-powered road markers are also environmentally friendly, as they do not produce emissions or pollutants. Solar road markers are also versatile and can be used in a variety of applications, ranging from highways, rural roads, and even on private property, such as in parking lots or industrial parks. They can also be customised to meet specific needs, such as using different colours or flashing patterns for different types of roads or hazards. Conclusion Overall, using solar lights for signs is a reliable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective alternative to traditional lights. Solar road markers also have the potential to improve safety on roads and extend this safety to remote or rural areas. As they are a prime example of how solar technology can be used to improve our daily lives, continuous improvement in technology and a decrease in costs will hopefully result in the widespread use of solar-powered road markers.

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The Benefits of Solar Road Markers: How They Can Enhance Road Safety

Did you know that it has been a year since the Australian government endorsed the National Road Safety Strategy, and in this time, the number of road fatalities has risen by 4.1%? According to a report outlining Australian car accident statistics and causes, this has been the largest increase in road incidents since 2018. With thousands of families being affected by Australia’s worsening road toll, it is only natural to channel efforts into increasing road safety. One of the best ways to reduce the frequency of road accidents is to communicate better with drivers and pedestrians–an aspect that is easily and efficiently accomplished through road signs and pavement markings. But what happens when it’s too dark (in tunnels, for instance) or when elements like rain or fog affect visibility? This is where solar road markers come to our rescue. Unsure of how solar road markers can enhance road safety? Let’s take a look. What Are Solar Road Markers? Simply put, solar road markers are road stud lights that work on solar energy. They are also called reflectors or cat’s eyes. Their primary function is to provide road users with information, such as when to speed up or slow down, and the placement of lane lines. They can also be used to separate traffic on single-carriageway two-way roads without physical dividers and to inform emergency personnel of the position of fire hydrants or other water-related supply lines. Do Solar Road Markers Really Enhance Road Safety? The simple, resounding answer would be, yes. Absolutely! When road markings can be seen clearly, despite low visibility situations, pedestrians and vehicle drivers are safer as they can see information that helps them understand what actions they should or shouldn’t be taking. Till about 10-15 years ago, road users relied heavily on streetlights and floodlights to help them see road markings. However, with recent advancements in lighting technology, reflective lighting, including solar road markers have become a preferred method of communication. Whether used on or in conjunction with painted lane and road markings, arrows, kerb lines, raised pavement markers, rumble strips, directional and facility markings, traffic islands, median strips, etc. solar road markers reduce the risk of confusion and boost safety for all road users. What Are the Other Benefits of Solar Road Markers? While the foremost benefit of using solar road markers is better visibility, there are other advantages as well. Here’s a closer look at some of the merits of using solar lights for signs. Reduction in Light Pollution Agreeably, streetlights do their job of illuminating roads. However, there are several downsides to conventional street lighting. Take, for instance, the amount of light that reaches the roadways. Studies have shown that as much as 70% of roadway lighting is wasted as it cannot be efficiently directed. Conventional street lighting, thus, contributes significantly to light pollution. Solar lights for signs and road markers, on the other hand, can be positioned more appropriately, thus limiting unnecessary light pollution. Lower Maintenance Traditional street lighting is high maintenance as it requires electric cable connectivity. They’re also entirely dependent on power grids–any cuts or failure will result in drivers navigating roadways in the dark. Solar road markers, on the other hand, are off-grid and require no electric cable connectivity. As they’re easier to install and don’t require cabling, pole installation and trenching, solar lights for signs and road markers are low maintenance. They’re also highly sustainable. Self-sufficient Since solar power is harnessed to illuminate road markings and signs, electricity expense is eliminated. Considering how many hundreds of thousands of kilometres of roadways we currently have, the extensive use of solar road markers means tremendous savings in electricity. Conclusion Cleaner, greener, and more reliable than conventional lighting and their easy positioning and installation make solar road markers an innovative solution for enhancing road safety. The best part? They aren’t only used for roadways. You can use solar lights for signs and road markers anywhere–from pedestrian sidewalks to decks, docks and crosswalks to private roads and even warehouses. So if you’re in search of lighting solutions, check out this range of solar road markers. Visible over 800 metres, and made from cast aluminium and polycarbonate construction, these extra-durable solar road markers will help you increase safety at your site, private road, warehouse or anywhere else you require.

Commercial solar bollards
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Economic advantage of using solar bollards

Adequate lighting is essential for commercial, residential, and commonly used public areas, as a lack of reasonable lighting can present serious safety and security risks. Though lighting projects with mains powered lighting can be time consuming, have disruptive installations and can be very costly. Solar lighting provides a significantly more cost-effective alternative compared to mains powered lighting when considered all associated costs. As an example of this, I will compare the installation and use of mains powered bollard lights and commercial solar bollards. Installation When comparing costs of mains powered bollard lights to solar bollard lights, the most significant cost difference comes from the installation of the products. As the mains powered bollard lights would need to be connected to a power source, this would typically involve the need for cabling and conduiting, which is an expensive process. Besides the expense, it is very disruptive as it required heavy equipment to dig long holes for the cabling to sit in, resulting in hours or days of loud construction noise and possible blocking of pathways or driveways. Alternatively, our commercial solar bollards are entirely self-contained units that require no cabling or conduiting whatsoever. Additionally, the installation process for any solar bollards is typically very simple and fast, only requiring standard power tools. On-Going Costs Mains powered lighting of any kind will obviously result in on-going electricity bills. Our commercial solar bollards, as well as all our remaining solar lights we sell in Australia are all off grid and result in no power bills. The only ongoing cost that you will face with our solar bollard lights is a need to replace the battery every 5-7 years, which can be purchased from us and is very easy to change over. Maintenance Regarding maintenance, both options do only need minimal ongoing work to ensure they work to the upmost efficiency. Our solar bollard lights only require the panel to be wiped off once a year to make sure dirt and dust aren’t disrupting the charging. Above are some simple comparisons of the installation and maintenance processes of mains powered bollard lights and solar powered bollard lights. The significant difference in the effort required to install the goods as well as the comparison of on-going costs show the economic advantages of using commercial solar lighting bollards over the mains powered alternative. To learn more about solar bollard lights in Australia, or any other of our solar lights, view our products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.

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Pathway Lighting: Solar Bollards vs Overhead Lighting Options

There are lots of occasions where an environment clearly defines what type of solar light you would use. For example, in a carpark, commercial solar street lights would perform best and provide the most suitable amount of illumination, while on pedestrian pathways in residential environments, overhead lighting would be overkill and commercial solar bollards would be suitable   There are lighting projects though, where either commercial solar street lights or commercial solar lighting bollards would be suitable, so how do you decide which to use? The first thing you might assume is that solar powered street lights would be a more expensive option, so price would be a major factor in the decision, though this isn’t always the case. For example, if you have a 40 metre long pedestrian pathway, you could either install six commercial solar lighting bollards or two commercial solar street lights on 4 metre columns. Both options would provide an adequate amount of light at a very similar price point. So, if price isn’t a major factor is the decision-making process, then what other considerations are important? 1. Aesthetics – What product best suits the look of the surrounding environment? Some people prefer the strong commercial look of solar street lights, though in areas such as public parks, the tall lighting columns will distract from the natural landscape, so solar bollard lights may be more suited. 2. Lighting Tone – Would you prefer warm or cool tones? One major benefit to our commercial solar bollards range is the option to choose a warm, daylight or cool tone for the light. While any of our solar street lights will have a higher lumen output compared to our solar bollard lights, they will only output a cool white light, which isn’t always the preference for our clients. There isn’t always a right or wrong option when choosing commercial solar lights; sometimes it’s simply down to the preference of the client. Above are just some simple considerations to consider when deciding between solar bollard lights or and solar street lights.    To learn more about our solar street lights or commercial solar bollards, or any other of the solar lights that we sell in Australia, visit the products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.

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Solar street lights for commercial use

What is a solar street light? Solar powered street lights contain energy-efficient LED lighting systems that are powered by a rechargeable battery that is charged during the day using photovoltaic cells. This process allows solar power to be used for electric lighting at night Commercial solar street lights use a renewable source of energy that emits very low carbon dioxide. It has many advantages over non-renewable sources, such as coal which gets depleted and contributes to pollution. Renewables can reduce the number of pollutants in our environment for future generations making this world an even better place to live! Advantages of solar powered street lights Solar street lighting has many advantages compared to traditional methods of night-time illumination. The following are the main reasons why people prefer it over others: Solar energy is a renewable source which means there's no need for additional infrastructures like digging trenches and laying underground cables, making installation simple but effective. It reduces maintenance costs by not requiring regular changes in equipment or lamps, unlike other sources that require more frequent change-outs due to higher levels of dirt accumulation on their lenses. led solar street lights ensures 24×7 electricity supply at affordable rates thus helping local governments save money through reduced expenditures on utility bills. A commercial solar street light system does not emit any harmful pollutants into the environment, so they don’t contribute to air pollution and light pollution. Solar-powered Street lights are a long-term investment. It has no operating cost and it can even save you money in the future. Solar street lighting is safe with fewer cables and wires. This saves money in the long run because there are no electricians needed to install solar street lights, which means less cost for maintenance. Solar street lighting is a great investment you can make for your community. Not only are these lights environmentally friendly, but they also provide illumination at night, which helps improve the safety of roads and reduces accidents.

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Solar Flood Lights: Everything You Need to Know

The Venus Solar floodlight is a purpose-built, high lumen output, commercial grade solar flood light manufactured from the highest quality components. The remote allows for programming of the solar flood light including the LED output, time/mode of operation and selection of a sensitive 360° radar sensor system where the light will operate at a set output until the movement activated radar is triggered, instantly switching to full output. The 3,300 lumens produced by our solar floodlights are set at a 120° angle ensure large areas are illuminated effectively. A quality 50W solar panel and sturdy mounting hardware are included. The 5000mm of cabling enable the panel to be remote located to achieve maximum photovoltaic conversion or the light head to be installed under cover. Custom programming allows the Venus solar floodlights to operate when the solar panel is exposed to sunlight allowing the fitting to be installed in a workshop, horse stable or shed. To learn more about solar floodlights, or any other of the solar lights that we sell in Australia, visit the products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.

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Which SLD Commercial Solar Bollard is the right one for you?

With several different Commercial Solar bollard options available through our website, it can be difficult to know which is best for your application. This article will break the options down so the differences in applications can be easily understood, allowing you to know exactly which commercial solar bollard lights will best suit your needs. Is Vandalism a Concern? Whenever discussing solar bollards with new customers, the first thing we will ask is, “is vandalism a concern in the area where they’re being installed?”.If the answer is yes then the option is simple, the Halo Vandal Resistant Solar Bollard. Manufactured from moulded UV stabilised high impact polycarbonate and a stem of powder coated aluminium, this premium product has a IK10 impact certification and IP66 dust ingress and waterproof rated safeguards. This highly durable design results in one of the most vandal resistant solar bollard lights in Australia. RGB or White Light? What if vandalism isn’t a concern? Then the next question we would ask our clients when determining which commercial solar lighting bollards, they would like is “Would you like the product to only produce white light, or would you like it to have RGB functionality?”.RGB – meaning red, green, blue – is the availability to have the LEDs to display most colours of the spectrum as well as a white light option. Many of our clients who purchase our commercial solar bollard lights for their homes do so to add aesthetic lighting to their gardens or pathways. The RGB functionality of some of our solar bollard lights allows our clients to add a bit of extra flair to their homes with colour choosing options. Design Preference? Once you’ve decided whether you would like RGB functionality or just white light there’s only one last thing to decide when choosing an SLD commercial solar bollard light, what design do you prefer?Our Orion Premium Solar Bollard light and our Andromeda Premium Solar Bollard light are our two most popular solar bollard options, though they are both very similar. Functionally, they operate the exact same way and have the same internal components and lighting output. The only real difference between the two is aesthetic – do you prefer a round or square design? Using this guide, you should be able to easily determine which of our commercial solar bollard are best for your home, business, or public area. Though if you have any addition questions on solar bollard lighting, please feel free top call us on 1300 76 52 65

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Benefits of Solar Lighting Design’s Solar Batten Light.

Our 30w solar batten light offers the latest in solar lighting technology with the ability to connect multiple solar batten light together to operate independently or together from one remote or completely automatically by PIR sensor. Our solar batten light offers a compact innovative design featuring high light output, programmable lighting modes, Lithium battery, PIR (movement) Sensor. Simple plug and play installation. A programmable remote control, wall mounted remote holder, a wired wall switch with 10 metre cable, Waterproof connectors, solar panel mounting bracket and light mounting hardware are all included. The SLD solar batten light is perfect solution for many indoor and outdoor applications such as shipping containers, carports, bus shelters, temporary shelters, street kiosks, camping, or any remote locations where mains power is a challenge Our Solar Led Batten Light has an inbuilt PIR sensor, high-quality MPPT controller, lithium battery and led light. The LED batten and solar panel connected by premium MC4 waterproof connections ensuring your Solar Batten Light will provide constant dusk to dawn lighting for years to come. To learn more about Solar Batten Lights, or any other of the solar lights that we sell in Australia, visit the products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.

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How Our Solar Lights Align with the Goals of the International Dark Sky Association

At Solar Lighting Designs, we sell a wide range of solar lighting products that have been designed to effectively illuminate areas while minimising as much excess light as possible. This is achieved though intelligent manufacturing processes, utilising lenses that reduce the excessive spread of light as well integrating smart programming which reduces lighting output at certain times at night, or when no motion from people is detected. Through a desire to continue our minimisation of excess light pollution across our current and emerging products, our shared goals have led us to partnering with the International Dark Sky Association. The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) aims to reduce light pollution by providing tools and resources to policymakers that promote responsible outdoor lighting. Solar Lighting Designs reflects the same ideals as the International Dark-Sky Association and recognises the importance of minimising light pollution globally. The previously mentioned design and software innovations have been integrated into a wide range of our products, including many of our solar streetlights, solar bollards lights and solar floodlights. An example of this is the motion sensor technology we apply to our commercial solar streetlights, solar floodlights, and solar bollards, which minimise lighting output of the products to 20%-30% when people aren’t around. Our ‘Atlas’ style solar streetlight range and our ‘Venus’ solar floodlight range both offer timed programming modes as well as P.I.R (passive infrared) sensors. Furthermore, our ‘Blade’ style commercial solar streetlights boast all the above, but also includes completely customised programming modes and adjustable lighting arrays combined with optics that grant the range a UWLR (upward waste light ratio) of 0.   If you would like to learn more about our commercial solar lighting bollards, solar floodlights, solar streetlights, or any of our solar lights that we sell in Australia, feel free to call us on 1300 76 52 65 and talk to one of our lighting consultants.

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The Benefits of using SLD Commercial Solar Bollards

Solar bollard lights are an affordable and effective lighting solution for home or public areas that offer several benefits over AC powered lighting. The most obvious benefit is the lower installation cost and no on-going electricity costs. To install mains powered lighting, servicemen must be hired to do cabling and conduiting, running wires under the ground from a power source to the newly installed lights – the cost of which can be hundreds of dollars per metre. Our commercial solar bollards are an all-in-one unit that can be surface mounted at no extra costs. While we offer a wide range of overhead solar lights throughout Australia, these are not always suitable or needed for every lighting project. Home gardens typically require ambient lighting rather than floodlighting, and the aesthetic of public parks can be easily disturbed if four metre lighting columns are erected all over the place. SLD solar bollard lights offer aesthetic lighting with a wide range that is suitable for homes and commercial public use, with RGB lighting options and vandal resistant options for areas where vandalism is a concern. As an Australian owned company with manufacturing warehouses, SLD has the benefit of being able to offer our customers customised bollard stems in a variety of colours, materials and finishes to ensure they match the aesthetic of the area they are being installed in. Furthermore, with minimal required maintenance (occasionally cleaning the solar panel) and a minimum battery lifespan of 6 years which are very easily replaceable at low cost, our customers can rest assured of the simple effectiveness of our products. If you would like to learn more about our commercial solar lighting bollards or any of our solar lights that we sell in Australia, feel free to call us on 1300 76 52 65 and talk to one of our lighting consultants.

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