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Isn’t it frustrating when electronics, especially lights, don’t work quite as well as they used to when you first bought them? And while we agree that most times it’s the quality of the lights, sometimes a little maintenance can reverse the slow deterioration you’ve been experiencing. Fortunately, with our simple tips, you can maintain the brightness of your LED solar lights for signs and keep them shining brightly for years to come. How Solar Lights For Signs Work (And What Can Go Wrong) Solar lights use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity, which is stored in a battery. When it gets dark, a photoresistor tells the light to turn on, and the electricity from the battery powers an LED bulb. This system is energy-efficient and convenient because it only turns on when needed. Solar lights for signs are also safe and weatherproof, making them an excellent choice for outdoor lighting. However, like any other electronic device, solar lights can experience problems or failures over time.  Common Issues That May Result In Dimmer LED Lights Battery Problems: Solar lights rely on rechargeable batteries to store the energy collected during the day. If the battery is old or faulty, it may not hold a charge, resulting in dimmer light output or the light not turning on at all.   Panel Obstructions: Solar panels can get dirty over time, reducing their ability to collect sunlight and generate electricity. Obstructions can include dirt, dust, leaves, snow, or even bird droppings.   Wiring Issues: Solar lights are often exposed to harsh outdoor conditions and may experience wiring problems over time. Loose or corroded connections, frayed wires, or damaged cabling can prevent the light from functioning correctly.   LED Problems: Although LED bulbs are long-lasting and durable, they can still burn out or malfunction.    Water Damage: Solar road markers and signs are designed to be weather-resistant, but exposure to heavy rain or flooding can damage the internal components and prevent the light from functioning correctly. Tips To Maintain LED Brightness In Solar Lights For Signs By following these maintenance tips, you can ensure that your solar lights remain bright and functional, providing efficient and sustainable lighting for your outdoor space.   Clean the Solar Panels: To ensure your solar panels collect as much sunlight as possible, clean them regularly with a damp cloth or sponge. A mild detergent solution to remove dirt and grime is advised if the panels are very dirty. Avoid using abrasive materials or chemicals that could scratch or damage the solar panel’s surface.   Adjust the Angle: Depending on your solar lights’ design, you may be able to adjust the solar panel’s angle to optimise the sunlight it receives. Positioning the solar panel facing south in the correct direction can maximise exposure to sunlight.   Replace Batteries: If your solar lighting system is old, the batteries will probably not hold a charge. If they can’t provide enough power to the LED bulb, you’ll experience reduced brightness. Replace the batteries every two to three years (if you haven’t already) to maintain optimal performance. Closing Thoughts Maintaining the brightness of your LED solar lights for signs requires some effort and attention to detail. Still, it is worth it as you can save a significant sum on electricity bills, among other benefits. By following our suggestions outlined above, you can ensure that your LED solar lights remain bright, efficient, and effective for years to c

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.

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.