Provide high-brightness energy-saving street lights, using imported LED chips, luminous efficiency of 180LM/W, life of more than 50,000 hours. Products cover a variety of power from 30W to 300W, suitable for urban main roads/communities/parks and other scenes. IP65 waterproof and dustproof, -40℃~60℃ wide operating temperature, intelligent dimming + remote control system optional. Compared with traditional sodium lamps, it saves 70% energy, has a 3-year warranty, and has passed CE/ROHS certification. Factory direct sales with preferential prices, support ODM/OEM customization, provide one-stop lighting solutions for municipal engineering/new rural construction, and provide free lighting design and installation guidance services.
- What are the prices of different types of LED street lighting fixtures?
- What factors affect the price of road lighting fixtures?
- How to judge the quality of LED street lighting fixtures?
- Why are the prices of street lights of different brands so different?
- How to choose street lights suitable for rural road lighting?
- FAQs about LED street lighting fixtures
What are the prices of different types of LED street lighting fixtures?
The prices of different types of LED street lighting fixtures vary depending on factors such as power, brand, material, and function. The following are the price ranges of some common types of lamps:
City street lights:
100W: The price is about 99.99$.
150W: The price range is between 97-198 $.
200W: The price is about 238 $.
Solar street lights:
Ordinary solar street lights: The price ranges from tens to hundreds of yuan. For example, a solar outdoor garden light costs 50 yuan, and a new rural 40W solar street light wholesale price is 171 $.
High-power solar street lights: The price is relatively high, such as a 2025 new super bright high-power solar street light costs 9499.5 $.
Landscape street lights: The price varies greatly depending on the complexity of the design. Generally, the price of European-style garden landscape lights sold directly by manufacturers is around 300 $. Some high-end landscape lighting fixtures that use high-quality materials and have complex designs may cost more than a thousand yuan.
LED floodlights: The price varies greatly depending on the power. The price of 10W-70W Philips LED floodlights ranges from 25 to 270 $, and the price of 300W high-power LED module floodlights is 162 $.
In addition, some special functions or high-quality lamps will cost more, such as the Philips BRP591-BRP595 series street lamp head, which costs 1,200 $. If it is a street lamp that includes a full set of services such as lamp poles and installation, the price will be higher. For example, a set of LED mains circuit lamps with normal brightness suitable for ordinary road lighting costs about 3,000-5,000 $.
What factors affect the price of road lighting fixtures?
The price of road lighting lamps is affected by many factors, mainly including the following aspects:
Lamp type: Different types of street lamps have differences in design, materials, craftsmanship, etc., and the prices are also different. For example, ordinary lawn street lamps have a simple structure and are relatively cheap; solar street lamps need to be equipped with solar panels, batteries, etc., and smart street lamps have remote monitoring, intelligent dimming and other functions, so their prices are higher.
Material and process: The pole material is steel and aluminum alloy. Aluminum alloy is lighter and corrosion-resistant, and the price is relatively high. For the lamp head, although LED light sources are energy-saving and have a long life, the initial cost is high. In addition, the production process and technology are also critical. High-quality street lamps need to go through multiple processes such as welding, spraying, and anti-corrosion treatment. Products using advanced technology have high costs and higher prices.
Function and performance: Technical parameters such as brightness, color temperature, energy consumption level, service life, and protection level of lamps will affect the price. For example, LED street lamps with higher brightness, stronger weather resistance, and better energy-saving effects will have relatively higher prices. In addition, street lamps with special functions such as intelligent dimming and remote monitoring will also increase in price accordingly.
Brand and quality: lamps with high brand awareness and strict quality management system certification usually use more advanced technology, have higher brightness, better durability and lower energy consumption. Although the price is higher, they have a long service life, low maintenance cost and higher overall cost performance.
Procurement scale and channel: large-scale procurement can usually get more favorable prices, because bulk procurement can reduce production costs and transportation costs. In addition, prices vary according to different procurement channels. Direct sales or direct supply from cooperative manufacturers may be more price competitive than dealer channels.
Market supply and demand relationship: market supply and demand relationship has a direct impact on prices. If market demand is greater than supply, prices may rise; conversely, if there is an oversupply, prices may fall.
Installation and maintenance costs: lamps with difficult installation, such as complex landscape lighting or large-scale road lighting, may cost thousands of yuan in labor, which will increase the overall price. In addition, lamps with low maintenance costs in the later stage may have a higher initial investment, but in the long run, the overall cost may be more advantageous, and their prices will also be affected by maintenance costs.
How to judge the quality of LED street lighting fixtures?
To judge the quality of LED street lighting fixtures, it is necessary to comprehensively consider multiple dimensions such as core performance, structural reliability, safety compliance, etc. The following is a specific judgment method:
Core performance: light efficiency, stability and lifespan
1. Light source and light efficiency (the most core indicator)
Luminous flux and light efficiency:
Luminous flux (unit: lumen lm) is the total luminous output of the lamp, and light efficiency (unit: lm/W) is the luminous flux generated per watt of power. The higher the light efficiency, the more energy-saving it is. The light effect of high-quality LED street lights reaches 100-150 lm/W (ordinary products may be lower than 80 lm/W). You can check it through the product parameter table, or ask the manufacturer to provide a third-party test report (such as CQC, CE certification report).
Color temperature and color rendering:
Street lighting needs to take into account both recognition and comfort. The recommended color temperature is 3000K-5000K (3000K is warm yellow, suitable for residential roads; 4000K-5000K is neutral white, suitable for main roads). The color rendering index (Ra) should be ≥60 (can clearly distinguish the color of objects to avoid blurred recognition). Poor quality lamps may cause visual fatigue or low recognition due to color temperature deviation.
Light distribution curve:
Street lighting needs to match the road width and lighting requirements (such as main roads need "bat wing light distribution" to evenly cover the lanes; narrow roads need "cut-off light distribution" to avoid light waste). High-quality lamps will provide a light distribution curve chart to show whether the light distribution is uniform (the smaller the brightness difference between the edge and the center, the better), avoiding "uneven light spots", "dark areas" or "glare".
2. Stability and decay rate
Light decay speed:
The light decay (brightness decay over time) of LED light sources directly affects the lifespan. High-quality lamps use high-efficiency chips (such as Jingyuan, Bridgelux and other brand chips), and the light decay should be ≤5% in 2000 hours and ≤30% in 50,000 hours (which can be verified by the test report). Poor-quality products may have a light decay of more than 20% in 1000 hours, and the brightness will drop significantly in a short period of time.
Driver power quality:
The driver power is the "heart" of the LED and is responsible for stable power supply. High-quality power supplies should have:
Constant current output: avoid current fluctuations that cause damage to the light source (the parameter table is marked with "constant current drive");
Wide voltage adaptation: can adapt to power grid fluctuations (such as AC 100-265V, which is more important when the rural power grid is unstable);
Protection function: over-temperature, over-voltage, and over-current protection (reduce the probability of failure).
It can be judged by the power brand (such as well-known brands such as Mean Well and Moso are more reliable, and inferior products may use miscellaneous brands of power supplies, which are easy to burn).
Structure and material: weather resistance and safety
1. Shell and heat dissipation
Material and protection level:
Street lamps need to withstand wind, rain, high temperature and dust. The shell material should preferably be die-cast aluminum (good heat dissipation) or engineering plastic (lightweight), and avoid ordinary iron sheets (easy to rust). The protection level (IP) must be ≥IP65 (completely dustproof and low-pressure water spray-proof). IP66 and above are recommended for outdoor humid environments (can be immersed in water for a short time). Check the product label or test report.
Heat dissipation design:
LEDs generate a lot of heat, and poor heat dissipation will accelerate light decay and damage. High-quality lamps will have:
Large-area heat dissipation fins (increase heat dissipation area);
Integrated die-cast shell (reduce thermal resistance, heat is directly transferred to the shell);
Internal thermal conductive silicone (fill the gap between the light source and the shell to enhance thermal conductivity).
You can visually observe whether the shell is thick and heavy, whether the heat dissipation structure is clear, and avoid products with "thin and light without heat dissipation design".
2. Structural strength (for lamps with lamp poles)
If the lamp pole is made of steel, check whether it has been hot-dip galvanized + spray-coated for anti-corrosion (zinc layer thickness ≥85μm, spray-coated layer thickness ≥60μm) to avoid rust and breakage; aluminum alloy lamp poles need to confirm the wall thickness (main road lamp pole wall thickness is recommended to be ≥3mm), and it is better if there is no obvious deformation when pressing the lamp pole.
Connecting parts (such as bolts between lamp arms and lamp poles) need to be made of stainless steel (rust-proof) to avoid ordinary iron parts (easy to corrode and loosen).
Safety and compliance: certification and labeling
1. Compulsory certification and test report
Lamps sold domestically must pass CCC certification (China Compulsory Product Certification), check the "CCC mark" on the lamp body or packaging, and ask the manufacturer to provide a certification certificate (authenticity can be checked on the official website of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration).
Key parameters (such as light efficiency, color temperature, protection level, and durability) must be reported by a third-party testing agency (such as the National Electric Light Source Quality Supervision and Inspection Center) to avoid only self-reported data by the manufacturer.
2. Electrical safety details
Internal wiring must use heat-resistant flame-retardant wire (marked "heat resistance 105℃" and "flame retardant grade V0") to avoid ordinary wires (high temperature and easy aging and short circuit);
The interior of the lamp should have an insulation isolation design (there is an insulation layer between the metal parts and the circuit) to prevent leakage (the manufacturer can be asked to provide an insulation resistance test report, and the insulation resistance should be ≥2MΩ).
Actual test and reputation
1. On-site test (when conditions permit)
Lighting observation: After lighting for 30 minutes, use a illuminance meter to measure whether the road brightness is uniform (the average illumination of the main road should be ≥20lux, and the deviation should be ≤30%), and whether there are obvious light spots, dark areas or glare;
Temperature detection: Use an infrared thermometer to measure the shell temperature. During normal operation, the temperature should be ≤60℃ (when the ambient temperature is 25℃). If it exceeds 70℃, it means that the heat dissipation is poor;
Stability test: Light up for 24 hours continuously and observe whether there is flickering or brightness reduction (inferior products may have problems after a few hours).
2. Brand and after-sales service
Give priority to well-known brands (such as Philips, OPPLE, Huayi, etc.), or manufacturers focusing on outdoor lighting (such as Qinshang and Unilumin). Such brands have stricter quality control and a complete after-sales system (such as providing a 3-5 year warranty, while inferior products may only have a 1-year warranty and no after-sales guarantee);
Reference to user reputation: ask for feedback through engineering cases (such as brands used in local municipal roads and township renovation projects) (such as "whether it is frequently damaged" and "whether the brightness decays quickly").
Summary: Core judgment list
Luminous efficiency ≥100 lm/W, light decay 2000 hours ≤5% (see test report);
Protection level IP65 and above, shell material is die-cast aluminum/engineering plastic (see logo + visual inspection);
With CCC certification, the driver power supply is a well-known brand (check certification + power supply brand);
The heat dissipation structure is clear (with fins, integrated shell), and the shell is not thin or rough;
The brand provides a warranty of more than 3 years and has a reputation for actual engineering cases.
Through the above methods, you can avoid the "low price and low quality" trap - the initial unit price of high-quality LED street lights may be higher, but the lifespan (5-8 years) is 2-3 times that of inferior products (2-3 years), and the light efficiency is high, maintenance is less, and the long-term comprehensive cost is lower.
Why are the prices of street lights of different brands so different?
The price difference of street lamps of different brands is significant, mainly due to the combined effect of multi-dimensional factors such as brand positioning, technology investment, material technology, and market strategy. The following is a specific analysis:
1. Brand premium and market positioning
Brand value difference
Internationally renowned brands (such as Philips and OPPLE) have formed a significant brand premium with a century of technological accumulation and global market recognition. For example, the smart street lamps provided by Philips for the Champs Elysees in Paris can be 2-3 times the unit price of ordinary brands due to brand endorsement and aesthetic design. In order to seize market share, emerging brands or regional manufacturers often use low-price strategies to attract customers with limited budgets. For example, the price of mid-range LED street lamps of Hunan Chuangyang Lighting is only US$400-800 per lamp.
Target market segmentation
High-end brands focus on municipal engineering, smart cities and other scenarios. For example, Changzhou Wujiu Lighting designs smart street lights for EU standards, with a unit price of over 15,000 yuan, integrating AI dimming, 5G base stations and other functions; while economical brands (such as Nande Solar Energy) focus on rural lighting projects, with a single lamp price as low as 300-800 yuan, reducing costs by simplifying functions and materials.
2. Technology R&D and patent barriers
Core technology investment
The investment of leading brands in R&D far exceeds the industry average. For example, Yueying Lighting cooperated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop natural light integrated light source technology, using the American Purui customized light source module, with a light efficiency of 11,800lm, and patented technology to make its unit price exceed 3,000 US dollars. Small manufacturers mostly use public version designs, with a light efficiency of only 6,000-8,000lm and a price of less than 1,000 yuan.
Differences in intelligent systems
High-end brands are generally equipped with intelligent control systems, such as Honeywell's "morning light and dusk dark" technology that simulates natural light changes. A large amount of algorithm research and development costs are required, resulting in a 30%-50% increase in product prices. Basic street lamps are only equipped with simple light control modules, and the cost can be compressed to less than 200 US dollars.
3. Generational gap in materials and processes
Choice of key components
Light source chips: International brands (such as Philips) use top chips such as Cree and Osram, with a unit price of more than 0.8 yuan/piece and a light decay rate of 2000 hours ≤3%; while small manufacturers use domestic low-end chips, with a unit price of only 0.2 yuan/piece, and the light decay rate may exceed 10%.
Heat dissipation materials: The cost of die-cast aluminum lamp housing (such as Dongguan Haiguang Lighting) is about 500 yuan/set, and the thermal conductivity is 200W/m・K; while the cost of ordinary iron shell is less than 200 yuan, but the heat dissipation efficiency is 40% lower, which accelerates light decay.
Manufacturing process standards
High-end brands follow strict production processes. For example, Changzhou Wujiu Lighting's street lamps must pass 1,000 hours of salt spray testing and -40℃ low-temperature start-up testing, and the single-piece yield rate must be ≥99.5%, resulting in a 20% increase in comprehensive costs. Small manufacturers may omit key testing links, which directly shortens the product life by more than 50%.
4. Hidden costs of certification and after-sales service
Compliance investment
International brands must pass multiple certifications such as CE, UL, and RoHS. The certification cost of a single product exceeds 100,000 yuan. For example, Philips' lamps designed for the EU market must meet IP66 protection and low mercury environmental protection requirements. However, domestic small factory products often lack CCC certification, which poses a safety hazard.
Warranty and operation and maintenance system
Top brands provide long-term warranty. For example, Yueying Lighting promises a 10-year warranty, which requires the establishment of 8 regional service centers covering the world, with labor costs accounting for 15%; while small manufacturers usually only provide a 1-year warranty, and the after-sales response time exceeds 72 hours, and the long-term maintenance costs are passed on to users.
5. Market strategy and channel costs
Scale effect
Big brands reduce the production cost of a single lamp by 15%-20% through automated production lines with an annual production capacity of more than 500,000 sets (such as Changzhou Wujiu); while small manufacturers have an annual production capacity of less than 50,000 sets. After sharing fixed costs such as R&D and molds, the unit price is higher.
Channel level differences
International brands use a three-level channel of "manufacturer-provincial agent-engineer", and the terminal price includes 30%-40% of the channel profit; while direct sales brands (such as Xiaomi Ecosystem) reduce the middle links through e-commerce platforms, and the price can drop to 60% of traditional brands.
Summary: The essence of price difference is value stratification
High-end brands build moats through technology monopoly (such as full-spectrum patents), material advantages (die-cast aluminum + top-level chips), and service barriers (10-year warranty), which are suitable for projects that pursue long-term reliability; while economical brands use cost compression (iron shell + low-end chips) and functional simplification (basic light control) as core competitiveness, which are suitable for budget-sensitive scenarios. Users need to weigh according to actual needs - for example, municipal projects recommend brands such as Philips and Changzhou Wujiu. Although the initial investment is high, the comprehensive cost in 5 years may be 30% lower than that of small brands.
How to choose street lights suitable for rural road lighting?
The selection of street lamps for rural road lighting needs to take into account practicality, economy, and maintenance convenience, and at the same time adapt to the characteristics of rural roads (such as narrow roads, few pedestrians and vehicles, limited power supply conditions, and relatively tight budgets). The following provides specific selection criteria and solution suggestions based on core needs:
Clarify the basic needs of rural roads
Rural roads are significantly different from urban main roads, and the scene needs to be positioned before selection:
Road type: village main road (3-6 meters wide, need to cover oncoming vehicles), village branch road (1-3 meters wide, only pedestrian lighting), village entrance/square (needs key lighting, taking into account activity needs).
Power supply conditions: whether there is stable mains power (mains power LED is preferred), remote areas (consider solar energy + energy storage).
Budget and maintenance: Rural areas generally hope to "low one-time investment and spend less money later", avoiding products with complex maintenance and expensive consumables.
Core parameter selection: Just enough, reject "overperformance"
1. Light source type: Prioritize "mains LED" or "solar LED"
Mains LED street light:
Suitable for villages with stable power supply, with advantages of stable brightness, long life (5-8 years), high light efficiency (100-130lm/W), and more than 60% energy saving compared with traditional high-pressure sodium lamps.
Note: Avoid choosing old models of "high-pressure sodium lamps converted to LEDs", and directly choose native LED lamps (higher luminous efficiency).
Solar LED street light:
Suitable for remote areas without mains power and high wiring costs, with advantages of no electricity bills and flexible installation.
Note: Avoid low-priced and low-quality products (prone to "brighten for 2 hours on sunny days and not brighten on cloudy days"), the core is to look at two major components:
Solar panels: Choose monocrystalline silicon (conversion efficiency 18%-22%), which is more shade-tolerant than polycrystalline silicon; choose the power according to demand (such as a 30W lamp with a 50W panel, which basically meets 6-8 hours of lighting).
Battery: Choose lithium iron phosphate (cycle life of more than 2000 times, good low-temperature performance), which is 2-3 times longer than lead-acid batteries. Avoid choosing "colloidal lead acid" (easy to bulge and leak).
2. Brightness and power: match the width of the road, do not blindly seek brightness
Village main road (3-6 meters wide):
Select 30-60W (LED) power, 3000-6000lm brightness, 5-8 meters irradiation radius, to ensure that the road surface is clearly visible when two vehicles meet (avoid glare, the light needs to be soft).
For example: for a 6-meter wide road, one 30W LED can be installed every 20-25 meters to meet basic lighting needs.
Branch roads within the village (1-3 meters wide):
Select 15-30W (LED) for power and 1500-3000lm for brightness, focusing on illuminating pedestrians’ feet to avoid waste.
Village entrance/square:
You can increase the power to 60-100W appropriately, or choose a "dimmable" style (brighter in the evening, automatically reducing power at night).
Key reminder: The higher the brightness, the better. Too bright will cause "glare" (dazzling), which will affect vision; and the higher the power, the higher the electricity bill/solar panel cost.
3. Protection level: resistant to manufacture and environment
There is a lot of dust and rain in rural areas (fog and low temperature in some areas), and the lamps must meet the following requirements:
Protection level IP65 and above: IP65 = completely dustproof + low-pressure water jet protection (to deal with heavy rain and sprinkler trucks), outdoor must meet the standard.
Temperature range: -20℃ to 50℃ (select above -30℃ in the north to avoid freezing and cracking in winter).
Wind resistance level: at least level 8 (there is strong wind in open areas in rural areas, and the connection between lamp poles and lamps must be firm).
4. Installation and maintenance: the simpler the better
Installation method: choose an integrated design (lamp head + power supply integration), without complex wiring; lamp poles are preferably "cement poles" or "galvanized steel pipes" (easy to obtain in rural areas, low cost), with a height of 3-6 meters (5-6 meters for main roads, 3-4 meters for branch roads, too high will waste brightness).
Control mode: For the basic model, choose "light control + time control" (automatically turns on at night, automatically reduces power or turns off the light after 2 a.m.) to avoid manual switching; if the budget is slightly higher, you can add "human body sensing" (turns on when someone passes by, turns off when no one is around, which is more energy-efficient).
Maintenance convenience: Choose "modular design" (such as light source and power supply can be replaced separately), rural electricians can easily repair it, and avoid "replacing the entire lamp if one part is broken".
Pit avoidance guide: Don't step on these "low-price traps"
Beware of "super-low-price solar street lights":
Solar street lights below US$200 (such as "99 US dollars with free shipping") are likely to use inferior polysilicon panels (conversion rate <15%) and lead-acid batteries (bulges after 1 year of life), resulting in "brightness in the first year, dimness in the second year, and throwing away in the third year", which is more expensive.
Recommendation: The budget for solar street lights is at least 300-500 USD/set (30W lamp + 50W panel + 12Ah lithium iron phosphate), which can be used stably for 3-5 years.
Do not blindly pursue "international brands":
Rural roads do not need additional functions such as "smart city" and "5G integration" (high premium), so choose domestic second-tier brands (such as Foshan Lighting, Sunshine Lighting) or regional reputation manufacturers, which are more cost-effective (the price of the same parameters is 30%-50% lower than that of international brands).
Reject "high-power gimmicks":
Some merchants promote "100W solar lights, lighting up the whole street", but in fact, due to the insufficient power of solar panels, they can only light up for 1-2 hours. Remember: A 30-60W LED is sufficient for rural roads, and the power requirements must match the solar panels and batteries (such as 60W lamps require 100W panels and 24Ah batteries).
Summary: "Three Principles" for Selecting Rural Street Lights
Practicality first: brightness and power match the width of the road, and do not pursue "high-end" functions (such as smart networking).
Controllable cost: the total cost of initial investment + later maintenance (electricity bills, replacement of parts) is the lowest, choose lithium iron phosphate for solar energy and LED for mains electricity.
Durable and easy to repair: the protection level meets the standard, the structure is simple, and it can be repaired locally (avoid relying on the manufacturer to come to the door).
By selecting the above standards, it can not only meet the basic lighting needs of rural roads, but also avoid waste, and achieve "one-time installation, years of peace of mind".
FAQs on LED Street Lighting
LED street lighting fixtures may have various problems during long-term outdoor use due to factors such as the environment, installation, and the product itself. The following are common problems, cause analysis, and solutions, covering core issues such as brightness, failure, and life that users are concerned about:
I. Brightness-related issues
1. The brightness of the lamp is normal when it is just installed, but it becomes significantly dimmer after 1-2 years of use ("light decay")
Common causes:
Poor quality LED chips: low-grade chips (such as non-brand flip chips) are used, and the light decay rate is fast (light decay > 10% in 1000 hours), while normal high-quality chips (such as Jingyuan, Sanan) should have a light decay of < 5% in 10,000 hours.
Poor heat dissipation design: poor heat dissipation of the lamp housing (such as plastic housing, heat dissipation fins cut corners), LED operating temperature is too high (over 60℃), and chip aging is accelerated.
Unstable power supply: rural or old line voltage fluctuates greatly (such as 220V fluctuates), resulting in overload of LED driver power supply, indirectly affecting the life of the light source.
Solution and prevention:
When purchasing, look for the "light decay commitment" (such as the label "50,000 hours of light decay <30%), and give priority to lamps with aluminum shell + heat sink fin design.
In areas with unstable voltage, install voltage stabilizers (such as single-phase voltage stabilizers) to avoid long-term overload of the driving power supply.
2. Some of the same batch of lamps have significantly lower brightness ("uneven brightness")
Common causes:
Installation angle problem: The projection angle of the lamp is deviated (such as some lamp heads are tilted), resulting in the deviation of the illumination range and "dark areas" on the road surface.
Poor light source consistency: small factories do not "sort and screen" LED lamp beads during production, and the brightness and color temperature of the same batch of lamp beads have large deviations (high-quality manufacturers will control consistency through "BIN points").
Poor line contact: loose terminals and aging cables lead to insufficient power supply for some lamps (manifested as low brightness and flickering).
Solution and prevention:
Use an angle meter to calibrate during installation (the recommended projection angle for rural roads is 30°-60°, adjusted according to the width of the road surface) to ensure that the light is concentrated on the road surface.
Choose a brand with a "grading screening" process (you can request a test report) to avoid purchasing products from small factories without quality control.
Use waterproof terminals (IP65 level) when wiring, and regularly check whether the cables (especially the joints) are oxidized or loose.
2. Fault problems (not lit, flickering, flickering)
1. The lamp suddenly turns off (completely extinguished)
Common causes (sorted by probability):
Damage to the driving power supply: the most vulnerable component of outdoor lamps (accounting for more than 80% of faults), caused by rainwater leakage (insufficient protection level), lightning strikes (no lightning protection design), and high temperature aging.
Line failure: Mains lamps may be bitten by rats or dug up during construction; solar lamps may be disconnected from solar panels/batteries.
LED lamp beads burn out: In rare cases (high-quality lamp beads have overcurrent protection), it is mostly caused by overvoltage and overcurrent impact on the lamp beads due to a fault in the driving power supply.
Solution:
First check the circuit: use a multimeter to measure whether the mains power is normal (solar lamps measure the battery voltage, which may be low if it is lower than 10.5V).
Replace the driving power supply: give priority to drivers with a waterproof level of IP67 or above and lightning protection (surge protection 4kV) (the cost accounts for about 1/3 of the lamp, and it is recommended to have a spare of the same model).
If the solar lamp does not light up, check additionally: whether the solar panel is blocked (leaves, dust), whether the battery is bulging (lead-acid batteries need to be replaced when their life expires).
2. The lamp flickers or flickers
Common causes:
Drive power supply "excessive ripple": the output current of inferior drivers is unstable (ripple factor > 15%), resulting in fluctuations in the power supply of the lamp beads (high-quality drivers have ripple < 5%).
Light control/time controller failure: lamps with automatic control function, sensors (such as photoresistors) aging, moisture, leading to false triggering (such as bright during the day, frequent switching at night).
Mains voltage fluctuation: rural power grid voltage is unstable (such as voltage drops during peak power consumption), and the driver power supply has poor anti-fluctuation ability (high-quality drivers can adapt to 150-260V wide voltage).
Solution:
Replace the driver power supply: choose "wide voltage (100-277V) + low ripple" models (such as well-known brands Mean Well, Moso), avoid using miscellaneous brand drivers.
Clean or replace the sensor: dust on the surface of the light controller will cause a decrease in sensitivity, which can be disassembled and wiped with alcohol; aging sensors can be replaced directly (low cost, about 20-50 US dollars/piece).
3. Problems unique to solar street lights (commonly used in rural areas, need to be paid special attention to)
1. Solar street lights "go out after 2-3 hours on sunny days" (insufficient battery life)
Common causes:
"False parameters": merchants advertise "30W lights + 100W panels", but the actual solar panel power is only 50W, and the battery capacity is insufficient (such as 100Ah is actually 50Ah).
Battery aging: The capacity of lead-acid batteries decays after 1-2 years of use (less than 50%), and lithium iron phosphate batteries may also decay after more than 5 years.
Wrong installation angle: The solar panel is not facing south (deviation>30°), and the tilt angle is incorrect (it is recommended to tilt 30°-40° in areas with a latitude of 30°, and it can be slightly larger in winter), resulting in insufficient power generation.
Solution and prevention:
A third-party inspection report is required when purchasing (to check the power of solar panels and battery capacity), and "low-price false-label" products are rejected (such as solar street lights below 100 yuan basically cannot meet the standards).
Replace the battery in time when it expires (lithium iron phosphate is preferred, and the cycle life is 3 times that of lead-acid). Pay attention to capacity matching when replacing (such as a 30W lamp with a 12V/20Ah battery, which can meet 8 hours of lighting).
When installing solar panels, use a compass to calibrate the direction (south ±5°), and adjust the tilt angle according to the local latitude (formula: tilt angle = local latitude ±5°, add 5° in winter, and subtract 5° in summer).
2. Solar street lights "turn off early on rainy days" or "charge slowly"
Common reasons:
Wrong type of solar panel: polycrystalline silicon panels have low conversion rates on cloudy days (3%-5% lower than monocrystalline silicon), and monocrystalline silicon panels should be selected in remote and rainy areas.
Dust/snow on the surface of solar panels: There is a lot of dust and fallen leaves around rural roads, which block the panels and reduce the light transmittance (1mm of dust can reduce power generation by 20%).
Controller failure: The charging and discharging controller is aging, resulting in low charging efficiency (such as stopping when the battery is only charged to 80%).
Solution:
In rainy areas, monocrystalline silicon solar panels are preferred (the power generation capacity is stronger on cloudy days), and the panels are cleaned regularly (once every 1-2 months, wipe with a soft cloth).
Replace the smart controller: Choose a controller with "MPPT charging" function (20%-30% higher charging efficiency than ordinary PWM controllers), especially suitable for areas with poor lighting conditions.
IV. Lifespan and maintenance issues
1. The lifespan of lamps is not as advertised (e.g. claimed to be 5 years, but actually a large number of lamps are damaged in 2 years)
Core reasons:
Material cutting: recycled aluminum (easy to corrode) for the shell, inferior silicone for the sealant (cracking and leaking in 1-2 years), "refurbished chips" for the lamp beads (short lifespan).
Lack of protective design: no lightning protection (easy to be struck by lightning outdoors), no surge protection (power grid fluctuation shock), no insect-proof design (mosquitoes enter the interior of the lamp and block the light).
Methods to extend the lifespan:
Check the material when purchasing: pure aluminum (thickness ≥1.5mm) for the shell, "food-grade silicone" (aging-resistant) for the sealant, and "original chips" (such as Jingyuan, Seoul Semiconductor) for the lamp beads.
Add protective accessories: lightning protection grounding devices (grounding resistance <10Ω) are added in thunderstorm-prone areas, and "insect-proof vents" (with filters) are opened at the bottom of the lamp.
2. High maintenance cost (difficult to replace parts, expensive)
Common reasons:
Non-modular design: integrated packaging of lamps (lamp holder, driver, light source cannot be disassembled), and the entire lamp needs to be replaced if one part is broken (high cost).
Discontinuation of production of niche brands: small factories have closed down and accessories (such as drivers and lamp beads) cannot be purchased, so they can only be replaced as a whole.
Solution and prevention:
Prioritize modular design lamps (drivers, lamp beads, and shells can be disassembled separately). When replacing parts, you only need to buy the corresponding modules (such as replacing the driver if it is broken, and the cost is reduced by 50%).
Choose brands with agents in the region (such as domestic second-tier brands with after-sales points in county-level cities), and avoid purchasing products from "Internet celebrity small factories" without localized services.
V. Summary: The core principle of reducing problems
Choose the right product: give priority to "big brand manufacturers + modular design + protection standards (above IP65, lightning protection, wide voltage)", and don't be greedy for low prices (products that are 30% lower than the market price are likely to be pitfalls).
Correct installation: pay attention to details such as the direction/angle of the solar panel, the projection angle of the lamp, and the waterproof wiring to avoid "human failure".
Regular maintenance: check the lines of the city lights every year, clean the panels and test the batteries of the solar lights every six months, and deal with small problems in time (such as looseness and dust accumulation) to avoid escalation.
The above methods can greatly reduce the failure probability of LED street lights and extend their service life, which is especially suitable for scenes with limited maintenance resources such as rural areas and towns.
