Last updated on February 26, 2022
What are LED Solar Floodlights?Floodlights provide an overwhelming amount of light on a wide scale area. Although this self-sustaining lighting type is commonly used outdoors, it can also be used indoors.
Fitted with solar panels, LED solar flood lights can produce and store energy during the daytime for use during the night. The lumen rating of floodlights normally ranges between 700 to 300 lumens.
The higher the lumen output, the brighter the fixture will be.
History of FloodlightsFloodlights have a long history of usage.
First applications were used for lighthouses and developed with time with applications in the sports industry, starting with the first time use of floodlights to illuminate a polo game back in 1978.
With the years, floodlights have become a staple for outdoor stadiums and sporting events.
Floodlights are key to hosting sports events at night, they are extremely important in giving nighttime games a lively, bright and uniform view and are essential for the video and camera transmission of high quality coverage of the event.
Where can you use LED Solar FloodlightsLED Solar Floodlights can be used practically everywhere, with a wide range of applications from outdoor to indoor use.
The specific type of floodlight varies greatly with the function and intended operation of the area where the floodlight will be used.
For outdoor spaces, floodlights can be used for illuminating:
For indoor areas, floodlights can be used for:
There are various types of floodlights to choose from depending on your requirements, varying all the way from an industrial application to a landscape setup.
Below are some of the most popular floodlight types on the market.
This is the basic type of floodlight, which comes fitted with a solar panel and a battery. Regular floodlights are compact and are widely available.
These basic floodlights have their limitations, however. Regular floodlights often have a lower lumen rating and therefore do not provide high levels of brightness.
They also typically operate for a limited amount of time, which means they require a regular backup electricity supply to meet its energy needs.
These types project a blinding light that is perfect for scaring burglars or wild animals away from your home.
Security floodlights have built-in motion sensors which cause the lights to immediately turn on at the slightest movement detected.
Apart from the additional security provided, a Security floodlight is a good source of lighting for your porch, driveway, and backyard. It is also a cost-efficient means of lighting as it only lights up when necessary.
When fitted with a solar panel, this type of lighting can remove the additional cost of outdoor lighting from your electricity bill.
This type of floodlight is perfect for landscapes and can be easily planted in the ground with its sharp pegs that can pierce through the soil.
Landscape floodlights are often used by landscape designers to make the garden and landscape features shine brightly at night.
Since it’s often used for aesthetic purposes, the LED bulbs used in these floodlights often come in different colors.
These types of floodlights only illuminate a limited area as they are small, have a narrow beam and are only meant to highlight the space closest to them.
Compared to other types, the Flagpole floodlight has only one bulb and is smaller in size.
This type of lighting operates only on solar power and does not need standard wiring and connections to the electricity grid.
These are the most versatile types of floodlights, with a wide range of features and fitted with batteries, a solar panel and motion sensors.
The All-in-one fixture floodlight is fully functional on its own. It is durable, compact and its simple installation process means it can be installed and operated with no professional help.
Questions to ask yourself before buying an LED Solar FloodlightFor small areas such as the patios or staircases, the recommended lumen output is in the range 700-1600lumens.
For larger areas like driveways and backyards, it is best to choose floodlights with outputs in the range of 2500 to 3600 lumens.
There are typically two sensor types used with floodlights that differ according to the specific needs of the space.
These sensor types don’t stay lit for too long and are not suitable for applications requiring continuous lighting.
Dusk to dawn sensors are great for maintaining consistent lighting levels during nighttime, although they do lead to higher energy consumption from their continuous operation.
Both sensors are self-sufficient as long as they operate on solar power.
Choosing the right angle and the right amount of lighting when installing floodlights is very important.
If the floodlight lumen levels are too high, or if the floodlight is improperly directed, it can cause a lot of light pollution and distraction to your neighbors.
Why Use LED Solar FloodlightsLED Solar Floodlights are very helpful to increase security around the house. They can illuminate a wide space, removing any potential dark hiding spots.
When installed in a location with a CCTV system, floodlights can provide sufficient bright levels to make anyone recognizable on the camera and deter intruders, especially when fitted with motion sensors.
If needed, they can also be used as emergency lights when the electricity is out.
The main concept behind LED Solar Floodlights is self-sufficiency, running smoothly without needing fossil fuels and capable of withstanding harsh conditions.
Solar panels provide energy to the floodlights while the sensors are responsible for turning the lights on and off.
LED Solar Floodlights can work without any additional or complicated wiring and can therefore work perfectly in remote areas
Traditional lighting using halogen or incandescent bulbs can produce bright light and might be cheaper than LEDs but their problem lies in their extremely high energy consumption.
LED lights can deliver the same amount of brightness at a fraction of the energy usage.
As a matter of fact, the high energy consumption of halogen bulbs comes mainly from their heat emission, whereas for LED bulbs, the heat emissions make up only ten to twenty percent of the energy consumption.
LED bulbs also have a longer lifespan compared to halogen and incandescent lights and can last up to six years.
Since LED floodlights use solar power, you no longer have to deal with standard issues of electrical wires, short circuits, high electric bills, daily maintenance, and blown fuses, making them cost-efficient with little to no maintenance needs.
Unlike standard lighting fixtures, solar floodlights are powered directly by the sun and don’t need an electric outlet to function.
LED solar floodlights are made to last for years under harsh conditions and can tolerate dirt and rain, making them suitable for in-ground applications and also for billboard mounting.
They’re compact in structure and are wire-free, making the installation fairly easy and quick.
LED solar floodlights are not only limited for sports events.
They provide great lighting levels for both outdoor and indoor applications and can add a number of benefits to the space they’re installed.
Motion and photocell sensors help in conserving energy and alleviate safety where used.
These sensors can also cover a wide area and when fitted with powerful floodlights, can omit the need for multiple floodlights.
LED solar floodlights are also environmentally friendly, do not emit any toxic chemicals and are built to last for years.
These types still have one main shortcoming in their reliance on the sun and its unpredictability as a constant source.
On cloudy and rainy days, floodlights may struggle to store energy from the sun as the battery will drain faster than can be charged.
Still, the overall benefits of using LED solar floodlights far outweigh the cons.
E-Green Electrical are the pioneers in energy efficiency. We specialise in helping our customers reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment while saving money.
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