How solar garden lighting works
Solar lighting is a technology that is becoming increasingly popular, especially when it comes to garden lighting. It is an increasingly popular technology because it is easy to install and does not use electricity. Solar garden lights use sunlight to charge the batteries during the day and automatically switch on at night. Without the need to be connected to the mains, they are completely autonomous and allow you to illuminate outdoor areas with clean and ecological energy.
Despite the great advantages and benefits of this type of lighting, it is still unknown to many people. When choosing our solar lamp we must take into account two key components: solar panel and battery. Here we explain what types there are and how to distinguish between them.
Solar panels
Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic cells that generate electricity from the sunlight that falls on them. There are several types of solar panels, depending on the type of cell that forms them and the type of material that covers (or encapsulates) them. We can distinguish the following:
By cell type
High energy efficiency. With an efficiency that can reach 24%. This type of panel is characterised by its black colour and bevelled corners. It is a higher cost panel reserved in most cases for professional use.
It has a high efficiency of up to 19% efficiency. Distinguishable by its blue colour, this type of panel is more economically priced and is often used in a domestic environment.
By type of encapsulation
It is characterised by its high efficiency. This type of encapsulation is anti-corrosive. It is used in professional systems due to its higher cost.
Highly efficient material, it is characterised by a matt texture. Like glass, it is also anti-corrosive.
It is the least efficient as it is not an anti-corrosive material. It has a lumpy appearance and a glossy finish.
Batteries
The battery of the solar lamp is the component that stores the energy transformed by the solar panel. Within the different types of batteries, there are differences in capacity and useful life between them. We can differentiate between the following:
Nickel metal hydride
Intended for small devices, generally decorative products where consumption is low. This is the simplest battery.
LiMnO2
A battery intended for medium-drain devices but which is practically out of use due to its high instability and high risk of explosion.
Li(NiCoMn)O2NMC
This type of battery is widely used because of its good performance, higher capacity and longer life than the previous ones.
LiFePO4
We can consider this battery as the evolution of the previous battery (Li(NiCoMn)O2). It is a very safe, high-capacity battery with a long service life. Ideal for devices with high performance and high luminosity.
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