What is a solar deck light

A solar deck light is used to illuminate deck floors and steps while enhancing the outdoor decor. Deck lights can be installed into the posts of a deck, mount to the railing around a deck, or be recessed in the risers of steps. They distribute light in a horizontal or downward direction to provide safety and accent lighting. A solar deck light are an integrated assembly of an LED module, a photovoltaic module, a rechargeable battery, and control circuitry. It runs entirely on solar energy. No wiring or electrician is needed for installation.

Construction

An integrated approach for system design is required in order to extract best performance from each part of a solar deck light. The fixture is provided with a corrosion resistant, waterproof housing that ensures that the electrical components are protected from water and dust. Solar deck lights have a limited space to accommodate the solar panel. The efficiency of how a solar panel converts solar radiation into electrical energy will determine the amount power that can charge the battery.

Battery

The small system also requires a small-sized battery that excels in charge efficiency, battery capacity, depth of discharge (DoD), and cycle life. The most commonly used battery chemistry in integrated LED systems is lithium ion. Lithium polymer (LiPo) and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) are two types of lithium ion batteries that are often found in solar deck lights.

Charge controller

The charge controller is at the heart of every solar lighting system. It regulates the power generated by the photovoltaic module to ensure it does not overcharge the battery. The charge controller must also ensure that the LED load doesn’t overdischarge the battery. The controller may have additional features such as managing the system operation time and creating dimming profiles to improve battery autonomy.