How does a solar lamp really work?
One quality solar lampIt's a bit like a magic wand: you plant it in the garden, it lights up on its own at nightfall, and it doesn't need anything.
Except no.
Behind this apparent simplicity is a system more subtle than one thinks.
Solar sensor, battery, LED: so it works well and long, everything must be well thought out – and well assembled.
At Lumihome, we design our products as of complete systems, not just like bright gadgets.
Here's what you really need to know to understand how a solar lamp works... and to make the right choice.
The solar sensor: the heart of the system
A solar lamp captures light, not heat
First myth to drop: a solar lamp does not work better when it is hot.
It works. better when there is lightAnd it's not the same.
The photovoltaic cell captures the photons. And the higher the luminous intensity, the faster and more complete the loadBut in the shade, under a gray sky, or in the winter? Yield falls. It's mechanical.
A solar lamp is like a mini-voltaic power station, but if you plant it in the shadow, it won't do a miracle.
(Christophe Coelho, founder of Lumihome)
Fixed or or orientable?
At Lumihome, the majority of our lamps are equipped with fixed panels. Why? Because they are dimensioned and oriented to capture enough light under standard conditions (south-open, barrier-free).
But for complex installations (covered terraces, northern walls, very shaded areas), it is recommended a deportable and orientable panel.
To discover :
The battery: the energy tank
Not all solar batteries are worth
Solar lamps are equipped, according to the models, with batteries NiMH or Lithium-ion.
And like a smartphone or an electric bike, The capacity, quality and electronic management of the battery make all the difference.
Too often, products are found on the market with undersized batteries (below 800 mAh)... that do not last a full night.
Another point to be made is: the cold directly impacts the performance d-a solar battery. A poorly designed lamp will lose its autonomy as soon as temperatures drop.
It is often the battery that drops before the rest. If it is sealed and non-replaceable, we throw everything. It is an ecological nonsense. That is why, at Lumihome, our batteries can easily be replaced!
Replaceable battery: essential to last
Some lamps have no possibility of opening or replacing the battery. Result: when it weakens (which will inevitably happen after 2 to 3 years), the lamp becomes unusable.
At Lumihome, our models are designed to allow easy battery replacement, with standard and accessible components.
A technical choice, but also ecological.
LED: the light at the end of the chain
Not all LEDs are equal
Yes, one LED outdoor lighting consumes little.
But still it must be a good LED, with good luminous performance, a suitable color temperature (hot white or cold white), and a controlled diffusion.
A poorly positioned or poor quality LED can emit blinding... but ineffective light.
You can make very bright with little energy... if the LED is well chosen, well powered and well directed
At Lumihome, we choose powerful but economical LEDs, and above all, optimized in flow and angle, so that each lumen is useful.
Everything is a question of balance
Perhaps this is the most important point: It's not the LED alone, not the battery alone, not the panel alone that makes a good lamp.
It's the balance between the three.
An oversized panel with a small battery?
Too greedy LED with a low battery? Premature extinction.
A good product is a coherent systemthought like a whole.
What about the detector?
It's the bonus element... but it changes everything.
A motion detector allows the lamp to only light up when it is really useful.
This allows to triple the range from a continuous ignition mode.
At Lumihome, several models integrate a accurate and adjustable PIR sensor, with a range studied for external uses.
The detector is obvious when you talk about safety or passage. It lengthens the range and it avoids wasting energy unnecessarily.
To discover :
Solar applica with detector
A solar lamp is not a gadget. It's a system.
What is wrongly called a small solar lamp is actually a complete device. Panel, battery, LED, sensor: Everything is connectedAnd everything must be well designed to make the product truly effective.
Lumihome doesn't choose at random, we're dimensioning, testing, adjusting, because a solar lamp has to be a light. Really. And above all: last. With our advice you will be able to choose the ideal solar lamp and adapted to your needs and avoid errors (you can moreover read our article on the main mistakes when buying a solar lamp.)
DELIVERY €11, FREE FROM €150 OF PURCHASES IN FRANCE
