Floodlights are one of the most popular options for improving the outdoor security of residential and commercial properties alike. They are affordable, quick and easy to install, and they are incredibly effective. Bright illumination is one of the most effective means of deterring criminals from your home or place of business, and floodlights are the best tool to provide this kind of illumination. But, with high installation costs and wiring issues, sometimes having a floodlight outside is easier said than done. Luckily, there’s another way to bring light to your outdoor area. A top-quality solar floodlight is an environmentally-friendly, easy and effective way of improving your residential or commercial property’s security.
The trouble with conventional floodlights is that they need to be wired in and installed by a professional, and they can use quite a lot of power. The solution is solar floodlights – they provide you with really bright light, but they are powered by the sun, so they cost nothing to run. Solar floodlights can also be installed anywhere – simply mount the LED light where required, and the solar panel must be installed in the sun at a 45-degree angle. This saves you time, effort and money, as you do not need to run electric wiring or hire a professional to install it. The photovoltaic energy from the sun charges the solar panel, so your floodlight requires no electricity to operate what so ever – making it a great option for both the environment and your pocket, and ensuring that it still operates during load shedding
Of course, with so many options on the market, choosing the right solar floodlight for your needs can be daunting. Here’s what to consider when buying a solar floodlight:
Take size into consideration:
The bigger the area you want lit up, the bigger the floodlight will need to be in order to provide adequate illumination. The Lighting Warehouse stocks solar flood lights in three different sizes – 20w, 30w and 50w.
Check for a day-night sensor and automation:
Any solar flood light worth its salt should be automated so it automatically turns on when movement is detected. It’s also best to opt for a floodlight with day-night sensors. This will ensure the light automatically turns on the minute the sun goes down. Once installed, you don’t want to fuss around with remembering to manually turn the light off and on at night. This will ensure the light works when you need it to, not when you remember to turn it on.
Does it have a remote control?
High-end solar floodlights come with a remote control, which allows you to operate it remotely. So, if you want to switch off the light for any reason, you can do it quickly and easily using the remote control. A floodlight with a remote will be more costly but if this is a feature you would like it’s well worth splashing out a bit more for.
Bracket:
All solar floodlights should come with a bracket that allows you to mount it on the wall. If a floodlight doesn’t have this, consider a more expensive model as buying a suitable bracket separately could end up costing a fair bit more.
Solar panel cable:
Since the solar panel needs to be mounted in direct sunlight at a 45-degree angle, the cable connecting it should be adequately long enough to accommodate this as best as possible. Look for a floodlight with a cable at least 3m long that directly connects the solar panel to the floodlight, ensuring that you can install the panel quite a distance away from the floodlight, allowing for maximum exposure to sunlight.
Rating:
Be sure to look at the rating for the solar floodlight. It’s best to choose a floodlight with an IP66 rating, which means that they are weather-proof and able to withstand dust and irrigation – making it suitable for outdoor installation.
Brightness and colour:
Obviously, to perform, a floodlight needs to offer bright light. The way to determine the brightness is to look at the lumen output of the light in question. Any solar floodlight should offer a lumen output of between 2000 lumen to 3200 lumen. In terms of colour, a 6000k white daylight colour is the best option, as it provides maximum visibility.
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