Solar has become the new norm, seeing the advancements in the field and tremendous opportunities it brings along. Solar has been vouched as the best source of power generation in recent times, only after experiencing the worst results generated by fossil fuels’ usage for illumination.

Not only residential and household sectors, solar has impacted the commercial and industrial sectors more broadly. Its outreach in developing commercial sign lighting, outdoor solar lights, solar street lights, and many others has been tremendous. There are many styles of solar lighting systems available, from various sizes of signs to internal LEDs for fluorescent replacements. The solar can be sized to operate all types of projects to ensure that the selected one is adequately illuminated at night and will provide optimum visibility to travellers on the road. Apart from bringing in the right amount of illumination required, solar outdoor lighting systems also provide an aesthetic appeal to the entire arena.

TYPES OF SOLAR SIGN LIGHTING SYSTEMS
Solar sign lighting can adapt to a wide variety of applications. from small marker signage to huge billboards, from internally illuminated to flood illuminated, almost every sign can be illuminated by solar. The most common types are:

1. SMALL FLOODS
Small signs can use small spotlights, usually around 10W or less per fixture. These signs can be single or double-sided, with one small spotlight on each side of the sign face. They’re lower powered and very cost-efficient as these do not require much for solar or battery, being low wattage fixtures.

2. MEDIUM TO LARGE FLOODS
These are used for signs over 5’ square and provide a bit more lighting, with a 10W fixture, some go as high as 25W-30W each and covering a 10’ square area. Larger signs with more than one fixture can provide more illumination across larger monuments. They’re cost-effective even with a more extensive battery for projects where the grid power is quite a distance from the sign.

3. BILLBOARD FLOODS
Billboards require one flood per 8’-10’ of the board to illuminate the sign structure evenly. Single and double-sided billboards can be powered by solar, depending on the operation requirements, number of fixtures and a few other factors. Customizations can be easily done with these larger-scale systems to make them fit within the project’s budget.

4. INTERNAL ILLUMINATION
For internal solar sign lighting systems, working with one of the top solar EPC companies like Synergy Wave System, among others, to layout the modules efficiently without compromising the light output will ensure that the system will work best with solar. Slight modifications can be made to suit the layout within the project budget and scope.

DESIGNING PROCESS OF THE SOLAR SIGN LIGHTING SYSTEM
Having understood the different varieties of solar sign lighting systems available, these 5 steps will ensure you have a system that will stand the test of time and never leave your sign in the dark.

STEP-1: CHECK FOR AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRICITY
Determine the availability of electricity at the installation site, if not, ascertain the cost of bringing electricity to the site. Many people forget to factor in this critical part when comparing a solar solution to the standard power solution.

STEP-2: CHECK FOR THE SIZE OF THE SIGN
Is the sign big or single or double-sided? Does the entire sign need to be illuminated or just a section of the sign? The actual size of the sign and area to be illuminated will determine how large of a flood fixture will be required to illuminate the sign face.

STEP-3: DETERMINE THE LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS
How much light will be required to illuminate the sign adequately? Any lighting company can help you determine the best light levels for a sign and offer suggestions. Just remember, between 15W-25W per 10’X10’ area is adequate depending on the ambient light nearby.

STEP-4: FINALIZE ALL ALTERNATIVES
Solar power sign light systems come in various shapes, sizes and costs. Depending on available solutions, these systems can range from a few hundreds to a couple of thousands, depending upon the long-term requirement of the project.

STEP-5: ASK FOR PRICE QUOTATIONS
Send your requirements to varied companies for quotes, so that you can compare and choose the best possible price quite for your project.

WHERE CAN A SOLAR SIGN LIGHTING SYSTEM BE INSTALLED?

They can be installed on the ground using a burial bracket or a concrete slab with J-box. They can also be mounted to the sign directly using a long bracket to push the fixture off the sign face or along the catwalk of a billboard. The solar is typically installed on a pole nearby the sign.

WHO ARE THE END USERS OF SOLAR SIGN LIGHTS?

Looking at the present scenario, the list of solar EPC companies is exhaustive and ever-increasing. With the revolution that solar has experienced in the past, their user base has also expanded, which includes entire cities and municipalities, businesses big and small and colleges, and not to forget homeowners’ associations.