Solar driven light fixtures vs Typical LEDs - parking lot lighting.

[Dale001289]

This client thinks he can save cost by using solar powered street lights for a parking lot that is appr 400 feet long by 200 feet wide.
The Engineering firm has already designed the lighting using typical LEDs along with a centrally located photo-cell/lighting contactor and the fixtures have already been purchased. I'm sure the photometrics would change the fixture layout if we sued a different fixture. Does going to solar lighting sound like a cost saving strategy?

 

[hillbilly1]

I know of a park n ride that was built with solar fixtures about 10 years ago. They have changed them out now to regular fixtures. Apparently didn’t pay off.

 

[Dale001289]

I know of a park n ride that was built with solar fixtures about 10 years ago. They have changed them out now to regular fixtures. Apparently didn’t pay off.

Thanks Hillbilly1!
Do you recall any of the specifics as to why they abandoned the solar system?


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[hillbilly1]

Thanks Hillbilly1!
Do you recall any of the specifics as to why they abandoned the solar system?


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Don’t know the exact reason, but the solar panels on top of the poles are gone now. May have not been bright enough, or prohibitively high maintenance cost.

 

[retirede]

Don’t know the exact reason, but the solar panels on top of the poles are gone now. May have not been bright enough, or prohibitively high maintenance cost.

10 years ago means they likely had some type of lead-acid battery and when those began to fail, they bailed on the idea rather than replacing the batteries every couple of years.

 

[hillbilly1]

10 years ago means they likely had some type of lead-acid battery and when those began to fail, they bailed on the idea rather than replacing the batteries every couple of years.

Could be, it may have been cheaper to change the wiring to the poles, and install a service. It was a government parking lot though, usually tax payer money is never ending!