Environmental friendliness is an important part of today’s home and business lighting solutions. LED strip lighting is an excellent alternative to traditional lighting methods, as it is much more energy efficient and durable. Solar panels and LED strip lighting is therefore the perfect solution for environmentally friendly lighting.
How do solar panels work?
Solar panels are devices that convert sunlight into electrical energy. They consist of a number of solar cells, usually made of silicon. When sunlight hits a solar cell, it releases electrons that move along conductors, producing an electric current.
Solar panels are designed to produce direct current, which can then be fed into a battery. This battery can then be used to power the LED strip light. Solar panels generally have a very long lifetime and are virtually maintenance-free, making them an excellent choice for environmentally friendly lighting.
You can read more about how solar panels work.
Why solar panels are a good choice for powering LED strip lighting
LED lights are energy efficient and durable, but they need a power supply to work. Solar panels are a great option for power supply, as they are environmentally friendly and easy to use (depending on the size of the system). Solar panels only need sunlight to generate electricity, so they can be used anywhere there is sunlight.
Solar panels are also very reliable. They are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and have a very long lifespan. Once installed, a solar panel can operate for years without maintenance or maintenance or operating costs.
Solar panels and LED strip lighting – Combining
So solar panels and LED strip lights are a good match because LED strip lights need a constant power supply to work and the solar panel acts as a power supply! Depending on the system, it can be mains power (230V) with an inverter or just DC power directly to the battery.
If it’s a direct solar panel to a 12V battery, all you need is a 12 volt controller or switch to cut or dim the LED strip when it’s attached to the battery.
In the case of an AC system, the AC current must first be converted to DC. This can be done by using an inverter between the solar panel and the LED strip light. The inverter converts the AC current to a DC voltage suitable for the LED strip.
The advantage of a 230V system is that the rest of the house or cottage is the familiar plug-in electricity, but the disadvantage is the lost capacity that is lost when converting electricity from DC (solar panel) to AC (inverter) and back (LED strip).
How big should a solar panel be to use LED strip lighting?
The size of the solar panel depends on how much electricity the LED strip needs to operate. This depends on the length and efficiency of the LED strip. In general, a solar panel should be large enough to generate enough electricity to power an LED strip light.
So the power source is solar panels and the LED strip light is just attached? Stop, not necessarily! If you want to use a solar panel to power an LED strip light, it is important to choose the right panel designed to work with the LED strip light (12V or 24V).
Batteries and LED lights – Best practices to improve battery life
How battery life affects the use of LED lights
LED lights need a power source to work, and one of the most common power sources with solar panels is a battery. Battery life directly affects the use of LED lights. If your battery doesn’t last long enough, you’ll need to replace or recharge it frequently. So when buying lighting, consider the capacity of your solar panels and the size of your battery.
The battery itself is not necessary for operation and the LED strips can be connected directly to the solar cell, but when evening comes and you want light, the electricity comes from the battery you have charged during the day when you have not needed the lights.
How you can improve the battery life of LED lights
There are several ways to improve the battery life of LED lights. One way is to use a high-quality battery designed to last a long time and provide reliable power. It is also important to take proper care of your battery to extend its life. For example, avoid overcharging and do not allow the battery to be stored for too long on a full charge.
Burn time of LED lights – How long they last
What is the difference between Ah and A values?
Ah (ampere-hour) is a unit used to describe the capacity of a battery, i.e. how much electricity the battery can store. A (ampere) is a unit that describes the current that LED lights use to operate.
How long do LED lights stay on for on battery power?
The burn time of LED lights depends on the capacity of the battery and the efficiency of the LED lights. In general, LED lights can stay on for several hours on a single battery charge.
For example, if a battery is 100Ah, 12V, it means that it can provide 100 hours of power at 1 Ampere.
1 ampere of 12V means 12W. In other words, the battery lasts for 100 hours at 12W per metre of LED strip.
So if you have 10 metres of 7.2W per metre (6A 12V) LED strip in your cottage to light up the living room and kitchen and you keep them on continuously, they will last 16.6 hours before the battery runs out.
Calculating solar cell and battery size
From the picture above you can see that for the cottage in question we have considered a 14,4W led strip for the basic lighting and a 7,2W led strip for the outside, sauna and atmosphere.
The total power requirement is 200W indoors if everything were on all the time for some reason and 72W outdoors. In addition, there would be a few pendant lights with about 7W LED bulbs.
So in practice, you should size the solar cells at 400W and reserve 2x100Ah batteries for lighting.
If the sun shines for 8 hours on the cells, it will theoretically provide 8x 400W = 3200W / 12V or 266A, of which in practice part will be used already in the early evening , so a 200Ah battery is enough to provide surplus electricity for the evening and night.
If the lights are on for 6 hours in the evening = 6h x (200W + 72W) = 1632W = 136Ah. That way the battery lasts and you have some room to play.
The calculation takes liberties and assumes that conditions are always the same. On the other hand, hardly all the lights are on at the same time. And there was still the option to light the terrace stairs.
How to extend the burn time of LED lights with a battery
The on-time of the LED lights can be extended by using a high quality battery, designed to last a long time and provide reliable power. It is also important to take proper care of your battery to extend its life. For example, avoid overcharging and do not allow the battery to be stored for too long on a full charge.
Another way to extend the burn time of LED lights is to use dimmers or timers that automatically turn the lights off when they are not needed. This helps reduce energy consumption and saves battery power in the long run.
How to choose the right LED light for your application
So first find out if your solar panel is providing, for example, 12V/24V directly or if you have an inverter in between that provides 230V.
Once you have this sorted out, if necessary buy driver for the led strip if your system is 230V, but otherwise just get a 12/24V led strip and connect it directly to the battery.
For the power of the led strip, you need 7.2W or 14.4W led strip, but which one depends on the installation site. More light on the worktop than for creating atmosphere or outdoors.
LED strip lighting – A lighting solution for many applications
LED strip lights are an excellent choice for a wide range of lighting needs. They are energy efficient, sustainable and versatile. LED strip lights can be used in interior design, outdoor areas, to highlight objects or to improve home security.
How LED strip lighting can change the mood of a room
With LED strip lights, you can easily change the mood of a room. For example, you can use them in indirect lighting to create a soft and warm atmosphere. LED strip lights can also be used to highlight specific objects, such as a blackboard. Use LED ribbon to highlight natural materials.
How LED strip lighting can improve cabin safety
With LED strip lights you can improve the safety of your cottage. They can act as night lights, even with a motion sensor. This will help you to move around your home safely. LED strip lights can also be used in outdoor areas, such as pathways or stairs, reducing the risk of falls and improving overall safety.
How LED tape can help you save electricity
Solar panels and LED strip lighting are highly energy efficient. Led lights and consume very little electricity. This can help you save electricity and reduce your electricity bill. LED lights are also very durable and long-lasting, so you don’t have to worry about changing lights often.
You can also save electricity by using timers or motion sensors that automatically turn off lights when they are not needed. This will help to further reduce energy consumption and save money in the long run.
LED strip lighting outdoors – Best practices and tips
How LED strip lighting can improve the atmosphere of outdoor spaces
LED strip lighting is a great way to enhance the atmosphere of your outdoor space and create a pleasant ambience. You can use LED strip lighting to highlight specific objects, create indirect lighting or create dramatic lighting effects.
How to choose an LED strip light that can withstand outdoor conditions
When choosing an LED strip light for outdoor use, make sure it is designed to withstand outdoor conditions such as humidity and temperature fluctuations. In practice, an outdoor LED strip light is IP65 protected. More on IP rating.
How to install LED strip lighting outdoors
Installing LED strip lighting outdoors can be a little more challenging than indoors, but it’s still easy once you know what you’re doing. First, choose an LED strip light designed for outdoor use. Also, make sure that the voltage of the LED strip and the battery or solar panel match to avoid damage.
Next, choose a suitable installation location. The LED strip light can be installed on, for example, terrace railings or stairs. Make sure you install the aluminium profile of the LED strip for a durable and stationary finish. Screw the profile brackets in place and snap the profile into place. Glue the LED strip in place and you’re done.
Once you have installed the LED strip light, connect it to the battery and test the lights before leaving them on for a longer period. You can use timers or motion sensors that automatically turn off lights when they’re not needed to save energy and extend battery life.
Summary
Solar panels and LED strip lights are the perfect combination for environmentally friendly lighting. The solar panel allows you to collect solar energy and use it to power the LED strip light. LED strip lights are a versatile lighting solution for many applications and can change the atmosphere of a room, improve home security and help save electricity.
The burn time of LED lights can be extended by using a high quality battery designed to last a long time and provide reliable power. It is also important to take proper care of your battery to extend its life. Installing LED lights outdoors can be a little more challenging, but it’s still easy once you know what you’re doing.
When choosing a solar panel, LED strip light or battery, remember to take into account the intended use, power, operating time and durability.
LED strip lighting specialist
LedStore has been an expert in led lighting since 2010. We have our own product design, so our products are technologically state-of-the-art.
We focus on light colour temperature controlled and high colour rendering index lights. We do around 500 lighting designs in a year.
We offer a service of custom-made led strips, i.e. made-to-order, easy to install led strips in profiles for everyone. Also installed.
Remember that we are always ready to offer our help to you along the way, by email (myynti@ledstore.fi) and by phone (045 251 4510).
As always, feel free to share photos of your own projects on social media at ledstore.fi at Instagram and ledstore.fi at Meta. We love to see the cool things done by our LEDs, and it also helps to provide inspiration for those who are not sure about the power and awesomeness of LEDs. Did you know that we already have over 3 500 pictures of our LED installations in our Gallery!
Led Lights Gallery:
Product gallery: Pictures of products in different installation locations
Indirect light: Indirect light in different spaces
Room-specific: Light in different rooms
References: Complete houses that have been photographed
