How to choose a solar street light for a compound, estate road or school
To choose a solar street light, start from the mounting height and the area you need to light, then pick a lamp whose battery and panel can carry it through the night and a cloudy day. For a compound or school path, a 3 to 6 metre pole with a 60W to 120W all-in-one light is the usual fit. For an estate road, 6 to 10 metre poles with a larger battery work better. The rated wattage in the name is a weaker guide than the battery in watt-hours, the panel size and the stated run time.
All-in-one or split type
All-in-one street lights carry the LED head, the solar panel, the controller and the battery in one housing. Installation is a bracket on a pole and nothing else: no separate panel frame, no battery box, no cable down the pole. Most of the lights in our solar street light range are this type. The limitation is that the panel faces the same way as the lamp is fixed, and its size is capped by the housing.
Split type lights use a separate panel, which can be larger and angled to the sun independently of the lamp. They suit tall poles, high-output lamps and sites where a light must keep going after poor weather. The 150W 0310E street light, built around a separate 48W mono-crystalline panel and a 12.8V 42Ah battery, is an example in our range.
For most compounds, schools and estate roads, a well-specified all-in-one light is simpler and gives fewer parts to steal or damage.
Pole height and the size of lamp
The manufacturer lists an installation height for every specified model, and that is the best guide to which lamp belongs on which pole. Examples from our range:
| Lamp (as listed) | Battery | Stored energy | Mounting height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50W, 5Ah | 3.2V 5Ah | 16 Wh | 3 to 4 m |
| 60W, 18Ah, 30-36 hour run | 3.2V 18Ah | 58 Wh | 4 to 6 m |
| 90W motion sensor, 86Ah | 3.2V 86Ah | 275 Wh | 4 to 6 m |
| 120W, 30Ah, ABS | 3.2V 30Ah | 96 Wh | 6 to 9 m |
| 150W sensor, 129Ah | 3.2V 129Ah | 413 Wh | 8 to 10 m |
| 240W aluminium, 30Ah | 6.4V 30Ah | 192 Wh | 9 to 12 m |
Stored energy is battery voltage multiplied by amp-hours. It tells you more than the wattage does. Some lamps sold as 1,000W, 2,000W or 3,000W in our range carry 10Ah to 30Ah batteries at 3.2V and are listed for 3 to 8 metre poles, the same heights as lamps sold as 60W to 120W.
As a rough guide:
- Compound paths, gates, staff quarters: 3 to 6 m poles.
- Internal roads, school compounds, parking: 6 to 8 m poles.
- Estate roads and wide yards: 8 to 10 m poles.
- Main roads and large open ground: 10 m and above, with an engineered mast.
Battery: LiFePO4 and the 30 to 36 hour claims
Nearly all of our specified street lights use lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. LiFePO4 is preferred for solar lighting because it handles a full charge and discharge every day, tolerates heat better than many other lithium types, and lasts far longer than the sealed lead-acid batteries used in older lights.
Several lamps are rated by the manufacturer at 30 to 36 hours of discharge from full, against 12 to 15 hours for the lighter models. A 30 to 36 hour rating means the battery can carry more than one night, so the light keeps working after a cloudy day. These figures assume a full charge, and how bright the lamp runs through the night depends on its control mode. Treat them as headroom for poor weather, not as a promise of 36 hours at full brightness.
When a site must stay lit through the long rains, choose a larger battery and a larger panel. The 150W 42Ah mono panel light, for example, pairs an 18V 65W panel with a 12.8V 42Ah battery, about 538 Wh.
Motion sensors
A motion sensor runs the lamp at low output when the road or path is empty and brings it up when someone walks or drives past. This is how a moderate battery lasts all night. The 0418 series in our range, including the 60W, 90W, 120W and 150W models, uses motion sensing together with light control. Sensors suit paths, staff housing and quiet estate roads. On a busy gate or a security perimeter watched by cameras, a steady light level may be better, so check that the lamp can run without the sensor.
Spacing: a rule of thumb
A common starting point is to space poles at about three times the mounting height. With 6 metre poles that means roughly 18 metres apart. Space them closer, around two to two and a half times the height, where you want even light for security cameras or where the lamp is small. Space them wider only where the lights are there to mark a route rather than light it. This is a rule of thumb. For a long road or a school, a simple layout drawing will confirm spacing before you buy poles.
On large open ground, several lamps along the fence line usually give a more even result than one tall pole in the middle.
Installation basics
- Find the sun. The panel needs open sky from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Trees, water tanks, roofs and tall walls cost hours of light.
- Tilt the panel slightly. Near the equator only a small tilt is needed, roughly 10 to 15 degrees, mostly so rain washes dust off.
- Set the pole properly. Use a concrete base sized for the pole height and the local ground. Taller poles need a firmer foundation and safe access for fitting.
- Charge before the first night. Leave a new light switched off in the sun for a full day so it starts with a full battery.
- Clean the panel every few weeks in dusty months.
- Use the right bracket and anti-theft fixings where the site is open to the public.
Pole work at height should be done by a competent installer with the right equipment.
Choosing for your site
- Home compound or school walkway: 60W motion sensor, 43Ah or the 60W 18Ah 30-36 hour model on 4 to 6 m poles.
- Estate or internal road: 90W to 150W with 86Ah or more, on 6 to 10 m poles, spaced at about three times the height.
- Main access road or a large institution: aluminium-bodied lamps with 12.8V batteries and large panels, such as the IP65 72Ah aluminium street light for 12 to 15 m masts.
For a project with many poles, send us the site plan through our trade and bulk page and we will help with the lamp choice and spacing, or WhatsApp us with photos and road lengths. For gates and yards that need a wall-mounted fitting instead, see our solar flood lights.
Our Nairobi trade counter is at Royal Business Park, Opposite Complast, Old Mombasa Road, open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 17:30. Delivery is KSh 350 flat countrywide, and free on orders over KSh 15,000.
Common questions
How high should a solar street light pole be?
Follow the manufacturer's mounting height for the lamp. In general, 3 to 6 m for paths and compounds, 6 to 8 m for internal roads, and 8 m and above for estate and main roads.
How far apart should solar street lights be?
A common rule of thumb is about three times the mounting height, so roughly 18 m for 6 m poles. Go closer for security lighting.
Do solar street lights work in the rainy season?
Yes, with less charge. Lamps with larger batteries, larger panels and a 30 to 36 hour rated discharge are designed to carry over a cloudy day.
Is a higher wattage street light always brighter?
No. Compare stored energy in watt-hours, the panel size and the mounting height. The wattage in the name is not a reliable measure on its own.