How to waterproof the LED Solar Street Light?

Nowadays, LED solar street lights are applied to a wide range of areas around the world. They are popular because of their environmentally-friendly and cost-saving features. As they are installed outdoors, they are always exposed to wind, rain and even snow. Moisture and Humidity knows very well to find its way and seep into the interiors of LED solar street light thereby causing significant damage. Therefore, it is important to waterproof the LED solar street light and ensure that they performs well in waterproof function.

IP Rating

Actually, we will notice the parameter “IP Rating” in the technical specification of solar street light. IP Rating (Ingress Protection Rating) is the rating used to classify the different levels of sealing effectiveness provided by an electrical enclosure against foreign bodies such as objects, water, dirt, etc. It gives you a clearer picture of how water resistant the item is, compared to vague marketing terms such as “waterproof”.

For enclosures, the typical waterproof IP ratings are IP67, IP66, and IP65 enclosures. So what do these ratings mean?

IP65: Able to protect against water jets. Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.

IP66: Able to protect against powerful water jets. Water projected in powerful jets (12.5 mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.

IP67: Able to protect against Immersion up to 1 m. Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).

Customers can choose the solar powered waterproof lights according to their demands.

When it comes to waterproofing, we need to pay attention to the following aspects.

The Battery

The battery is the core part of LED solar street light. Its main function is to store electricity generated by solar panels and to supply it to the lighting system. The battery of the solar street light is buried in the ground so as to avoid being flooded. Although it is said that the outer layer of the battery has been dealed with waterproof measures, it needs to be covered with cement around to further strengthen the waterproof measures.

The Solar Charge Controller

Besides, we need to pay attention to the solar charge controller for they are quite significant to the LED solar street light. During the day, the controller converts solar energy into electricity, and at night the battery provides electricity to the street lights. Most of the controllers are installed in the lampshade and battery box. Generally, the water will not enter, but we need to be careful. During the installation, we’d better bend and fix the internal connecting wires of the controller terminals into a "U" shape. The outside connecting wires are also needed to be fixed to a "U" shape, so that rainwater cannot enter and result in short-circuit.

The Lamp Holder

The waterproofing of LED lights is very simple, just need to make a simple lampshade like ordinary electric lights to waterproof it. The sealing performance of the lamp cap of the solar street lamp must be high, and the waterproof treatment of the lamp cap can ensure the service life of the street lamp. Therefore, the choice of the street lamp shell is siginificant, the waterproof grade can be IP65 or IP66.

The Wiring System

Last but not least, we are supposed to check the waterproof function of the wiring system. Check whether there is poor contact of joints, water seepage or tape falling off and work out the problems as soon as possible. The amount of rainwater in summer is quite great. Although the rainwater does not enter the light pole in most circumstances, but the condensation of water vapor will also lead to a short circuit.

We hope that the above information on how to waterproof LED solar street lights will help you. Before the installing and using of LED solar street lights, the owners should pay attention to the waterproof measures for each parts of the LED solar street lights.