At SolarPath Sun Solutions, we understand that solar lighting projects involve a lot of technical decisions around autonomy sizing, photometric compliance, procurement, and installation logistics. This FAQ answers the twenty questions our engineering and project teams field most frequently across, municipal, and institutional deployments.
If you have a question that’s not covered here, contact our team — we respond within one business day.
SolarPath fixtures deliver 10+ years of service life in typical duty cycles. The LED array is rated for 150,000+ hours mean time between failures (MTBF). The LiFePO4 battery holds 80 percent capacity after 3,850+ deep-cycle charges, which translates to more than 10 years of nightly operation.
SolarPath serves customers nationwide, deploying solar lighting projects across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Remote consultation, photometric design, and nationwide shipping are available for every project.
Every SolarPath fixture ships UL listed and Dark Sky certified at minimum. Additional certifications include IK-10 impact rating, CE, FCC, RoHS, and all required certificates for the industry. UL and Dark Sky listings qualify SolarPath products for utility rebate programs and federal, state, and municipal procurement contracts nationwide.
Yes. Every SolarPath project includes a stamped photometric study at no additional cost. The study confirms lux targets, uniformity ratios, pole heights, and fixture counts before procurement, matching IES RP-6 (sports), RP-8 (roadway), or RP-20 (parking) standards as applicable.
Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is the industry-leading chemistry for solar lighting. LiFePO4 delivers 3,850+ deep-cycle charges, operates safely from -40 F to 158 F, carries zero thermal runaway risk, and maintains over 80 percent capacity at 14 F. These properties significantly outperform sealed lead-acid and standard lithium-ion alternatives.
An all-in-one solar light integrates the photovoltaic (PV) panel, LiFePO4 battery, MPPT charge controller, and LED array into a single pole-mounted housing. This design cuts installation time, eliminates field wiring, and reduces the bill of materials compared to split-panel configurations. SolarPath all-in-one fixtures deliver up to 36,000 lumens with up to seven-day autonomy.
All-in-one fixtures integrate everything in one housing for fast install and lower cost. All-in-two fixtures separate the PV panel from the LED head for independent tilt adjustment, higher lumen output (up to 50,000 lm), and tall pole compatibility (up to 40 ft). Choose all-in-two for roadways, high-lux parking lots, and sites with variable peak sun hours.
Yes. SolarPath fixtures are engineered with three to seven days of autonomy reserve. The LiFePO4 battery holds enough capacity for multiple consecutive cloudy nights without any solar recharge. Northern climate and Pacific Northwest sites specify five to seven-day autonomy; Sun Belt sites specify three days. MPPT charge controllers recover up to 30 percent more energy than PWM alternatives in low-light conditions.
IP65 is the minimum specification for outdoor solar lighting. SolarPath bollards are IP67. Street lights and cobra head fixtures are IP66. Coastal and marine-exposure deployments specify IP67. These ratings confirm resistance to dust ingress and high-pressure water, which meets the demands of coastal, industrial, and municipal sites.
A typical installation takes 2 days for 14 fixtures and 4 days for 30 fixtures, including foundation pour, pole erection, fixture mounting, and photometric commissioning. Corridor and large-scale projects scale proportionally. No trenching, no utility coordination, no electrical permits in most jurisdictions.
Pole height depends on application and fixture type. Parking lots use 20 to 30 feet. Roadway corridors use 25 to 40 feet. Bollards mount at 3 to 4 feet. Pathway lights use 12 to 20 foot pole heights. Decorative lights also use 12 to 20 foot pole heights. SolarPath photometric studies confirm optimal pole height for each project.
Most solar lighting installations require a standard pole and foundation permit, which is identical to grid-tied lighting. Solar lights avoid the electrical permit and utility coordination that grid-tied projects demand. Permit requirements vary by municipality. SolarPath supports the permitting package on every project.
Autonomy days refer to the number of nights a fixture operates without any solar recharge. SolarPath recommends three days for Sun Belt sites with peak sun hours (PSH) above 5.5, four days for temperate zones with 4.5 to 5.5 PSH, and five to seven days for northern climates, Pacific Northwest sites, and deployments with heavy tree cover.
SolarPath fixtures require minimal maintenance. Annual inspections verify panel cleanliness, check fastener torque, and confirm fixture aiming. Panel cleaning is typically needed only once per year in most climates; coastal and desert sites may need twice-annual cleaning. LiFePO4 batteries and MPPT controllers require no scheduled service through the product-specific warranty period.
Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is a charge controller algorithm that continuously adjusts the electrical load on the photovoltaic panel to extract the highest available power. MPPT recovers up to 30 percent more energy than PWM controllers in cloudy, dawn, and dusk conditions, which directly improves autonomy and battery cycle life.
Panel wattage depends on LED load, battery capacity, and site peak sun hours. SolarPath typically pairs 30W LED fixtures with 100W panels for Sun Belt sites, 60W LED with 200W panels for temperate zones, and 120W LED with 300W+ panels for northern or shaded sites. Our team runs the calculation on every project quote.
solar lighting may qualify for the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under Section 48 for qualifying installations. UL and Dark Sky listings are typically required for eligibility. Consult your tax advisor and review IRS Form 3468 documentation. SolarPath provides compliance documentation for every UL and Dark Sky listed fixture.
Payback period depends on fixture count, utility rates, and whether the project involves new trenching. Sites that would otherwise require trenched utility service typically pay back in 3 to 5 years. Retrofit projects with existing electrical service pay back in 5 to 7 years, driven entirely by eliminated utility bills over the fixture lifetime.
Contact the SolarPath team through our contact page with your project details: site dimensions, target lux levels, pole heights, and application type. We respond within one business day with a photometric study, fixture recommendations, and a budget estimate. No obligation, no charge for the initial assessment.
