When choosing solar street lights for your pathway project, there are several factors that you should consider: Brightness: Make sure the solar street light has adequate brightness to illuminate the pathway properly.Battery capacity: The solar street light should have a battery with enough capacity to store energy for several nights in case of cloudy days.Durability: Choose a solar street light that is made with high-quality materials and can withstand harsh weather conditions.Solar panel efficiency: The efficiency of the solar panel is important when selecting a solar street light. Choose models with a high conversion rate.Timing control: Street lights with timed controls will provide a better service by enhancing energy efficiency and reducing energy wastage.Motion sensors: Some solar street lights come with motion sensors, which improve safety and security in the pathway projects.Design: Lastly, it is essential to choose a solar street light that matches the design and style of the landscape.

When it comes to installing light poles, you will need to plan ahead, and make sure to stick to your budget. With the help of a professional light expert, you will be able to figure out exactly how many poles you will need to install for your project. Once you have the number of poles determined, the next step will be figuring out what material to use. As we mentioned earlier, aluminum tends to be more expensive than steel, and wooden poles require more work to weatherproof the wiring, so you will need to consider the cost required to install the type of pole you need for your project. In addition, if you have particularly high light poles, you should make room in your budget for the more costly lifts required for installation at the top. What is involved in the installation process? According to many cost estimates, a budget for installation should include the costs for local materials, delivery to job site, labor and equipment charges to install the pole and in some cases minimum hourly charges that are commonly included for small jobs. And don’t forget electrical is going to need to be run to pole which can mean trenching to install cable. Make sure you get with an experienced contractor to figure out your costs per pole and figure out if there are any restrictions as to the type of pole or locations for the poles for your application. Steel anchor mounted poles are the most common and cost effective in the long run, but make sure you cover all your bases when it comes to planning a pole install. Pole locations make a big effect on your light plan, so work with your contractor and lighting expert to get everything together and make sure you are happy with the final product. 

Besides the different materials available for light poles, there are also different shapes and installation types. For example, light poles can be either square or round. Square poles allow for more fixture mounting options, because of the flat surface, but many lighting fixtures now have different tenon adapters and accessories that make mounting lights easy on either square or round poles. Additionally, there are options for burial mounts, which require deep holes to be dug for installation, and anchor mounts, which are mounted directly to a concrete base. Choosing which mounting option is right for you depends mostly on your location. Some areas do not allow for deep holes to be dug, so an anchor mount is the only one that makes sense. An engineer will also need to be consulted to determine the proper burial depth based on the type of pole (burial or anchored) along with other factors such as soil type, soil frost depth in colder climates among things. If you do not have a engineer working on your project, the next best option would be to contact your city or county engineer for guidance on pole depth. A light pole spec sheet will have some information on install, but depth and concrete base design can only be accurately determined by an engineer that knows the specifics for that location.  When selecting which type of pole to choose for your project, you will want to take into consideration a number of other factors as well. For example, you should consider what the experts call corrosion performance. Light poles move slightly with wind, and that movement can cause the protective paint on the outer layer of the light poles to fail sooner than expected. Metal coatings can be applied to improve the corrosion resistance on steel or aluminum poles, but that can also affect the fatigue life of the pole as well. Again, we highly recommend you consult with a lighting expert in order to determine which material and mounting option is best for you.

There are a number of types of light poles made from different materials, all of which have different strengths. For example, steel and aluminum poles are known to be very versatile and can withstand windy weather better than poles made from other materials. Aluminum poles are known for being relatively light weight and rust resistant, but also tend to be far more expensive than steel poles. Steel light poles are the most common for their strength and durability at a reasonable price.  The best part about aluminum and steel poles is that you can run wiring up internally, which decreases the chances of electrical issues down the road. These types of poles tend to have designated locations for junction boxes and switches, so that you can have easy access to the electrical system. Once your electrical is in place, there are plenty of options for installing lights at the top. Some adapters are mounted directly to the side of a pole, others sit like a cap on the top of the pole. Adapters can be made for both square and round poles that can make it easier to install more than one light. Every application is different and there is plenty of Parking Lot Light Accessories and options to cover whatever your need is. Wooden light poles are generally the cheapest option, you can even find used or discarded telephone poles in your local area to use as light poles for your projects if you really need to keep the budget down. Unlike the steel and aluminum poles, wooden poles require the electrical wiring be run around the outside of the pole, which means that you will need to also do more work to weatherproof the electrical system. While you may save on the light pole, remember that it may cost more to run the all the wiring up the pole and keep it safe from rain and within electrical code. Wooden poles are also considered to be more environmentally friendly. Fiberglass poles are known for being versatile and lightweight, but they are less durable and not as sturdy as poles made from steel or wood. In addition, they tend to be more expensive than steel, but are much more water resistant than either steel or wooden poles. Some areas are better suited for fiberglass light poles, such as those that have a lot of saltwater, road salt or fertilizer. This makes them good for beachfront locations or other similar areas.