Out of these, the
solar
array is the most expensive. All the electrical components must also be
sealed in a weatherproof housing.
The charge controller
functions as the brain, so to speak, of the whole device. It protects the
battery from being over-charged, as well as maximizing the electrical output
of the
solar
array and the voltage with which the battery gets charged. It also controls
when the light operates.
One of the most popular
uses for
solar
powered
lights
is for the illumination of outdoor walkways and gardens. This is because
they not only use free energy, but they can
be placed or moved anywhere,
without digging ditches for laying wires, or connecting them to an
electrical grid. Outdoor ground lighting needs are also well-adapted to one
of the main drawbacks of
solar
powered
lights.
Put simply, it is the fact that
solar
powered
lights
slowly diminish in light output during the night, and are strongest during
the first few hours of operation. Since the earlier evening hours are when
most outdoor
lights
are needed,
solar
powered
lights
are an ideal solution for
outdoor lighting.
The operating conditions of
solar
powered
lights
fluctuate with weather conditions as well. For example, if the weather is
rainy or overcast, the battery will charge much less than on a sunny day in
summer. This fact, combined with the high cost of
solar
arrays and other problems already discussed, make it so that
solar
powered
lights
still have only limited applications.
