Reno, NV — In 2005, Barry Hunter, Assistant Project Manager of Land Development
for Lakemont developers, was faced with a costly predicament. A couple
of Lakemont's sub-contractors had a miscommunication and paved a
two-lane road before laying conduit from one side to the other. The
purpose of this small conduit was to provide power to light up a
sign in front of Canyon Pines. Canyon Pines is a beautiful collection
of homes in a master-planned community in the sub division of Somersett.
When Barry recieved a bid for over $9,000 to cut the concrete,
lay conduit and then repave it, he was desperate for other options.
Unable to find a method of power, the beautiful 6' x 9' Canyon
Pines sign had been in the dark for over 4 months. Barry then found
Independent Power Corporation (IPC), a local solar contractor.
He met with Grayson Omans of IPC in hopes of discovering a reliable,
efficient and economical solution.
To remedy this predicament, Mr. Omans looked to LEDtronics Inc.
to provide an efficient, beautiful, low power consuming, and bright
LED lighting solution. Mr. Bruce Howard, a LEDtronics representative
from Howard Industrial Sales Inc., assisted Mr. Omans with this
project. They proposed using two of LEDtronics part #GDL002-200-XCW-014S
LED Flood Lights. These LED floodlights are designed to run on
12 volts DC with solar panels. This allowed Mr. Hunter to light
his sign without having to incur costly landscaping and electrical
power line costs. These LED floodlights provide cold white lighting
(8,000K) using 5mm LEDs that remain cool enough to touch. These
LEDs consume only 12 watts of power per floodlight compared to
the power hungry 40 watt or 100 watt incandescent spot lights normally
used in this application. Now the whole system can be run on a
123 watt solar panel and a small battery bank. The solar cells
charge the battery during the day, which in turn powers the LED
floodlights at night.
The installation of this solar power LED lighting system only
took two people one and a half days to complete. To extend the
life of the system and operate during long periods of cloudy weather,
three 86 AH Gel batteries are provided as well. To provide a clean
and unobstructed view of the land they hid most of the lighting
system inside artificial rocks.
Mr. Hunter uses these floodlights 8 hours a night.
With the electrical rates of 12 cents per kWH, batteries lasting
10 to 15 years, a
warranty on the solar panel for 25 years, and LED light lifespan
of 50,000 hours, he expects this system to pay for itself in 5
years. If you consider the alternative cost for running 120volt
electrical lines this solar powered lighting system paid for itself
immediately.
Bulbs used are
of type: High Power White LED Floodlight Lamps: GDL002-200-XCW-014S
