Street lamps for a country house perform several tasks. They should illuminate a section of the street, ensure the safety of movement in the dark, and decorate the house in an advantageous way. Various requirements are imposed on the choice of luminaires for the dacha related to the safe operation of the device and its suitability for climatic conditions.
Requirements for street lamps
Unfavorable atmospheric conditions, precipitation, wind impose a number of requirements for luminaires that must be observed.
- IP protection class against dust and moisture. Shows how tight the lamp is and is able to withstand the ingress of water and particles of dust and dirt. To illuminate pools or fountains, maximum tightness and a degree of IP66, IP67 are required.
- Reliability of glass. Protective glass must have a high degree of resistance to temperatures, shocks, vibrations.
Classification of degrees of protection - Autonomy. Street lights for summer cottages can be equipped with various sensors that simplify their work and save energy. Sound, motion and light sensors enable the flashlight to function only when it is needed. Self-contained devices include solar-powered luminaires. During the day they are charged, and at night they light up the summer cottage.
- Functionality. A street lamp must have at least 2 operating modes - maximum brightness and dim light. More expensive devices may have other modes of operation.
- Resistant to corrosion. Over time, rust should not form on the lamp, therefore, the street lamp is made of reliable and high-quality materials that are not affected by humidity.
The cost of the product depends on the number of functions, the quality of materials and the availability of additional sensors. Before buying, you need to decide in advance on the budget that will be allocated for lamps for summer cottages.
Types of country lamps
Day and night devices are distinguished for their intended purpose. Daytime ones are used for decorative lighting, creating the necessary atmosphere. Night lights are needed to create lighting.
By the installation method, you can distinguish:
- Wall models. Are fixed on a flat surface (wall, pillar).
- Ground. Placed directly into the ground. They also have a decorative function.
- Floor lamps. They are a ball on a thin stem. Usually installed along the tracks.
- Mushroom. The luminaire is hidden under a hood that directs the light rays downward. The installation site is illuminated and decorated in the dark.
Landscape light bollards - Light curbstones. They are cylindrical or square. They are used to illuminate paths, flower beds, bridges, gazebos.
- Floating. Usually they are used for decorative lighting of swimming pools, ponds, fountains.
Luminaires powered by solar panels stand out in a separate group. They are small in size, so the light sources can be rearranged to a convenient location. They are used for additional illumination, as they have a low brightness.
You can also divide the lamps according to the material of manufacture. They are made of durable glass, metal, plastic, etc.
How to place the fixtures
Before installing lamps on the street, you should pay attention to their brightness and transparency of the plafond. The lamp should not stand out in the garden, its aesthetic task is to harmoniously combine with the surrounding objects.
The best option is when the lamps are invisible to the eye. They can be hidden in flowers or bushes, placed under trees or under bridges. They should not draw all attention to themselves, but highlight the decorative object favorably.
When choosing a night light, you need to consider how it will look in the daytime. In the classic local area, lamps of an unusual shape and bright colors will look ridiculous, it is better to give preference to the classic design.
Light sources on the bends of the paths will help to visually expand the garden. To do this, you can use suspended models, which should be placed so that there are no unlit sections of the road. It is recommended to mark the installation location on the diagram or map in advance in order to buy the required number of light sources.
The original mushroom and floating models are used to create accents on certain elements of the landscape. It should be borne in mind that the landscape changes throughout the year. It is recommended to use different accent light sources.
Before buying, you need to find out how many lamps you need and perform a lighting calculation for outdoor lighting. Example - the optimal distance between street lamps is no more than 10 m. In the case of using light columns, the distance is reduced to 5 m.
The choice of bulbs in the lamp
The following types of lamps are used for the operation of street lamps:
- Incandescent bulbs. They are characterized by high power, while consuming a lot of energy. Unsafe.
- Halogen. They are a modification of an incandescent lamp, but a buffer gas is used inside the bulb. This allows for a lower temperature and a longer service life.
- Gas discharge. They work with decorative lighting. They are characterized by high energy efficiency, they are installed in mushroom-shaped lamps, pedestals.
- Mercury lamps. Practically not used for illumination of summer cottages and cottages.
- Metal halide. They illuminate a large area, give as close to daylight as possible. The downside is the high price.
- Xenon. They give a soft warm color and high performance.
- Luminescent. They have a high luminous efficiency, are economical and have a long service life. Depending on the power, they can have a large illumination radius.
- LEDs. The safest and most efficient light sources. Diode dumps are used for both main lighting and decorative lighting. They have a wide range of colors. LED street lighting fixtures are environmentally friendly and safe.
The choice of the right lamps depends on the purpose of the light source and the financial means.
Experts recommend installing fluorescent and LED street lights for a country house, as they work for a long time and consume little electricity. The high cost of products quickly pays off during operation. Due to its long service life, frequent replacement is not required.
Solar luminaires
Such devices differ from other light sources operating from a 220 V network. They operate on a built-in battery that produces a voltage of 12 or 24 V. The lamp is autonomous, the battery is charged from the sun using a special solar cell.
You need to install the device in a place that is well illuminated by sunlight during the day. For the evening, they can be rearranged to another area that needs illumination. The operating time is approximately 9 hours, then the source must be charged with sunlight.The main disadvantage of such lamps is low energy storage in rainy weather and in winter.
Main advantages:
- environmental Safety;
- durability;
- variety of designs;
- ease of installation;
- mobility;
- small size;
- light weight;
- work safety;
- autonomy.
Also, most solar-powered lamps are equipped with photocells that activate the lamp only at night. This makes life easier for the user, as there is no need to turn on and off the flashlight yourself. Usually an LED acts as a light source. Brightness is selected upon purchase.
The disadvantages of autonomous solar-powered sources include high cost, difficulty in disposing of the battery, a large number of counterfeits on the market, and low efficiency in winter. It should be borne in mind that the cost of such a device quickly pays off. There is no need to spend money on laying cables, paying for electricity, and the maintenance of the device is simple. All costs are associated only with the purchase of a lamp.
When buying a solar-powered lamp, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:
- price;
- Battery capacity;
- panel dimensions;
- installation method.
A wide range of models will allow the user to choose the optimal device in terms of technical characteristics and design solutions.
Automation methods
Street lighting should be automated if possible. This will save on energy costs, as the lamp will only light up at the right time. For this, various sensors are used. One of the most popular solutions is the use of an infrared motion sensor. The sensor can be configured not to respond to pets or birds. Then the lamp will light up only when a person or a large animal appears.
Also, a popular way is to install a photo relay. With its help, the lamp lights up only when it gets dark.
There are waterproof models that are remotely controlled from the remote control. You can also purchase a device in which the user independently programs the operating hours.
