Protection For Outdoor Lighting Systems:
Pole Protection
Why You Deserve A Double Lighting Pole Protection
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I often take care of my skin. During the winter I protect it against the cold. I use warm clothes to keep my temperature and avoid illness. During the summer I use sunscreen to avoid any sunburns. In the same way, the solar street lights poles are subject to environmental stresses. Like our skin, they must be protected from rain, sun, cold, etc. Only in this way they can have a healthy long life. |
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Protection for Outdoor Lighting Systems: Pole Protection
The most important part of maintaining an off-grid solar system is taking good care of the battery bank. This can extend the life of your batteries and cut down the long-term cost of your RE system.
How To Choose Outdoor Lighting Systems With Pole Protection
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Solar street lights have become very popular in recent years. As demand increases, unscrupulous suppliers have begun appearing on the market. They undercut legit players with poorly made poles just to make a quick buck. These lighting poles tend to look good within the first month of installation but start to show rust after only half a year. |
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There are three things you should look for when choosing solar lighting poles:
- Material
- Galvanization
- Coating
Strong As Steel
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Steel is an alloy made of iron and carbon. Outdoor lighting poles should be made of steel because it is exceedingly strong compared to other metals. |
- Steel is 100% reusable, making it fully compliant with cradle-to-cradle policy
- Steel is insensitive to galvanic corrosion
- Steel is highly suitable for welding
- Steel can withstand metal fatigue
- Production of steel requires relatively little energy
- Steel poles are less vulnerable to collisions
- Steel can be easily formed and shaped in a variety of ways
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SunMaster installs street lighting poles that are made of Q235 steel. The Q235 classification is a structural steel grade that is usually used in bridges. The Q235 is equivalent to. |
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Steel Q235 needs protection against oxygen, salt and moisture. In order for steel poles to withstand outdoor elements, they must be properly treated for preservation. Without treatment, steel will succumb to forces of nature and return to its original form: iron rust.
A well-preserved street lighting pole has a virtually limitless lifespan. SunMaster uses the two most common preservation methods: thermal galvanization and powder coating.
Thermal Galvanization
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Thermal galvanization is a physical process that involves submerging steel in molten zinc. Before a steel object is submerged in a hot zinc plating solution (450°C), it is de-greased, stained and fluxed. The entire thermal galvanization process is laid out in the EN-ISO 1461 standard. |
1. Full submersion. Because the entire steel surface is coated with a hot layer of zinc, the interior of the pole and all vulnerable components surrounding the assembly hatch are also protected.
2. Amalgamated zinc. As zinc fuses with steel, it creates an inseparable layer. If the zinc surface is damaged, the cathode effect prevents the steel pole from corroding.
A thermally galvanized pole is guaranteed to last a minimum of 40 years without maintenance.
SunMaster street lighting poles – individual stems and their shelf – are galvanized with a minimum thickness of 70μm.
Powder Coating
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Powder coating is essential to lighting pole protection. It adds another sealing layer to the steel pole with an extremely high resistance to mechanical stress. |
SunMaster steel poles are treated with a baked-on polyester-powder coating that provides the following benefits:
- Extremely smooth finish that is easy to clean
- Timeless attractive appearance
- Ability to withstand extreme weather changes without cracking or peeling
When it comes to lighting pole protection, one should never skimp on material and preservation techniques. Source your street lighting systems only from a supplier with experience and expertise in modern steel technologies.