Solareye is a family-owned company which has evolved to become one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high-quality outdoor solar lighting. They have over 30 years in traffic, cycle and pedestrian safety industries, with a history of product design, sourcing, and accreditation. They began selling their first solar light – the Solareye80 in 2008. It was an immidiate sucess and has been installed extensivly across the UK and Europe.
They are proud of what they do and how they do it: illuminating roads, cycleways, pedestrian walkways, and public amenities. Their high specifiction products make it safer for people to commute and participate in outdoor-sports and recreation 365 days of the year.
Optima was contracted by Solareye to design a bollard light, specifically customized for usage in the UK and Northern Europe. The primary challenge was the limited sunlight availability during the winter season, resulting in insufficient charging capacity for conventional bollard lights. It was also apparent that these units would be subjected to vandalism and extreme weather conditions, ranging from strong winds and severe frost to intense sunlight, as they were intended for public service areas.
While addressing these functional requirements, Optima also recognized the importance of incorporating appropriate aesthetics into the design. It was crucial for the bollard lights to seamlessly blend into various modern urban environments. The design needed to be visually appealing and complement the surrounding architecture and landscape.
Sketched styling concepts were refined using CAD and rendering software. Detail development focused on integrating a high specification PV cell, Internal Battery, PCB, and control systems. Designs were refined to full CAD models suitable for injection molding. Working prototypes tested light quality, distribution, IP sealing, and resistance to tampering and vandalism.
Material selection ensured longevity and UV/IR transmission for the integrated Photovoltaic Cell. FEA software ensured appropriate strength and resilience. The final design included a fully IP rated breather-valve and unique molded assembly and alignment features. A Patent was drafted to protect the intellectual property within the light design.
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
– Wattage: 5W at full illumination
– Battery: 3.2V 20Ah LiFePO4 lithium
– Solar panel: 5V 5W
– Product weight: 180g
– Light source: LED (100,000 hours life)
– Correlated colour temperature: 3500K
– Motion sensor
– Material: polycarbonate & aluminium
– Working temperature: -20c to +65c
– Warranty: 5 year (material & workmanship)
– CE accreditation
– Made in Britain
– IK10 impact rated
– IP68 waterproof
– Patent pending