Understanding Fiber Optic Solar Lights

Understanding Fiber Optic Solar Lights

Generally speaking, a fiber optic solar lamp has three functional components: 

  • Light Collector 
  • Optical Fiber Cable
  • Lighting Device 

Lighting Collector

Lighting box collectors spend the day capturing sunlight on a home’s rooftop. Because they are on the roof and range in length from two to five feet, you should ensure that there are no trees, poles, or other tall impediments in their path that might create shadows and restrict the quantity of light entering the collector. 

They have several fresnel lenses that are made to allow in as much UV light as possible. A lens having grooves to concentrate and intensify light is known as a fresnel lens. Before flowing via fiber optic cables, sunlight that enters the box is focused within a tiny filter or chamber. 

For maximum sunshine absorption, certain lighting boxes include a solar tracking device. It moves the box to constantly face the sun by tracking it throughout the day. 

Optical Fiber Cable

Fiber optic cables, made of glass or acrylic, “transport” sunlight from the lighting box to the illuminator or fixture. 

Glass optical fibers are advised because they are more dependable than acrylic, do not fade, and hold light intensity better with just 1% light output loss for each foot of light transported along the cable (acrylic loses up to two times more light per foot). The disadvantage of glass is that it costs more than acrylic, but most people would agree that the extra cost is justified. 

Lighting Device

Like a standard light bulb, the illuminator or fixture disperses visible light from the fiber optic cable into the space. There are no dimming controls, but you may mount the fixture on the ceiling, wall, or any other surface, just like you do with a standard light. 

The fixture generates more light on bright days since light intensity fluctuates according to how much light the lighting box collector collects. Light output diminishes when it’s overcast or just before sunset. 

One hundred square feet of space needs 1,000–2,000 lumens of light. If each fixture produces 400–600 lumens of light, five to seven illuminators would be required for a room of this size to provide appropriate illumination/