Sentinel®
Parking Lot Lighting System
SolarKing's patented Sentinel® lighting system was designed to provide large-area lighting for parking lots, retail centers, apartment and multifamily properties, churches, schools, and overflow parking areas. The aesthetically-pleasing one-piece thermoformed-housing sets the system apart from the competition and provides superior performance, reliability, and value.
All of the essential components are contained and protected by the housing at the top of the pole, while the battery is buried underground in SolarKing's patented underground battery enclosure. These systems have been installed all around the Valley of the Sun and the Southwest, and are typically installed with the lights at 16' above grade and configured to operate year-round on a dusk-to-dawn basis — with no trenching across asphalt, no utility bills, and no high-voltage wiring.
System Components
• Solar-module – 165-watt
• Typical installation height is with the lights about 16' above grade
• Morningstar Sunlight 10L system controller
• Battery – 110AH sealed-lead-acid (SLA) battery typically buried underground in SolarKing's patented underground battery container
• Each system has two 72-LED light bricks which can be aimed up/down/around for maximum effectiveness
• 4" square-steel tubing pole is powder-coated and the base is taped for rust-resistance and durability
How does it work?
The patented Sentinel® lighting system has been designed so that it is aesthetically pleasing and so that the thermoformed housing protects the solar-module and other components in such a way that vandalism or theft of components is virtually eliminated. Another unique feature of the Sentinel® lighting system is that the system has two (2) LED light bricks, and each light-brick can be aimed from shining straight-down to straight-out, and each light-brick can be rotated 360-degrees. This flexibility is especially valuable in parking lot lighting, where light needs to be spread evenly across rows of parking spaces and walkways — and aimed away from adjacent residential properties to prevent light trespass complaints — providing a much more usable light-spread than typical parking lot lights that just shine straight-down.
The Sentinel® lighting system housing assembly is typically installed on a 4"x4" steel-tube pole by a slip-in stub which is bolted through the pole. For new parking lots, this means a clean, straightforward install with no trenching across asphalt and no electrical service required. For existing lots, customers have saved significant cost by reusing existing 4"x4" poles when converting from 110VAC to solar-powered lighting — eliminating the lot's monthly utility bill in the process.
Theft of batteries is a serious problem for any large solar-powered lighting system, and placing a large, heavy battery (approximately 70 pounds) on the top of a pole is not generally a good idea. Several years ago SolarKing developed an innovative solution for solar-powered lighting systems that use large batteries (typically Group 27 maintenance-free batteries). SolarKing has been awarded a utility patent for its Underground Battery Container System (UBC) from the US Patent and Trademark Office (Patent #8,096,439 issued 1/17/12). The UBC creates a small air-pocket over/around the battery which protects the battery connections from short-circuiting even if the UBC is completely underwater (as in a flood-retention basin or irrigation basin), since the water-level cannot rise to the top of the battery. SolarKing's patented system is typically installed with the batteries about 6" below grade, but the top of the container can also be at grade with the cover secured by tamper-resistant bolts. Placing the battery underground significantly extends the life of the battery since it is in a relatively cool, constant-temperature environment, and it greatly reduces the likelihood of theft since there aren't any surface markings to indicate the location of the battery (we do take pictures of the battery locations and provide the pictures to the customer).
Why Choose Solar Parking Lot Lighting?
• No trenching across asphalt — avoid the cost, mess, and downtime of cutting and patching paved surfaces
• No utility bills — eliminate the monthly meter fee and consumption charges for the lot
• No high-voltage wiring — lower liability and a safer environment for tenants, customers, and maintenance crews
• Light where there's no power — perfect for overflow lots, gravel lots, RV/equipment storage, and remote parking areas
• Aimable LED bricks — direct light onto parking surfaces and walkways, away from adjacent homes, to prevent light-trespass complaints
• Vandalism-resistant — components are protected inside the thermoformed housing; the battery is buried out of sight
• Built for the Southwest — designed, manufactured, and proven in the Valley of the Sun
Common Applications
• Commercial and office complex parking lots
• Retail and shopping center parking
• Apartment and multifamily property parking lots
• Church parking lots
• School and sports complex parking lots
• RV parks and RV/boat storage lots
• Gravel and overflow parking areas
• Park-and-ride lots
• Industrial yards and equipment parking
• Parking lot retrofits (converting existing 110VAC lighting to solar)
