How Do FLT Solar Lights Perform In Winter?

We often get asked how our commercial outdoor solar lights manage in the snow and cold of winter weather. Do they stay on with the shorter daylight hours? Can they get enough sun with overcast and cloudy skies? Can the lights continue to work in cold temperatures? The answer is yes! Let’s dive into the how and why.

Cold Weather

The key to our lights being able to handle frigid temperatures is our use of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. We’ve been using this type of lithium-ion battery since 2017 and the list of benefits is long. LiFePO4 can remain stable in frequent cold temperatures, from 0 Fahrenheit (-18°C) in Juneau, Alaska to -22°F (-30°C) in Alberta, Canada.

Overcast Skies

Cloudy skies are no match for our technology! We install our unique smart controller in each of our lights. This allows the light to predictively adapt to surroundings and maintain continuous operation. The smart controller is able to conserve battery power when sunlight conditions aren’t optimal, ensuring that the light still functions. FLT lights will give you light all night, every night.

Snow

Thanks to that smart controller, our lights can also continue working through snow coverage on the solar panels. Our luminaire solar lights are also designed to have a very slight tilt when installed, to help shed melting snow and ice.

Another advantage of solar lights during the winter is the ease in which they can be removed, re-installed or replaced during snow removal. If a solar bollard is knocked over by a snow plow truck, it can simply be bolted in again.

Our products have been tested in the rugged and freezing Canadian winters and have withstood nature’s extremes. When most solar options will have operation issues or fail during winter, you can always count on a First Light Technologies light. We won’t leave you in the dark when you need it the most.