SP-401 runway edge light is a key element of solar airfield lighting. This is a solar-powered intelligent wirelessly controlled runway light. ICAO-compliant LED optics generates correct light output in terms of intensity and chromaticity. Runway edge lights color is white (clear).
SP-401 is powered by a standard deep-cycle battery which can be stored locally. Separately installed solar-panel supported by maximum power point tracking ensures high-speed charging.
S4GA offers a complete ICAO compliant runway lighting system with individual light control & monitoring. Runway edge lights are powered by solar energy and connected wirelessly – no cables, no CCRs, no transformers are required.
Unlike similar solar products from other airfield lighting manufacturers, our airport runway lights are a complete alternative to conventional cabled RWY lights and can be used as permanent (fixed) AGL. It is applicable as PERMANENT solution for
It is also applicable for temporary usage at big international airports with HIRL (high intensity runway lighting) as backup runway lighting during repair works and in case of electricity cuts.
Key advantages of solar powered runway lights against cabled system are as follows:
| Specification | Parameter | Description |
| Compliance | ICAO Annex 14, Vol. I (6th. Edition, July 2013) | Photometric: Par. 5.3.9.9 |
| Chromaticity: Appendix 1, Figure A1-1 | ||
| FAA | 150/5345-50B | |
| Operating time | Min intensity | 85 hrs. |
| Max Intensity | 25 hrs. | |
| Optics | Type | Omni-directional |
| Colour | white (clear) | |
| LED life | 50.000 hrs. | |
| Interchangeable optical head | Yes | |
| Light output | Min intensity | 25 cd |
| Max Intensity | 150 cd | |
| Battery | Type | Deep-cycle VLRA |
| Suitable for air transport | ||
| Capacity | 9 Ah | |
| Nominal voltage | 12 V | |
| Life span | 4-5 years / 1.200 cycles | |
| On-board battery indicator | Yes | |
| User-replaceable battery | Yes | |
| Battery Charging | External charging port | Yes |
| Available charging options | Solar panel | |
| OCT-401 Charging station | ||
| Cable | ||
| Charging time via charging station | 7 hrs. | |
| Charging time via solar panel | 10 hrs. | |
| Solar charging | Maximum power point tracking with temperature compensation (MPPT-TC) | |
| Control & Monitoring | Wireless control | Yes (Mesh Network) |
| Wireless monitoring | Yes | |
| Operational wireless range | up to 3 km (optional extension: yes) | |
| Built-in protection against excessive overcharging/discharging of the battery | Yes | |
| Automatic Light Control (ALC) | ALC adjusts intensity level if battery reaches low capacity to ensure continued operation | |
| Emergency on/off button | Yes | |
| Operating temperature range | Standard | -20 to 50 ºC (-4 to 122 ºF) |
| Arctic pack | -40 to 80 ºC (-40 to 176 ºF) | |
| Solar Panel | Nominal power output | Standard: 20W (optionally: 30W) |
| Installed separately from the lighting unit | Yes | |
| Panel facing direction / Tilt | Uni-directional for optimal energy collection | |
| Tilt | Standard: 33 degrees (optional adjustment: yes) | |
| Life span | 15 years | |
| Casing | Waterproof rating | IP-65 |
| UV resistant | Yes | |
| Height / Length / Width (mm) | 276 x 228 x 179 | |
| Weight (kg) | 4,5 | |
| Chassis Material | Polymer composite | |
| Dome Material (standard) | Premium UV-resistant polycarbonate | |
| Dome Material (optional) | Glass | |
| CE Compliance | Standards | EN 61000-4-2:2009 |
| EN 61000-4-3:2007/A2:2011 | ||
| PN-EN 61000-4-4:2013-05 | ||
| EN 61000-4-5:2014-10 | ||
| EN 61000-4-6: 2014-04 |
Runway Edge lights help a pilot to identify a runway and land or take off safely. Airport lighting can differ with regard to a runway category and the airport equipment level. Nevertheless, the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) regulations in Annex 14 determine clearly the lights layout, intensity and color.
Runways edges are illuminated in such a way that supports a landing or taking off pilot as much as possible. Particular edge lights are installed symmetrically with a runway centerline, no further than 3 meters away from a runway edge. When it comes to an instrument runway, the lights will be installed at 60-meter intervals. As for a non-instrument runway, the intervals equal up to 100 meters.
Runway Edge Lights give out a white, constant light. At instrument runways, yellow lights are installed for the last 600 meters of a runway (of in the midpoint of a runway, it depends on which distance is shorter). They inform about approaching the end of a runway. It should be added that sometimes there is a need for a displaced threshold – e.g. if the pavement gets damaged and it causes a threat to aircraft operations. In that case, red edge lights that precede the threshold are installed.
The intensity of runway edge lights reaches from 50 to 10 000 cd (candelas). To illuminate runway edges, the following light intensity levels are used: Low-Intensity Runway Lights (LIRL), Medium-Intensity Runway Lights (MIRL) and High-Intensity Runway Lights (HIRL).
Solar lighting is an alternative to conventional airport lighting, including edge lights. It wasn’t a long time ago that solar lighting was used as a backup option only. However, thanks to the development of LED lightbulbs, using more powerful batteries and providing AGL monitoring, it can be successfully used as a permanent lighting system solution for an entire airport because it is equally effective as an electrically powered lighting.
Solar lighting brings a broad spectrum of advantages. First of all, it allows for significant spending cuts. Secondly, such lighting is controlled wirelessly so there is no need to build a complex network. Solar lighting systems provide three power supply options (that’s why they are often called hybrids). The first one is of course via solar panels. However, if solar panels turn to be insufficient (due to cloudy weather for a long time), each lamp can be charged from a charging station, or even directly from an electric power grid. An additional asset of solar lighting is the fact that it is amazingly cheap and simple to maintain. One doesn’t need to hire special personnel for the maintenance and fixing works. Malfunctions can be quickly identified and most of them can be fixed by oneself.