Minimum Specifications You Must Demand
Never accept a solar street light without these: BIS certification (IS 16905 for LED luminaires). LiFePO4 battery (not lead-acid or standard lithium). IP65 or higher weatherproofing rating. MPPT charge controller. Minimum 2-year comprehensive warranty from the manufacturer. Pole height minimum 5 metres for village roads. Inter-pole spacing: 20–25 metres for 30W lights. These specifications are aligned with MNRE's quality standards for government procurement.
How Many Lights Does Your Village Road Need?
Measure your road length (use Google Maps satellite view or walk it with a measuring tape). Divide by 25 for 30W lights or 30 for 40W lights to get the number of poles. Add 10% for corners, junctions, and entry/exit points. For a 1 km village road: approximately 40–45 lights. For a 500m lane: 20–22 lights. Always illuminate school entrances, community halls, and water sources separately even if they fall outside the main road alignment.
Writing the Technical Specification for Tender
Your tender should specify: LED wattage (30W or 40W), colour temperature (5000–6500K cool white for roads), luminous efficacy minimum 130 lm/W, battery capacity minimum 256 Wh, battery type LiFePO4, panel wattage minimum 1.5× LED wattage, controller type MPPT, pole height and material (GI or FRP), IP rating IP65 minimum, ingress protection IK08 for pole-mounted fixtures, and warranty period. Avoid writing brand names in tenders - specify performance parameters.
Red Flags When Comparing Quotes
Be suspicious if: the price is below ₹5,000 for a 30W system. The supplier cannot produce BIS test reports. The battery is described only in Ah without Wh or chemistry type. No local installation team is offered. Warranty is less than 1 year. The company has no physical address or factory. The lights are imported unbranded. Xera Tech has completed hundreds of gram panchayat projects across Maharashtra and provides full documentation including factory inspection visits for large orders.
