Research and Development

Optics

A lot of Reddot product belongs to the Signal Light category. Optic design is a important part in signal light because signal light need to focus light to a specific pattern. The light pattern could be directional or a specific spread angle, etc.

To get the desired light pattern, optic design tools are applied. Reddot uses software to design our product and make sure that we can provide state-of-the-art product to our customers

Fresnel lens is a common used optical part in Reddot products. The Fresnel lens reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional spherical lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections known as "Fresnel zones".
Fresnel lenses are usually made of glass or plastic; their size varies from large (old historical lighthouses, meter size) to medium (book-reading aids, OHP viewgraph projectors) to small (TLR/SLR camera screens, micro-optics). In many cases they are very thin and flat, almost flexible, with thicknesses in the 1 to 5 millimeter range.

LED technology

Over the past 10 years, advances in high intensity LEDs have made their use preferable to incandescent lamps for many signaling applications. Among the special advantages of LEDs, in comparison with incandescent lamps, are:

• Longer expected operational lifetime
• Higher electro-optic efficiency, particularly for colored light
• Improved color purity
• Shock and vibration resistance
• Low service cost

LED Types

There are many types of LEDs, differing in packaging methods, but sharing the same basic technology. LEDs can be generally divided into two groups by power: low power and high power.

Low power LEDs

High power LEDs

High power or illumination LEDs are used to illuminate other objects or as high intensity, concentrated light sources. The high power LED, Figure 3, employs a large metal slug for heat conduction with electrical leads isolated from the thermal path. This structure dramatically improves heat transfer, supporting greater die size and increased operating current.

Solar panel

GREEN & CLEAN energy

Solar panels (arrays of photovoltaic cells) make use of renewable energy from the sun, and are a clean and environmentally sound means of collecting solar energy. The solar panel can be used as a component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications.

Reddot serves a wide range of industries. In a lot of cases, it requires solar energy as power supply of the light. For example, a telecom base station in a remote place, or a marine light in the ocean. With solar panel, marking lights in those locations could be realized, and make the job nice and easy.

Great advantages of solar function:
• Set up lights in locations that are impossible in the past time
• No cable needed, big saving
• No more cable lay-out job needed

Disadvantages:
• Low energy generating, can not load big power light like medium intensity obstruction light
• Rechargeable battery need to be changed from time to time
• Extra space needed by solar panel

When consideration our solar light, please take all those factors into account in order to get the best solution.

Solar panel angle

In order to collect more sunlight, the solar panel should be set to a position that is vertically facing the sun at noon. Desired solar panel angle = Local latitude For example, Shanghai's latitude is 33°, then solar panel angle should be 33°

Peak sun hours

The amount of energy generated from a PV system is influenced by a lot of factors, but most importantly by the array size and the amount of sun received. As the amount of sunshine that hits any fixed surface varies greatly throughout the day and for days in different seasons, usually an average value is quoted, the so called peak sun hours (PSH).

Rechargeable Batteries

Batteries, an essential part of the power systems, must be properly designed, installed, operated and maintained if they are to deliver this level of availability.