<p>Smart Pole Infrastructure Solutions</p>

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Smart Pole

<p>Smart IoT Solutions for Street Lighting Management</p>

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Street Lighting

SmartCity

StreetLightingControl

SmartPole

GroupСontrol

IndividualСontrol

Solutions

Products

LEDLuminaires

DALItechnology

LightingControlSystems

LoRa

SmartLighting

UrbanInnovation

StreetLighting

Sustainability

SmartCities

SustainableDevelopment

SafetyFirst

CrimePrevention 

UrbanPlanning

PublicSafety

CrimeReduction

CommunityDevelopment

LEDLighting

UrbanInfrastructure

SustainableCities

LEDStreetLights

UrbanLighting

SustainableLiving

TechInnovation

EnergySaving

EnergyEfficiency

LEDTechnology

AdaptiveLighting

<div class="raw-html-embed"><p>Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are the most energy-efficient lighting technology available today. They last longer, disperse light effectively, and their brightness can be dimmed, which reduces light pollution and saves energy.</p>

<p>Cities are actively switching to LED lighting. For instance, Bristol is installing 29,000 LED lights without replacing the poles, aiming to complete the work by the end of 2025 <a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/upgrading-to-led-street-lighting" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>. New South Wales, Australia, has already installed 217,000 LED lights as part of its smart street lighting program <a href="https://www.ausgrid.com.au/In-your-community/Streetlights/LED-Streetlight-Rollout" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>. Philadelphia, USA, is also transitioning to LED lights, with over 80% of the planned work completed, and a recent study (May 2025) has already shown a 21% decrease in street crimes involving firearms <a href="https://www.phila.gov/2025-06-16-an-update-on-philadelphias-key-climate-actions/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>.</p>

<p>LED lights shine brightly, enhancing visibility and deterring offenders. But what happens if an LED light starts emitting purple light?</p>
</div>

<div class="raw-html-embed"><h2>Purple light from street LED lights: this shouldn’t happen</h2>

<p>If an LED light starts emitting purple light, it’s not a design choice but a result of a manufacturing defect in the light fixture.</p>

<p>LEDs themselves do not emit white light; they can produce red, green, yellow, or blue light. White LED lighting is created by mixing different wavelengths of light. Blue light from a blue diode passes through a phosphor layer. This fluorescent material absorbs some of the blue light and converts it into red and yellow. Consequently, the three colors (blue, red, and yellow) mix, and we see white light.</p>

<p>Unusual purple light is a direct indication of a defect. The issue occurs when the phosphor coating on the LED chips is damaged: small cracks appear, layers peel off, or, in the worst case, the chips are completely exposed. When the phosphor peels off, it ceases to convert the blue light, allowing it to escape and mix with the remaining light, resulting in a purple hue.</p>

<p>Such defective lights can be part of large batches supplied to utility services. For instance, the Canadian utility company Manitoba Hydro reported similar purple street lights in Vancouver, several U.S. states, and the UK <a href="https://www.hydro.mb.ca/articles/2022/11/whats_up_with_purple_street_lights/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[4]</a>.</p>
</div>

<div class="raw-html-embed"><h2>Is this a problem? Yes.</h2>

<p>Purple street light is unsafe for drivers and pedestrians. Proper color rendering of lighting is crucial for object recognition. Intense blue and purple light impairs the eyes’ ability to distinguish details since the center of the retina lacks cells sensitive to blue light. Moreover, a high proportion of blue light from street lights is detrimental to human health <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.119-a472" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[5]</a>.</p>

<p>Consequently, lighting that initially met industry and national standards no longer complies. Preventing purple glow once the defect has appeared is impossible. The only solution is to replace the defective light fixture, which incurs additional costs and diminishes trust in urban modernization projects.</p>
</div>

Photo shows an LED street light emitting a purple glow, likely due to a faulty phosphor coating, instead of the expected white light.

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<div class="raw-html-embed"><h2>How to prevent the problem of purple LED light</h2>

<p>To completely eliminate purple glow in street lights, a comprehensive approach to the lighting project is necessary, beginning from the earliest planning stages.</p>

<p>The LED chips used in street lights must undergo rigorous testing according to the LM-80 standard, which confirms their color stability and compliance with requirements. Additionally, request test reports for LED chips to ensure the reliability and durability of the lamps <a href="https://www.zgsm-china.com/blog/lifetime-of-leds-and-led-light.html#whats-lm80-and-whats-it-used-for" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[6]</a>.</p>

<p>Select suppliers who provide a warranty covering defects caused by manufacturing flaws. This will enable free replacement of faulty lamps.</p>
</div>

<div class="raw-html-embed"><h2>Conclusion</h2>
<h3>Smart street lighting: beyond just light</h3>

<p>Street LED lamps offer numerous advantages, but they alone do not address all the challenges faced by municipalities. This is where <a href="https://streetlighting.sundrax.com/products/zhaga-gsm-node" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Qulon street lighting systems</a> come in, delivering high performance and reliability, and unlocking the full potential of LEDs.</p>

<p>For instance, the Zhaga lighting controller, operating via GSM, features a built-in accelerometer that monitors the condition of the poles, preventing on-site breakdowns. At the zone and district level, the monitoring system offers highly accurate tracking of energy consumption parameters, flexible lighting schedule settings, analytics for further energy savings, and preventive maintenance.</p>
</div>

<div class="raw-html-embed"><h2>References</h2>

<ol>
  <li><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/upgrading-to-led-street-lighting" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Upgrading to LED street lighting</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.ausgrid.com.au/In-your-community/Streetlights/LED-Streetlight-Rollout" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">LED Streetlight Rollout</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.phila.gov/2025-06-16-an-update-on-philadelphias-key-climate-actions/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">An update on Philadelphia’s key climate actions</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.hydro.mb.ca/articles/2022/11/whats_up_with_purple_street_lights/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Manitoba Hydro – “What’s up with purple street lights?”</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.119-a472" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Mixed Blessing of Phosphor-Based White LEDs</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.zgsm-china.com/blog/lifetime-of-leds-and-led-light.html#whats-lm80-and-whats-it-used-for" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">How Long do LED Lights Last?</a></li>
</ol>
</div>

LED street light with a defect, glowing purple rather than white, possibly from an issue with the LED's phosphor layer.

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<p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(31,31,31);">Discover why some LED street lights glow purple! Learn about manufacturing defects, safety risks, and solutions in this insightful article on urban lighting issues.</span></p>

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Small street lighting cabinet/segment controllers

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<p>Street Light Controller QULON C1 is designed for remote diagnostics and control of street lighting systems.</p><p>For two-way communication with other devices and meters, Street Light Controller QULON C1 uses RS-485 interfaces. A 2G cellular connection is used to communicate with the QULON server.</p><p>The unit is powered from 110/220 V AC or 9-36 V DC.</p><p>The Street Light Controller QULON C1 can be configured remotely using the QULON control system and the DIP switches on the unit.</p><p>The unit is designed for DIN rail mounting in a lighting control cabinet.</p>

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Digital timer switch street light control - QULON C1

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Small street light controller – QULON C1 remote diagnostic panel

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Auto street light controller QULON C1 - energy-saving lighting

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IoT street light controller system - QULON C1 compact unit

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QULON C1 street light auto control system with remote access

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Street Light Controller QULON C1, AC, 2G, 2 relays, 3 inputs, RS

Street Light Controller QULON C1, DC, 2G, 2 relays, 3 inputs, RS

Mechanical

Power & Electrical

Environment

Interfaces and Protocols

Inputs / Outputs

Configuration / Indication

Package Contents

Street Light Controller QULON C1

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 Advanced street  lighting cabinet/segment controllers

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<p>Street Light Controller QULON C2 is the central controller of the QULON control system. It is designed to provide remote monitoring and control of all electrical equipment in the lighting control cabinet: magnetic starters, QULON system accessories, etc.</p><p>Street Light Controller QULON C2 uses RS-485 or CAN interfaces for two-way communication with other devices and meters. A 2G/3G/4G cellular or 10/100 Base TX Ethernet wired connection is used to communicate with the QULON server. The unit is equipped with a GPS module for time synchronization and geo-positioning.</p><p>The unit is powered from 110/220 V AC or 9-36 VDC.</p><p>Street Light Controller QULON C2 is remotely configurable using the QULON control system and the DIP switches on the unit.</p><p>The unit is designed for DIN rail mounting in a lighting control cabinet.</p>

Dimensional Scheme QULON C, QULON C2, QULON R, QULON MONARQ

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QULON C2 automatic street light controller panel with dimming

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Central control system for street lights - QULON C2 controller

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Intelligent street lighting controller QULON C2 with remote control

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CCMS street light control panel - QULON C2 for lighting cabinets

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Smart city street light controller QULON C2 with remote diagnostics

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Street Light Controller QULON C2, AC, 2G/3G/4G, 4 relays, 7 inputs, RS, CAN, Ethernet, GPS, Region: E

Street Light Controller QULON C2, AC, 2G/3G/4G, 4 relays, 7 inputs, RS, CAN, Ethernet, GPS, Region: A

Street Light Controller QULON C2, DC, 2G/3G/4G, 4 relays, 7 inputs, RS, CAN, Ethernet, GPS, Region: E

Street Light Controller QULON C2, DC, 2G/3G/4G, 4 relays, 7 inputs, RS, CAN, Ethernet, GPS, Region: A

Street Light Controller QULON C2

Why are some street lights purple?

<p>Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor components that emit light when an electric current passes through them. The key technical advantage of LEDs over traditional light sources is their high energy efficiency and longer service life. Lamp replacement remains a relevant issue. According to a review published in the <i>Journal of Sensors</i> in 2022, most existing street lighting networks still use high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) lamps. HPS lamps have a service life of up to 24,000 hours, which is several times shorter than that of LEDs. Their high energy consumption (up to 400 W), low color rendering index, and mercury and lead content make them an obsolete technology <sup>[1]</sup>.</p><p>The transition to LEDs is a fundamental shift. The technological advantage of LEDs lies in their ability to support digital control, enabling the creation of smart lighting networks.</p>

LED smart street lights

<p>Electricity providers – for example, the Australian company Ausgrid – identify the modernization of street lighting as a priority. Completed retrofit projects have shown that LED luminaires reduce energy consumption and minimize maintenance costs. At the same time, lighting quality improves thanks to higher brightness and better beam direction. Some Australian luminaires are equipped with smart features for dimming, consumption monitoring, and fault diagnostics. All new LED poles can also be used as platforms for air quality sensors, parking monitoring, and other urban service applications <sup>[2]</sup>.</p><p>High energy use and aging infrastructure are the main reasons why municipalities are replacing existing lighting with LEDs. In the context of resource savings, intelligent control systems provide maximum efficiency.</p>

Modernization of street lighting – a requirement of urban development

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  The deployment of municipal IoT applications requires a compromise between cost and communication range. 
  Short-range technologies such as Wi-Fi are inefficient in terms of energy use, while global systems such as GSM are comparatively 
  expensive for scalable deployment. Low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) have proven effective, offering low energy consumption 
  and a long coverage radius (up to 5 km). LoRa and NB-IoT are the leading LPWAN technologies used to build smart device networks.
</p>

<p>
  <a href="https://streetlighting.sundrax.com/products/litouch-base-station-lite" target="_blank">
    The LiTouch Lite base station
  </a> 
  is an ultra-compact IoT gateway linking the system core with its periphery. The device supports up to 1,000 nodes, enabling remote control 
  of luminaires via LiTouch controllers and D4i sensors. A 2G/4G mobile network provides the connection to the server platform. 
  With IP66 protection, the gateway is designed for harsh environments and remote configuration.
</p> 
</div>

Automation of LED lighting

<p><strong>From simple lighting to intelligent infrastructure</strong><br>The proposed smart lighting system enables remote operation and adaptive regulation. The light intensity of each luminaire or group of luminaires is modulated depending on the time of day, weather conditions, and the presence of vehicles or pedestrians.</p><p>A comparative study launched in Italy in 2018 demonstrated that smart lighting systems with motion and presence sensors deliver up to <strong>82.99%</strong> energy savings compared to traditional systems. This is twice the savings achieved by LEDs alone (42.07%) <sup>[3]</sup>. Such an investment quickly pays for itself.</p>

Conclusion

References

<div class="raw-html-embed"><ol>
  <li>
    <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2022/5249187" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
      Smart City: Recent Advances in Intelligent Street Lighting Systems Based on IoT – Amjad Omar, Sara AlMaeeni, Hussain Attia, Maen Takruri, Ahmed Altunaiji, Mihai Sanduleanu, Raed Shubair, Moh’d Sami Ashhab, Maryam Al Ali, Ghaya Al Hebsi
    </a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="https://www.ausgrid.com.au/In-your-community/Streetlights/LED-Streetlight-Rollout" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
      Ausgrid – LED Streetlight Rollout
    </a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/3/4/71" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">
      Advanced Adaptive Street Lighting Systems for Smart Cities – Gianfranco Gagliardi, Marco Lupia, Gianni Cario, Francesco Tedesco, Francesco Cicchello Gaccio, Fabrizio Lo Scudo, Alessandro Casavola
    </a>
  </li>
</ol></div>

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Smart lighting system controlled via IoT network

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<p>LED smart street lights mark a major step forward in urban infrastructure. By combining energy-efficient LEDs with intelligent control systems, cities reduce costs, improve lighting quality, and enable IoT-based urban services. Case studies show that adaptive smart lighting can deliver energy savings of up to 82.99%.</p>

Smart LED Street Lights Energy Efficiency and Intelligent Control. Smart city solutions

<p>The driver, a critical component that regulates power to the LEDs, frequently becomes the weakest link in the longevity of street lighting. Its lifespan often falls short of the LED module it powers due to the quality and durability of its internal components, notably electrolytic capacitors.&nbsp;</p><p>These components are particularly vulnerable to failure over time, leading to the premature demise of the light. Furthermore, fluctuations in electricity quality, especially in areas subject to significant voltage surges like highways, pose a serious threat to driver integrity. Ensuring the driver is well-cooled and protected against voltage spikes, through a well-designed heatsink housing and surge protection, is crucial for enhancing reliability.</p>

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The Achilles' Heel: Driver Quality

<h2>Shining a Light on the Challenges</h2><p>LED street lights have been lauded as the cornerstone of modern urban lighting strategies, known for their energy efficiency, longevity, and brighter illumination. However, beneath the glow of these advanced technological marvels lies a spectrum of challenges that can affect their reliability and performance. Understanding the complexities of LED flashlight construction—encompassing the housing, driver, LED strip with an optical system, and often a protection module against voltage surges and a sophisticated control system—is pivotal in diagnosing and mitigating potential issues. Here we dissect the primary problems plaguing LED street lights and how to address them.</p>

<p>Uncover the challenges facing LED street lights, from driver quality and design dilemmas to the intricate balance of operating modes. Learn how informed choices and advanced control systems can illuminate the path to reliable, efficient urban lighting.</p>

The Problems with LED Street Lights

Smart street lighting and lighting control

Why are some street lights purple?

Smart LED Street Lights Energy Efficiency and Intelligent Control. Smart city solutions

The Problems with LED Street Lights

Smart street lighting
and lighting control