d.Light S30

Market Suggested Retail Price

$9.90

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

The product is sold by online retailers and locally through d.Light's 25,000 retail outlets across 70 countries worldwide.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The product is mass-produced in China.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademarked

User Provision Model

Users can purchase the product from one of d.Light's 25,000 retail outlets across 70 countries or online.

Distributions to Date Status

Unknown

Design Specifications

The d.Light S30 is a solar LED lantern powered by a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery (450 mAh, 3.2 V). It is charged by an integrated monocrystalline silicon solar panel (0.33 Wp), or can also be charged with grid power using a standard Nokia phone charger (not included when purchasing this product). The 2 LEDs inside the light point emit white light and are listed for a 60,000-hour lifetime. The product has two brightness settings and from a full day's charging on a clear, sunny day it can provide 12 hours of light in its standard or 3 hours of light in its high (60 lm) brightness setting. The d.Light S30 features a multiple-setting metal handle that allows for carrying or hanging from a hook. It also features a smart LED indicator for solar charge intensity, a glow-in-the-dark button and is manufactured from UV resistant plastic that also makes it weather resistant to sun and rain. The product's conical design redirects light in all directions. This is assisted by its ability to be placed upside-down on its angled top to focus light upwards. Further specifications are available here (from the manufacturer) and here (from Lighting Global).

Technical Support

Products within the 2 year warranty period (from the date of purchase) can be returned to the retailer at a user's point of purchase for replacement free of charge. Beyond that, d.Light provides customer support (contact details available here).

Replacement Components

Replaceable components include the battery, however, specialized tools are required to perform this replacement, and replacement of any component voids the warranty.

Lifecycle

d.Light state the product lifetime as "well over 5 years (inclusive of battery)". They also provide a 2-year warranty which covers product failure from normal use. The conditions on the warranty are listed here.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

d.Light intend the S30 to be suitable for lighting a home, shop, or stall without having to use kerosene or candles. They specify that the product is portable, sturdy, weather-resistant for sun and rain, maintenance-free, 6x brighter than kerosene, and safe compared to candles and kerosene. They also specify that it can be used daily even during cloudy conditions.

Vetted Performance Status

Lighting Global confirmed that the d.Light S30 complies (verification document) with the Lighting Global Quality Standards by testing according to the Quality Test Method given in edition 3 of IEC/TS 62257-9-5. The results can be found here. The testing categories (all passed) are Truth In Advertising; Lumen Maintenance; Battery Composition; Battery Protection; Battery Durability; Physical Ingress Protection; Water Ingress Protection; Drop Test; Soldering and Electronics Workmanship; Mechanical Durability; Minimum Warranty Terms; Performance Reporting.

Safety

No known safety hazards are related to this product. Users must take appropriate precautions when using grid power to charge this device.

Complementary Technical Systems

d.Light supplies multiple solar products from solar lanterns to solar home systems.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

The d.Light S30 is certified under SONCAP and PVoC for import into Nigeria and Kenya respectively. It also complies with IEC Technical Specification 62257-9-5 as tested by Lighting Global using the Quality Test Method. The factory where the product is constructed complies with ISO standards ISO 9001:2015 - Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001:2015 - Environmental Management Systems.

Other Information

d.Light's role in providing solar lanterns to replace kerosene lamps and the impacts this can have received a mention here: International Finance Corporation, 2018, Kakuma as a Marketplace: A consumer and market study of a refugee camp and town in northwest Kenya. IFC Report. The hazards associated with kerosene lighting are also discussed in this Acumen blog post.