Commissioning & Field Verification of Solar Lighting Systems
Commissioning is what confirms a solar lighting system will actually perform — verifying panel orientation and shading, battery state and controller settings, measured light levels, and active monitoring — and documenting it protects both the owner and the warranty. For solar especially, commissioning catches the harvest-side mistakes (shading, wrong tilt) that would otherwise surface only in winter.
This reference covers verifying the harvest side, storage and control, and the light and documentation.
Verify the harvest side
Confirm panel orientation and tilt match the design (true south, design tilt); that there's no shading across the day from trees, structures, or the pole itself (partial shade disproportionately cuts output); and that panel condition and mounting are secure and clean. Harvest-side errors are the most common and the most consequential — a shaded or mis-tilted panel undermines an otherwise perfect system.
Verify storage and control
Confirm battery state of charge/health is nominal and the BMS is functioning; that controller settings (MPPT configuration, operating profile, dimming/motion thresholds, dusk/dawn timing) match the design; and that wiring and seals are intact with IP integrity maintained. The settings that were specified must actually be programmed into the controller.
Verify the light and document
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Measure light | Footcandles and uniformity at the design grid vs prediction and IES target |
| Confirm profile | Operating profile verified overnight |
| Confirm monitoring | Monitoring/alerts active |
| Document | As-built orientation/tilt, shading check, controller settings, measured vs predicted, punch list |
With the system operating, measure footcandles and uniformity at the design grid points and compare to the prediction and IES target; confirm the operating profile overnight; verify monitoring/alerts are active; then produce a commissioning report. 360 Solar supports commissioning.
Frequently asked questions
What is solar lighting commissioning?
Verifying panel orientation and shading, battery and controller settings, measured light levels, and active monitoring — and documenting it to protect the owner and warranty.
How do you verify the harvest side?
Confirm orientation and tilt match the design, no shading across the day, and that panels are secure and clean.
How do you verify storage and control?
Confirm battery health and BMS function, controller settings match the design, and wiring and seals are intact with IP integrity.
How are light levels verified and documented?
Measure footcandles and uniformity at the design grid vs prediction and IES target, confirm the overnight profile and monitoring, and produce a commissioning report.
Why is harvest-side verification critical for solar?
Shading or wrong tilt undermines the whole system and would otherwise surface only in winter — commissioning catches it at install.
Ask about commissioning support. Get a free design at 360solarlighting.com/free-quote.