Short answer: choose the supplier that proves its numbers, not the one with the biggest wattage or the lowest price. Check that it makes or controls production, gives test reports for the exact model, states real LED watts and battery watt-hours, sends a lighting calculation and energy balance for your site, provides samples, puts the warranty in writing, accepts third-party inspection and knows your country’s import certificate.
China supplies most of the world’s solar street lights, and quotations for what looks like the same light can differ by a factor of two or three. The difference is usually in the battery, the panel and the paperwork, and it shows up after the first rainy season.
Key numbers
- In Lighting Global’s 2017 market test of solar products in five countries, 88 % advertised their performance inaccurately.
- Uganda’s review of its USMID programme found only 54.7 % of second-phase street lighting projects met the 9 lux minimum, and recommended pre-shipment checks and computer lighting designs.
- Since May 2025, Tanzania fines regulated goods that arrive without a certificate of conformity 15 % of CIF value.
The 12 checks
| # | Check | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who makes it | A named production site you can visit or see on a live video tour, and a clear statement of what is made in-house and what is bought in |
| 2 | Real specifications | Actual LED watts, luminaire lumens, battery voltage and watt-hours, panel watts and size; no “300 W” labels for a 40 W light |
| 3 | Test reports for the exact model | LM-79 with IES file, IEC 60598 safety, IP and IK, battery IEC 62133 or 62619 and UN38.3, from an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory, with the producer named |
| 4 | Lighting calculation | A calculation for your road with the IES file of the light offered, showing average, uniformity and class |
| 5 | Energy balance | Nightly Wh by dimming step against panel Wh in your worst month, with the margin and autonomy stated |
| 6 | Battery at end of warranty | Cell type and cycle rating, and the capacity still available in the last warranty year |
| 7 | Samples | A sample of the offered model before the order, and production matched to the approved sample |
| 8 | Warranty in writing | Years and limits per component, exclusions, response time and spare parts |
| 9 | Third-party inspection | Accepts SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or your inspector before shipment |
| 10 | Import certificate | Knows your country’s programme (KEBS, UNBS, TBS, SONCAP, ECAE) and prepares the documents with the agency |
| 11 | Tender support | Manufacturer’s authorisation naming your company and tender, datasheets in the tender’s format, quick answers to clarifications |
| 12 | Responsiveness | A clear answer within a working day; a quotation with engineering within a few days |
Red flags
- Wattage far above the panel size. A panel cannot be rated much above 230 W per square metre; see our spec-sheet checks.
- Battery quoted in mAh without voltage, or a light that weighs less than its claimed battery should.
- Test reports for a different model, an unaccredited lab, or no producer name on the report.
- No calculation offered. A supplier who cannot show the lux on your road is guessing.
- “Lights 3 rainy days” with no panel margin. Without spare panel the battery is never refilled in the rainy season; see our 10-city autonomy simulation.
How to compare quotations fairly
Send every supplier the same road data: width, pole spacing, mounting height, lighting class, location and lighting hours. Ask for the same items back: datasheet, IES file, calculation, energy balance, warranty terms and documents list. Then compare price per real watt-hour of battery and per real lumen, not price per light. A quotation that is 30 % cheaper with half the battery is not cheaper.
How we answer the 12 checks
| Check | Solmast |
|---|---|
| Who makes it | Solmast is the export brand of Yunnan Maodian Intelligent Co., Ltd. Lights, poles and structures are made at two partner production bases near Kunming that we work with directly; we manage design, quality checks and export documents, and visits and live video audits are welcome. See our factory page. |
| Specifications, calculation and energy balance | Every offer states actual LED power, battery Wh, panel W and dimming profile, with a lighting calculation and an energy balance for your site. |
| Test reports and import certificates | Tell us the list your tender requires; we confirm which reports are available for that model and prepare the import certificate with the approved agency. |
| Samples, inspection, warranty, speed | Samples before production, third-party inspection accepted, warranty terms in writing, reply within one working day. |
FAQ
How do I know a Chinese supplier is a real manufacturer?
Ask for a live video tour of the production lines making your product, the business licence, and test reports naming the producer. Traders can be useful, but you should know which you are dealing with.
Should I choose the supplier with the lowest price?
Only after checking that the battery, panel and documents are equal. Compare price per real watt-hour and per real lumen.
Which documents should a supplier provide for a government tender?
Usually a manufacturer’s authorisation, datasheet, test reports for the exact model, IES file, warranty letter and, in many countries, a sample. Our Kenya tender checklist shows a typical list.
Is third-party inspection worth it?
Yes, for any project order. It checks the shipment against the approved sample and specification before you pay the balance.
How we help
Send us your tender or road data and the quotations you are comparing. We will return our offer with the calculation and energy balance, and show the comparison line by line. See our solar street lights and the pages for Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.
Send your tender for a comparison
Sources: Lighting Global / CLASP, Quality Matters (2018); Uganda MLHUD technical study on public lighting in USMID-AF (2024); Tanzania Bureau of Standards PVoC notices (2025); IEC 60598, IEC 62133, IEC 62619, IES LM-79; ISO/IEC 17025. The checklist is our own guidance. Related: importing from China step by step, warranty.