Updated on January 27, 2024

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Created on October 5, 2018

d.Light D30

Upcoming Update

d.Light D30 is a plug and play solar home system with Pay-As-You-Go functionality that includes a solar panel, mobile-charging battery pack, three solar lights with three wall switches, a portable torch and an FM radio. As of early 2020, this product has

Developed By
  1. d.light
Tested By
  • Lighting Global
Content Partners
Unknown

Author

Product Description

The d.Light D30 is a Solar Home System that provides home lighting and charging capabilities through an energy system composed of a solar panel, a Lithium-iron phosphate battery, three lanterns with wall switches and a portable torch. The device comes with USB output for universal charging of mobile phones and other electronic devices, such as the FM radio included in the kit. Designed and manufactured by d.Light, and with a plug-and-play installation, it has Pay-As-You-Go functionality and two brightness settings, providing 17 hours of lighting at the lower brightness setting.

As of 2020, this product is discontinued. An archived version of the product’s webpage is available here.

Target SDGs

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Market Suggested Retail Price

$177.68

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Before it was discontinued, the product was sold by online retailers and locally through d.Light’s 25,000 retail outlets across 70 countries worldwide. Some retailers may still have the product available while stocks last.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The product is mass produced in China.

Intellectural Property Type

Trademark

User Provision Model

This product is now discontinued but users could previously obtain the D30 Solar Home System directly from one of d.Light’s partners with 25,000 retail outlets across 70 countries worldwide or by purchase from online retailers such as Nuria, Jumia and Indiamart. Some retailers may still have the product available while stocks last.

Distributions to Date Status

The data on current distributions to date of the D30 is not publicly available, however 120,000 units of the D30 were sold in the first 7 months after it launched. Beyond the D30, d.Light have sold over 20 million solar lights and power products in over 65 countries through the four centers in Africa, China, South Asia and the United States, based on calculations done using d.light's developing world sales and United Nations and International Finance Corporation research.

Description of power outputs

1 USB outlet

Description of light points

4 LEDs

Total lighting service (lumen-hours per solar-day)

2,200 lumen-hours per solar-day

Peak power rating (Wp)

9 Wp

Battery capacity (kWh; mAh)

3,000 mAh (main unit); 1,000 mAh (radio); 1,500 mAh (torch)

Nominal battery voltage (V)

6.4 V (main unit); 3.7 V (radio and torch)

Battery type

Lithium-iron phosphate

User replaceable battery (yes/no)

No

Remote system diagnostics (yes/no)

Yes

Payment structure

Pay-as-you-go

Mobile service required (yes/no)

Yes

Design Specifications

The d.Light D30 is comprised of a 9 Wp Polycrystalline silicon solar panel, a 3000 mAh, 6.4 V Lithium-iron phosphate battery and solar controller, 3 LED lamps with wall switches (upgradeable to four lamps) and a USB port for charging mobile phones. Also included are a rechargeable portable torch (with 1500 mAh, 3.7 V battery), a rechargeable solar FM radio (1000 mAh, 3.7 V battery) and a universal USB adaptor for mobile phone charging. The individual lamps each emit 120 lm of white light in a wide distribution on their high brightness setting and the torch emits 75 lm of white light in a narrow distribution on its high brightness setting. The battery and solar controller unit shows the credit remaining based on current Pay-as-you-go payments and current battery level on an LCD screen.

Product Schematics

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 provide customer support.

Replacement Components

Except the FM radio and torch being covered by a 1-year warranty, the product has a 2-year warranty covering manufacturing defects. According to Lightning Global, the battery is not easily replaceable with common tools.

 

Lifecycle

Prior to discontinuing this product, the manufacturer listed the lifetime as "over 5 years" for the D30 on their webpage.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

D.Light specify that the D30 is capable of "fully lighting several rooms at once in homes and businesses" and "charging mobile phones and other small, USB-powered devices". They also expect users to be able to "us[e] the FM radio to stay up-to-date on important news" and use the portable torch inside and outside. They also intend for the users to be able to upgrade their D30 with an additional lamp. The product page described that the battery should last "5-17 hours of light per full charge" and that it should emit light "12x brighter than kerosene".

Vetted Performance Status

Lighting Global confirmed that the d.Light D30 complies 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 and certification were valid until May 31, 2020. 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. As specific testing of the lighting elements of the system: A full day's charging with the 9 Wp polycrystalline silicon module will provide enough stored energy in the battery to power the three lamps on a high brightness setting for 5.6 hours and the torch on high brightness setting for 3 hours, resulting in a total light output of 360 lumens and 75 lumens, respectively. Total lightning service for this product is 2200 lumen-hours/solar-day for the four lightning points with high-brightness setting. Regarding lumen maintenance, after 2,000 hours run time, 97% of the lamps' original output remains and 94% of the torch's original output remains.

Safety

This Solar Home System is a plug and play device, however, electrical installation and control guidelines provided by d.Light must be followed to avoid electrical shocks.

Complementary Technical Systems

d.Light commercializes multiple solar products from solar lanterns and solar home systems to solar appliances.

Academic Research and References

Chen, A. Z., Fischer, J., Fraker, A., Shah, N.B., Shirrell, S., Stein, D., 2017, Welfare impacts of an entry-level solar home system in UgandaJournal of Development Effectiveness, 9(2), pp. 277-294.

Esper, H., London, T. and Kanchwala, Y., 2013, Access to clean lighting and its impact on children: An exploration of solaraid’s sunnymoney. Child Impact Case Study No. 4, William Davidson Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

IDinsight, 2015, d.light Solar Home System Impact Evaluation. IDinsight Report.

Institute of Developing Economies, 2015, Impacts of Solar Lanterns in Geographically Challenged Locations: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh.

International Rescue Committee, 2014, “Lighting the way: The role of handheld solar lamps in improving women’s and girl’s perceptions of safety in two camps for internally displaced people in Haiti.

Lemaire, X., 2018, Solar home systems and solar lanterns in rural areas of the Global South: What impact? WIREs Energy Environ, 7(5), e301.

Why Choose Us. n.d. d.Light.

Partners. n.d. d.Light.

About us. n.d. d.Light.

United Nations. n.d. un.org.

International Finance Corporation. n.d. IFC.

Customer Support. n.d. d.Light.

IEC TS 62257-9-5:2018 | IEC Webstore. n.d. webstore.iec.ch.

Solar Products. n.d. VeraSol.

ISO. 2015. ISO 9001:2015. ISO.

ISO. 2018. ISO 14001:2015. ISO.

Quality Standards. n.d. VeraSol.

Previously Certified Products. n.d. VeraSol.

d.Light. 2019. D30. web.archive.org.

D Light D30. n.d. Nuria Store.

Dlight D30 Solar Home Systems. n.d. Indiamart.com.

d.light. 2017. D.light’s D30 Pay-Go Solar Home System Becomes Fastest Pay-Go Off-Grid Solar Product to Reach Scale. www.prnewswire.com.

 

Compliance with regulations

This product meets the Lightning Global Quality Standards for Solar Home System Kits valid until May 31, 2020. Through the same testing by Lighting Global, it was found to also comply with IEC Technical Specification 62257-9-5. The factory where the product is constructed complies with ISO standards ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental Management Systems.

Evaluation methods

The D30 was tested using the Quality Test Method (QTM) by Lighting Global in the Shenzhen Academy of Metrology and Quality Inspection in China. This is the full test method within IEC Technical Specification 62257-9-5 used by Lighting Global to verify comprehensive product performance. Results from QTM testing determine if a product meets the Lighting Global Minimum Quality Standards and IEC Technical Specification 62257-9-5.   As part of the QTM, the d.Light D30 has passed the following Durability tests: Drop test, Switch and Connector Cycling, Strain Relief Test, Physical Ingress Protection Test, Protection from Frequent Rain. The battery box meets the Lightning Global Quality Standards for battery durability.

Other Information

d.Light has won several awards and recognition since 2007. All the details can be seen here. This case study video highlights the impact a d.Light Solar Home System in Kenya has had. Another case study focuses on the impact of the D30 specifically for another businesswoman in Kenya. The d.Light D30 was the fastest Pay-as-you-go Solar Home System to reach scale as of March 2017 according to PR Newswire.

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