Compared to conventional high-pressure sodium lighting, LED lighting is more economical, environmentally friendly, and energy-efficient. Because of their many benefits in terms of luminous efficiency and lighting effects, they are widely used in solar powered street lights.
It’s important to pay close attention to details when buying accessories like LED lenses that impact luminosity and light utilization. Glass lenses, PC lenses, and PMMA lenses are three distinct materials. So what kind of lens would be the best one for energy-saving LED street lamps?
1. PMMA Lens
Optical-grade PMMA, also known as acrylic, is a plastic that can be easily processed, typically through extrusion or injection molding. It has an extremely high production efficiency and a simple design. It allows LED light sources to have extraordinary luminous efficiency because it is transparent, colorless, and has an amazing light transmittance of about 93% at a thickness of 3 mm (some high-end imported materials can reach 95%).
Additionally, this material has superior anti-aging and weather resistance. Its performance doesn’t change even after a prolonged period of exposure to difficult circumstances. It’s crucial to remember that this material’s heat distortion temperature of 92°C indicates its extremely low heat resistance. Indoor LED lighting is more common than outdoor LED lighting.
2. PC Lens
The production efficiency of this plastic material is very high, much like PMMA lenses. It can be injected or extruded based on the specifications. Its physical properties are extremely excellent, with very good impact resistance, reaching up to 3kg/cm², eight times that of PMMA and 200 times that of ordinary glass.
The material itself is unnatural and self-extinguishing, exhibiting a higher safety index. It also excels in heat and cold resistance, remaining undeformed within a temperature range of -30℃ to 120℃. Its sound and heat insulation performance is also impressive.
The weather resistance of this material is inferior to PMMA, though. Usually, a UV agent is added to enhance its performance and avoid discoloration even after years of outdoor use. UV light is absorbed by this substance and converted into visible light. Moreover, its light transmittance is slightly reduced at a thickness of 3 mm, at roughly 89%.
3. Glass Lens
Glass has a colorless, uniform texture. The most prominent aspect of it is its high light transmittance. Under the correct conditions, a 3 mm thickness can achieve 97% light transmittance, which results in very little light loss and a much wider light range. It also maintains its high light transmittance even after many years of use, has high hardness, high temperature resistance, and excellent weather resistance, and is barely impacted by external environmental factors.
Glass does, however, have some serious disadvantages. Compared to the two materials mentioned above, it is less safe because it is much more brittle and breaks easily upon impact. Under the same circumstances, it is also heavier, which makes transportation difficult. Its production is also far more complicated than that of the aforementioned plastic materials, which makes mass production challenging.
Full-power 30W–200W energy-saving LED street lamps are the focus of Tianxiang, a street light manufacturer. Because we use high-brightness chips and aviation-grade aluminum housings, our products have a color rendering index (CRI) of at least 80, strong luminous efficiency, uniform illumination, and rapid heat dissipation.
Fast delivery times, a three-year warranty, a sizable inventory, and assistance with personalized logos and specifications are all provided by Tianxiang. Large orders may be eligible for a discount. For more details and a cooperative effort that will benefit both parties, please contact us.
Post time: Jan-21-2026
