The Solar Lights Site

Party on with Solar Patio Lights

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:15:34 +0000

Patio lights are very important for anyone who wants to make the most of their patio at night. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors and many more applications than you may realize – especially solar powered lights. Have you ever considered holding an evening party on your very own patio? Hopefully this article will help you get some great ideas on how to maximize the enjoyment of the event for you as well as your guests.

Many people are unaware that a party at home can be just as delightful, even more so, than a party held at an outside venue. Because you are hosting from home, you feel more comfortable, and your guests will sense this and feel more at ease. Catering can be arranged if you don’t want the hassle of using your own kitchen, and the party will likely work out cheaper as a result – not to mention more personalized.

Also, because you are hosting your party on your own patio, you can choose to go later into the evening than if you were holding a party at a hired venue. With solar patio lights you can add lighting, fun, festivity and elegance to the evening and night-time party atmosphere, without adding to your household lighting bill. They can also be installed in a jiffy even if you have only very little DIY skill.

Many people who have a patio or deck also have a pool. Some choose to cover their pool for a party, feeling it unnecessary to display an expanse of plain water. But why not make a centerpiece of it, rather than hiding it away? Floating solar lights that are made for the water come in all shapes and sizes, some large, some small, but all adding intrigue to the setting. An intimate atmosphere can be attained by utilizing many tiny “floating candles” powered by solar lighting technology, or perhaps you prefer the timeless look of white floating lotus or ‘lilypad’ solar lighting, or the fun look of the jellyfish-shaped solar lights that have optical fiber tentacles, bobbing around mysteriously in the water. Not to mention the solar powered lights which can be obtained that are shaped like glowing orbs of many colors, even changing colors – ideal for lighting the paths, especially if there is a pool edge which guests need to be aware of.

Solar garden lights come in the shape of tulips to glow gently in amongst your patio-edging flower beds, illuminating your floral arrangements or box hedging and lending them all new moonlight hues. Other unusual solar patio lights include the snail, with a golden and intricate shell illuminated with warm golden light.

The sun jar is an irresistible type of solar patio lighting, with its appealing portability and ease of use. Looking just like a normal pantry jar in broad daylight, it is left to gather the sun’s rays during the daylight hours, and as the night comes on it begins to shine in a gentle shade of yellow, just like magic. The sun jar patio lighting technology has become so popular that a moon jar can also be purchased now; these glow in a luminescent shade of blue and are sure to delight your guests, from the youngest child to the oldest centenarian!

Have you seen the solar patio lanterns that come on a string, or that can be hung on a string? Some of these appear as authentic Chinese lanterns, complete with paper coverings or a waterproof and weatherproof synthetic paper substitute. Glowing gently in magenta, aqua, canary gold and sea green, these solar lights bring the Oriental feel right into your own backyard patio.

We interviewed Nerida Robinson about the engagement party that she held in she and her fiancé’s home – a summer barbecue and drinks party, held out on the patio. “I chose to use glass solar sting lights hung in the branches of my patio trees, which are quite tall but not overbearing. The glass solar string lights gave a fairy-like feeling of airiness to the whole patio, which was a feeling I was really going for – lightness, because that’s how Dave and I felt at the time – really light and carefree.” When asked if she chose other patio lighting as well, she replied, “Well, I didn’t want to buy lights which were going to use up more electricity. We were saving for the wedding, obviously, and weren’t too keen on being slugged by large lighting bills. But Dave and I are really into evening entertaining – and our house gets full sun all afternoon, which charges them really well – so we thought that solar lighting would be the way to go. We’ve been married for five years now, and our solar patio lights are still going strong. We’ve definitely got out money’s worth.”

As you can see, patio lighting is so much more these days than those early (and rather clunky!) solar lights that you brought home from the hardware store and poked into the ground, which lasted for about 5 minutes after the sun went down! New bulb technology means that the charge from the sun holds for so much longer, giving you vibrant and lasting brightness well into the wee hours.

And just when you thought modern solar patio lighting meant you had to like modern fashions, think again. We think one of the nicest applications of the solar patio light today is the traditional lamp-post form, complete with ornate brass or other metal, and lamp swinging gently from the upright post.

But don’t take out word for it – patio lights come in so many shapes and sizes. From inlaid “pavers” that shine from within the path itself, to glowing grapes and feather-like tree nets, solar powered patio lighting will light up your home and you evenings for many enjoyable years to come.

Solar Lights and Landscaping | Practical Issues

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:04:52 +0000

Solar lights can achieve magical effects with landscaping, as well as good basic lighting for functional purposes. The best solar lighting can be a real art form, with terrific effects. If you’ve got good solar panels, there’s no limit to what you can do with your landscape lighting.

Landscaping creates a whole range of features which can be highlighted in many different ways. You can have a lot of fun experimenting with different lighting arrangements, and be prepared to be startled by what’s possible. The combination of light and shadows can produce a whole new landscape at night.

Solar lighting choices

The typical all purpose solar stake lights are definitely the cheapest, and often the most appropriate, choice of lights wherever you need them. They’re also good for highlighting hazards at night, and things like making keyholes more visible after long nights and good food.

The novelty and designer lights are another thing altogether. Some of these lights are brilliant and very well designed. Others are in the “garden gnome” category, definitely not everyone’s taste. More to the point in a practical sense, they also can’t be put everywhere, and the designs can actually block light. They light themselves up quite well, but nothing else.

It’s advisable to be cautious with your solar light buying. In terms of value for the money, be picky, because this is an emerging market, with a lot of good new designs coming onstream every day. The only exception to this rule is when you need heavy duty lighting, where it’s definitely worth spending money on quality; particularly the bigger lights. The big, powerful lights are perfect for practically any purpose, and fabulous as pool party or al fresco dining lights. If you were wondering where the incredible lighting in some movies comes from, it’s from lights like these.

Aesthetic lighting options

The different types of solar lighting are almost theatrical, but better in a good landscape:

Backlighting: Lights behind features produce extraordinary effects. Trees and branches achieve an almost Japanese/Chinese effect. Behind bamboo, the lighting looks like a good pen and ink drawing. The light produces strong contrasts, creating the effect. Backlighting also doesn’t intrude on moonlight, so you can get the best of both effects.

Spots: Baby spots are perfect for night settings. They’re also easy to set up, with minimal effort, so you can really work with different options. Solar spot lights can be used to highlight specific sites, as well as security lighting for video cameras and with sensor triggers.

Water features: If you have a great water feature, like a lotus pool, with big plants and multi colored foliage, you can achieve a fantastic effect with solar lighting. Whether you use high power lights or the demure, soft lights, you’ll get a rainbow at night, complete with full colors. The water reacts well to these lights – an added effect.

Solar lights and reflective surfaces: If you’ve got good stone or building faces, they’ll act as great foils for your lights, softening and toning them. More color effects, and a beautiful palette when you’re lighting natural stone.

These are, of course, but a few different ways to be creative. You can find other ideas in our Easy Solar Lights Projects article. We also have a great article on making sure you are getting the right light for the job at How to Choose Outdoor Solar Lights. Grab your solar lights, and have a ball!

Solar Spot Lights

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:48:48 +0000

If you are looking for a dramatic way to light some hard to reach places around your landscaping, it would be tough to beat solar spot lights. Now, I am not going to ramble on and on about how wonderful solar lighting is for the environment and it will save you money on your energy bills and all that. There are plenty of articles about that on this site.

What I would like to do in this article is take a look at some of the ways they can effectively be used to enhance the look of your property from a lighting standpoint. I would also like to point out some of the differences between these and other types of solar lights (because there are a few) and look at some things that you are going to need to look out for so that you don’t become disappointed.

What you need to know

The first thing that you need to know about the difference between these and other types of solar garden lights is that while other types of garden lights create a glow around an entire area, spot lights are meant to do one thing – cast a focused beam of light on a specific target. That sounds like a spot light, right?

What you need to think about here is that it takes a lot more energy to send a focused beam ten or twenty feet away than it does to cast a glow on a sidewalk. This energy has to come from somewhere. With solar spot lights, it either comes from not being as bright as you might like, or having bigger batteries and solar panels, or having shorter run times.

It is true that solar technology is getting more and more sophisticated, and that solar cells are becoming more efficient, but you are just not going to get 800 lumens for 12-14 hours out of a couple of small NiCad batteries. Before you buy, make sure you know where you are okay with sacrificing and get the appropriate fixture. Higher lumen lights will have a shorter run time, and vise versa.

What you can do with them

Every time I think about solar spot lights, I think of three things:

How cool flags on government buildings look when they are lit up with spot lights
How cool my plum tree looks at night
I really need to get a flag and some more spot lights

So yes, they are great for lighting trees; and they are pretty much the only way to light them, unless you want to wrap them in string lights (and if you do, use solar string lights please, we are staying green here!). They are obviously good for lighting flags too. There are actually a lot of ways to use them that are not often thought of.

Keep in mind that spot lights are a form of indirect lighting. This means that you can put them far away from the intended target and just point them. The closer they are to the target, the brighter the light. The further away they are, the more faint. try some of these ideas:

Point them at your front porch from ground level so they light up your front steps.
Point them at your deck from a high place fairly far away to cast a glow on your whole deck.
Mount a few on the roof (or patio eve) and point them downward towards a pool or pond.
Put one at the base of a tree and point it straight up.
Do the same on a corner of your house.

There are tons of other options that work really well. What I suggest is to start with a couple of lights and experiment. Try them closer and further away. Try lighting from ground level and from above for different effects. Try using multiple lights pointing at the same target from multiple angles. You will find that, although solar spot lights do have their limitations as far as energy requirements, they more than make up for it with their versatility.

Just for the record, I do not really need my spotlights going at 4:30 in the morning, so I go with the brightest ones I can find and accept the fact that they may only run for six to eight hours. If I were using electric lights, I would be turning them off via a timer at midnight or so anyway.

I hope this article has been of help to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to either leave a comment, or use the contact form. Unfortunately, spam has been crazy to this site, so if I don’t get to you right away, please resend. As long as your name isn’t “buy cheap Viagra”, I should get your comment. If it is, I apologize in advance.

Solar Lighting vs Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

Steve — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:46:44 +0000

While considering adding landscape lighting to your home, you have likely done research that has led you towards either solar lights or low voltage lighting. If you have read any of the other posts on this site, you likely know how fond I am of the solar variety. Be that as it may, it is important that you understand the benefits (and drawbacks) of both. The last thing I want you to do is go out and buy a bunch of solar lights that are not going to work for you, based on my assertion that they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Outdoor Solar Lights

This site is filled with the benefits of solar outdoor garden lights, so I am not going to go into them in too much depth, but I did want to touch on them a bit. The first benefit is obviously that they are powered by sunlight as opposed to electricity. While this is their biggest advantage, concurrently it can also be their biggest pitfall.

The fact that they do not use up any of your home’s electricity means that they cost literally nothing to run. As long as they get enough sun to keep their built in batteries charged, they will turn off during the day and turn back on at night. They will stay on all night, until it detects light again, and automatically turn back off. This makes them easy to forget about until you go out in the dark and see them lit (or trip over one while gardening).

The “pitfall” in all this is that if you do not get enough sunlight, they will not work. Most solar garden lights have pretty efficient solar panels, so they can collect a pretty decent charge during overcast days, but some areas around the world are just dark and gloomy all the time. These are just not the best places to use solar lighting. They need to be able to charge to full capacity from time to time or the batteries’ life is reduced. If you plan to place them in the shade (like under a bush or something), make sure you get a fixture that has a remote panel that you can mount in a location where it will get enough sunlight.

Another point to consider is the bulbs themselves. Most solar powered garden lights use LEDs as their source of illumination. While this makes them virtually maintenance free, they are not quite as bright as other types of garden lighting. LEDs are manufactured to last for a very long time. Usually, the fixture itself will wear out before the bulbs do. They are also much more efficient. Incandescent bulbs convert energy into two things: light and heat. LEDs do a much better job of converting the energy into light, and create very little heat.

That said, they are still not quite as bright at other types of landscape lighting. This is due to the fact that they must focus on staying lit for 10-12 hours on a single charge. That longevity comes at a cost – they cannot be as bright.

Low Voltage Lighting

Low voltage landscape lighting also has its good and bad points. The good thing about them is that they will work anywhere that you have something to plug them into. You don’t really need to worry about whether or not you get enough sun to charge the batteries, because they do not have them.

That being said, they are also much more difficult to install. Some people will just dig a small trench where they are going to run the wires and lay the wires in the trench. I do not recommend this. If you are going to go through the trouble of installing low voltage landscape lighting, I recommend that you spend a couple of dollars to buy some pvc pipe, glue, and fittings. Use the pipe as a wiring conduit. This will protect them from being gnawed on by pests and being accidentally cut with a gardening tool.

Another benefit of using low voltage lighting in your garden is that they work well for areas that need a lot of light. They do not really need to be too concerned with being super efficient, because they do not have batteries that drain. That also come at a cost, and with these lights, the cost is directly related to your pocket book. They will have an impact on your energy bill.

Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems for landscape lighting do exist. A hybrid system uses primarily solar power and supplements it with low voltage electricity when the solar batteries run low. The biggest problems here are price and installation. You still need to run electrical wires with this kind of system. You also need to have a voltage sensor and relay system that detects when the batteries are running low, so it can start using electricity. While this obviously solves some of the problems associated with both solar and low voltage systems, they are not yet popular enough to be priced at a range that is comfortable for most people who are just looking to add some lights to their garden.

The Verdict

What do I recommend? I think that if you live in an area that gets plenty of sunlight throughout the year, and you do not need a TON of light, solar lights are the way to go. If you think about it, there are not many applications where you need a lot of light. Read through some of the articles on this site and you will find many applications where solar lighting works wonderfully. I think the two areas where they do not work as well as low voltage lights are floodlights and spotlights. Floodlights are still very bright, however, if used as a motion detector light. In this case, the lights are not so worried about using a lot of power because they only turn on a few times a night (at most), for a minute or so each time.

If you need lights that are just too bright for solar lighting to facilitate, or if you live in an area that does not get much sunlight, low voltage lights might be what you need. Be careful with the usage though. I would recommend having them on a timer that allows them to run only at certain times of the evening. Leaving them on all night could cost you more than a few dollars.

Have I forgotten anything? Well, here you have it then. Solar landscape lights vs. low voltage lighting. Which way will you go?

Solar Lights 101

homeandgardensolar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:33:29 +0000

The following is a guest post by homeandgardensolar

You may or may not have heard about a PV. With our current focus on finding alternative energy you will probably hear about PV’s in the future. PV stands for photovoltaic. This is the smallest element that converts sunlight into electrical energy. PV’s are also called solar cells. At this time solar cells are being used in many developing countries to help provide solar electrical energy through solar panels, actually helping to replace conventional electrical supply at a great cost savings You can find many blogs these days about how a PV panel plus a battery is placed on the roof of one of these rural homes and connected to a solar light inside the home providing enough light that many of these people are cutting off their conventional electrical supply.

You may have heard of PV’s being traditionally used for small wristwatches and calculators. These systems are becoming more and more complex and can now be used in many new areas such as: water pumps, communication systems, large appliances and outdoor lighting such as parking lots, street lights, etc.

Solar cells do not actually store any energy. In fact the energy is used up almost immediately unless it is stored in a rechargeable battery. These batteries store the electrical energy for later use.

Now that you know a little more about the basics of solar cells, how do they work in simple outdoor solar lights? Again, the sun charges the solar panel which is stored in rechargeable batteries. If the solar light has been charged with a full days sunlight, they can usually last from 8-10 hours at dark. Of course the amount of sunlight during the day, the time of year and where you have placed your light all have a bearing on how bright and how long your solar lights will shine. Never replace a rechargeable battery with a non-rechargeable battery. This could cause irreparable damage to the unit.

Don’t let those rainy or cloudy days make your solar lights less usable. With new technology in this area, you may now be able to find solar lights that can also be charged through your computer with a USB cable. In some instances you can even get an adapter so you can plug it into your wall plug.

There are so many advantages in using solar power as an alternative energy source. The only cost is your initial outlay for the solar product itself. No wiring, fast and easy to install, environmentally friendly, helps save our planets resources, can be placed far or near.

Now that you know a little more about solar energy, there is no reason not to consider using beautiful solar powered lights in your landscape design.

Look for many types and designs of solar lights @ www.HomeAndGardenSolar.com

Six Little Known Facts About Solar Lights

Tim — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:02:32 +0000

The following is a guest post from Tim

Despite the fact that self contained solar lights use relatively mature technology, they are surprisingly underused in the typical homeowner’s garden. One of the key causes of this is the lack of knowledge about the types of solar lights now commercially available. The range of styles and models out there mean that any garden should be able to benefit from some type of solar lighting used to highlight a feature, illuminate an area, or just add a little ambience. Following is a list of facts and tips about this great method of lighting.

A solar light does not have a traditional light bulb. The solar light consists of a LED or Light Emitting Diode, which draw little power. Coupled with constantly recharging batteries, you will never run out of light!
Solar lights can drastically reduce the electric bill of a household. By replacing all lights in the garden with solar lights, there is no need to plug into the electric system. Lights will automatically come on at dusk and off at sunrise ensuring the lights are activated only when needed.
Solar lights are good for protecting the earth. We all know that the earth is a ticking time bomb as the human population is using up energy sources fast. Solar lights take their energy from the sun, store it during daylight hours and then release it at night-time. This replaces the conventional method of using electricity to light our gardens.
Solar lights are easily installed and maintained. Simply insert the battery, place the lights in your garden and watch as they set to work. No need for untidy wires or setting an alarm to remind you to switch the outside lights on.
Solar lights come in every design that you could possibly wish for. If your garden is mainly used by children then you can find solar lights in the shapes of animals, some designs project out different colored lights, other designs are neatly hidden among rose bushes or plants.
You can buy solar lights from a number of stockists. Surfing the internet will offer search results of a lot of manufacturers. Also be sure to visit your local garden center as they can recommend a reliable brand for you to use.

Don’t be put off by memories of the old style of solar post lights, with all kinds of innovative models on the market. Once you have set up and operated a set of solar lights in your own garden, you will be convinced of their utility and appeal – with the low prices of some of these units, you have nothing to lose by giving them a go today.

Easy Outdoor Solar Lights Projects

Steve — Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:49 +0000

“Solar lights” has become an extremely popular buzzword in the home improvement circles as an easy and inexpensive way to go “green” when looking to add a touch of personality to your home. That said, many people are not quite sure where to start implementing solar landscape lighting into their design plans. If you read my last post on Tips for Designing your Solar Garden, you may have some ideas, but I decided it might help to give you some examples of where to start. These are really simple methods that you can use to enhance your property with solar lighting in as little as about 15 minutes or so.

Let’s start with what I think is by far the easiest of all outdoor solar lights projects:

Pathway Lights

Let’s say that you have a walk way that goes from the public sidewalk (or your driveway) to your front porch. On each side of the porch there is either dirt or some bushes or planters or lawn – anything “soft” that is bordering the walkway on both sides. You can get a set of solar pathway lights like these from amazon.com:

Homebrite
Copper Garden Landscape Solar Light with Natural Warm Light, 30867, Small,
Belmont, Set of 12, Copper

Once they arrive, you basically just take them out of the box and push them into the soft substrate on each side of your walkway, and you are done. I personally recommend putting one on each side of the walk way where it meets the sidewalk or driveway, where the walkway meets your front porch or stair landing and as many as needed between them to light the entire walkway. The set I mentioned above comes with 12 light fixtures, so if you do not use them all, you can use the rest for the next project.

Corner lights

Just about every house I have ever seen has dark corners at night. A good idea might be to take a few of the lights I mentioned above and place one in each of those dark corners. You will be amazed at how those corners look once they are lit up. Just make sure that the solar panels can get direct sunlight during the day.

Patio Lights

Often, people don’t consider their patio when planning their landscape lighting projects. Placing some of the leftover pathway lights along your patio fence line will do a lot to liven up your patio area for evening get-togethers. They also work well when put in raised planters and other areas of your patio.

Globe Lights

Solar globe lights are also a very easy way to add some really nice lighting effects to your front or back yard. These are mostly decorative lights that have a softer glow than the pathway lights, so can be better suited when a “glow” is what you are aiming for. An example of a good solar globe light is this set:

4 PCS Garden Solar Lights

Moonrays also sells a good quality globe light that is very inexpensive:

Moonrays 99924 Color-Changing Glass Ball Fixture

These lights fall under the category of “accent lights”, because they are meant to give just that – accent lighting. These are great to put among bushes or in flower gardens that need nothing more than a soft glow to have the effect that you are looking for. While many types of accent lighting require a separate solar panel be placed remotely, solar globe lights do not. This makes them just as easy to install as the pathway lights.

String Lights

Of all the types of solar lights we have discussed so far in this article, my favorite, by far, are solar string lights. There are actually many different types of solar string lights on the market today, and more varieties seem to be popping up on the market almost daily. An example of a good quality string lights set is:

Aurora Glow – Glass Solar String Lights – Sea Glass (Sea Glass)

These are very beautiful lights. I have actually discussed these lights before on this site (and own a set). They are very easy to install and add a really beautiful effect at night. They are not quite as easy to install as the pathway or globe lights, but if you have ever successfully hung a string of Christmas lights, you can install these.

Most people tend to want to hang these overhead, along eves or awnings, and while this is not a bad idea, do not limit yourself to just that. If you have a deck attached to your home, try hanging these lights along the deck railing. They are also nicely suited for hanging along a fence line or a variety of other places. Use your imagination and you will be surprised at the results.

Other Uses

There are, of course many other ways to incorporate solar lighting into your home design. Some of them are extremely easy, and some a little more difficult. I hope that this article will give you some ideas to start with until I get the chance to introduce some more ideas into the mix. In the mean time, there are lots of articles on this site that may be able to give you some more ideas and tips for finding creative ways to use solar lights. I also recommend checking out the articles in the “Required Reading” section on the sidebar. ->

See you next time.

Tips for Designing Your Solar Garden

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 18:04:36 +0000

The use of solar energy to create beautiful and decorative solar garden lights has now grown to the extent that an individual can successfully plan and design a huge garden area that was previously impossible to light and maintain affordably. The use of solar lights is no longer limited to individual pathway lights that do not provide enough power to create dynamic focal points in the yard.

Wiring a large yard with landscape lighting is often cost prohibitive and does not allow an individual to modify or alter their original lay-out without investing further in junction and power boxes. Changing designs, lighting, etc., is time-consuming and difficult to accomplish. However, with the advent of multiple solar options, it is now possible to move, add, alter, or adjust solar lights throughout the garden with minimal planning and effort.

Choosing landscape lighting for a large garden will require planning of the initial lay-out of the garden and calculating the type of solar energy that will be most effective for the yard. Some of the pathway lighting may be effectively installed using smaller solar lights that are independently controlled. However, adding enhancing up and low lights in the far corners of a yard may require a bit of organization and a different type of solar panel or control center.

The options available in solar pathway lighting have changed dramatically over the last few years. It is now possible to have both decorative and functional solar lighting that can create either a soft glow or clearly visible direct lighting with the flip of a switch. Many people add tall lamp posts that match the pathway lighting to areas of the garden that will contain benches, fountains, or other dramatic features.

One option is to have all of the lighting powered by a single solar panel that is placed discreetly in a corner of the garden. This allows for unique placement of lighting in areas that would not normally be able to provide energy due to shade or cover. Wiring (similar to electrical wiring) runs from the main solar control panel to the primary light. When using a combination of independent solar controlled lighting and a solar control panel, it will be necessary to research the details for successful integration of these two types of systems.

In most cases, the larger control panel will be used for lights and lamps that will be required to provide more direct lighting for individuals spending time in the garden. These lights often run through specific quadrants of the garden which enables movement of lighting more effectively.

Talking to professionals who have experience in the layout and design of solar landscape lighting systems in yards will be very helpful. They will be able to give you information and details on the solar garden lights that will be most effective and functional in the space you are designing. In addition, there will be some issues that may be unique to your garden area that will need to be addressed prior to installing the lighting.

I always recommend first sketching out the layout, taking pictures of the area in different lighting conditions, and coming up with a solid plan before you start with even your first light. There are literally hundreds of combinations that you can use to create almost any effect. Good luck and have fun with your new solar garden!

Installing Your Solar Garden Lights: Not As Easy As You Think!

theguru — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:04:21 +0000

The following is a guest post from theguru

A lot of fuss has been made about how easy solar garden lights are to install. While it is true that there are no wires to run, no ditches to dig, and no electrical currents to mess around with, like you do when you install low voltage landscape lighting systems. If you want to get the most out of your solar lights, there’s more involved to installing them than just sticking them in the ground anywhere in your yard. They need to be placed properly to get the most amount of sun, otherwise they will have a shorter lifespan and work for only part of the night.

When you’re installing your solar lights, the first thing that you need to do is look as where you want to put the lights in your yard. Go outside at night with a flashlight and see how different lighting effects will look on your flowers, trees, and house. Experiment with different angles, locations, and beams of light from the flashlight to see what works best. Make a mental note of where you’d like to put the lights and when you go back inside sketch out on paper where you’d like to put the lights.

Now, before you run out and buy outdoor solar lighting fixtures, you need to make sure the location you chose is fit for a solar light. Go outside during the day and see if the area is under shade. Don’t just do this at one point during the day either! Look at several different times because the sun and shadows move across your yard throughout the day. Any place that you plan to stick a solar light should have access to direct sunlight for several hours a day.

While it is possible to place a light in the shade, if you do you likely won’t be happy with it, even if it is a quality light fixture. The light will most likely work fine at first, but because it will be in the shade during the day, it won’t be able to completely recharge it’s battery before the sun sets. When this happens day after day, the battery in the light gets stressed and loses its capacity sooner. This means your lights will start turning off sooner and sooner throughout the night as they age and you’ll be left wondering why you ever got suckered into the solar light fad anyways.

Solar garden lighting is easy to install, but only if you do the proper preparation to make sure that you place them in the right areas. If you do end up wanting to install a light in an area where there is shade, don’t fret though. You can always install a few low voltage light fixtures in your yard and make the rest solar powered for a great hybrid system!

Are Solar Post Lights An Economical Decision?

Steve — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:36:42 +0000

In today’s article I would like to discuss solar post lights.

In the past, solar lights were considered a luxury for the elite environmentalist due to the high cost of installation as well as maintenance. Solar technology of the past prevented the batteries included with such lighting to store energy for beyond a few hours, which is why many people believed solar lighting to be a much more inefficient method of landscape lighting.

However, today’s solar technology has not only increased the storage capacity of modern lights, but the photo-voltaic cells in numerous lights can work together as a network to create a storage well that can power several solar post lights for days if the battery is charged fully. This is made possible by a larger surface area available in many modern lights, which results in better conversion of the sun’s UV rays into usable energy.

The Economical Reasoning

Most people shop for solar post lights for economical reasons. They are looking for ways to beautify and improve their home, while saving money on their electricity bill. When looked at in this regard, solar lighting is an economical decision in the long run. While the initial installation of a network of solar lights for landscaping purposes might be more than traditional incandescent lighting, the plus side is that further down the line, you will save money on electricity and maintenance costs, since solar lights require the least maintenance out of the major types of lighting designed to be used in landscaping.

Choosing Lighting Types For Your Situation

The luminescence of your solar lighting determines how economical your lights are for you. If you are using your solar post lights on your deck as a way to brighten an outdoor living area when it is needed, you will want lights with a high luminosity. These do not last as long as lights that are designed to provide area of effect lighting around the perimeter of landscaping, so consider this when planning your lit space. For lights designed with a high output, you should expect only a few hours of high quality lighting before they begin to dim.

If you are using post lights as a means to light a path, then higher caliber solar lighting should not be a priority to you. The design is what matters here, so long as the light outputs enough light that the landscaping or pathway is visible, there is no need to consider whether or not the luminosity of the lights is high enough to last all evening.

Costs Associated With Solar Lighting

Most solar lights are sold in do it yourself kits that are relatively easy to install. Each light is a cell in itself with all the components contained within the lights, but some kits feature wireless connectivity that can send a signal to all the lights, letting them know at what time in the day they should turn on. This requires a little bit more planning that sticking your lights where ever you want them, as you need to take the frequency of the receiver into account, as well as whether or not your area gets enough sun.

The standard cost for solar post lights depends on the style you get, but most average around $20 to 30 per post, with some slightly cheaper or more expensive, depending on style. This cost is rather expensive when compared to the cost of incandescent or fluorescent lighting in the same category, but remember once the solar lights are installed, they are not consuming any electricity whatsoever, making them a better value in the long run.

As always, you should ensure the area you plan on placing the lights gets enough sun to charge the lights during the day. At least 8 hours of direct sunlight is recommended each day, but remember, modern solar lights can last for nearly three days on one charge, depending on their luminosity. If you live in an area that does not receive much sunlight, you may want to reconsider the purchase of solar lights as you could get a less than optimal performance as some areas of the country receive much more sunlight than others. Take trees and weather into account when making your purchase, as well. Most home improvement stores have a section that displays solar light luminosity, so use this as a guide for choosing the correct lighting for your situation.