solar lights

indoor solar lighting

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:07:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this solar lights blog. :)

In this particular post, I'll be talking about something a little bit different, namely indoor solar lighting.

One of the things that needs to be noted from the very outset, is that many products advertised online which are characterized as solar indoor lighting aren't actually solar powered. For example, I've seen some indoor lighting which is characterized as solar because the design on the lighting features a sun motif. I've also seen other lighting which is characterized as solar because it is said that the bulb makes use of the full range of light that sunlight uses. So it can be a little bit confusing for someone like me. Thankfully though, there really are quite a lot of indoor solar light options out there, which are described on the Internet.

A number of the indoor solar lighting options work in this manner. You have a light fixture which you set up somewhere inside your house. That light fixture can be in the form of something attached to the wall, maybe the ceiling, or possibly a table or floor lamp. That light fixture then has a cord which runs a few feet to a solar panel. So actually, if the light fixture is positioned somewhere which is several feet away from an area which gets a good amount of direct sunlight, then that's all you need. You basically just set up the indoor solar light in that location, run the cord over to the area which gets sunlight, and attach and position the solar panel accordingly.

Of course, some solar lights are positioned quite a bit farther from areas which get sunlight. For situations like this, a form of extension cord is provided so that when sunlight is available more than several feet away, you can still run the cord plus it's extension all the way to where the solar panel needs to be set up. And that's how quite a lot of these devices work.

The great thing about these products is that they take the idea of solar lighting and apply it somewhere where it isn't as intuitively available. After all, it could be daytime outside and yet still a bit too dark in some places inside your house. You may not have that many windows, or your windows may be allowing sunlight only in certain parts of your house. With solar indoor lighting, you're in a way able to take that sunlight and transform it into a form of lighting which you can position almost anywhere inside your house, once you set it up.

It was also noted online that some people start off with solar lighting by trying out the outdoor types of products, since it's easier to imagine using these, but then later transition to indoor lighting when they're more comfortable with the technology.

One of the other nice things about these products is that, in the event electricity isn't available, due to natural or other reasons, the inside of your house will continue to get illumination. So if there's a blackout, you don't need to worry about a home plunged into darkness, or having to hunt for candles, batteries, and flashlights.

Of course, there are also the environmental benefits of indoor solar lights, as well as the eventual recouping of your investment and saving money. But really for me what's a big deal is the fact that these lights provide a form of convenience that is all their own.

That's it for now. Again, thank you for visiting this solar light blog. :)

security solar lighting

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:50:00 +0000

Thank you for viewing this solar lighting blog. :)

In this particular post, I will be discussing security solar lighting. Now these products are rather different from the products I've discussed in the past, because the items I discussed in my previous posts more or less were focused on illumination and possibly ambience. The situation is completely different with security solar lighting. Here, the complete focus is on getting as bright a light available as possible, and possibly equipping the device with motion sensors.

Let me go into a little bit more detail. Security solar lighting comes into play when a property owner wishes to provide additional protection to maybe a house, a building, or similar property. The security light is set up in what is considered to be a vulnerable spot. Having been activated, the security device sits there, waiting.

Once the security light detects movement in the immediate vicinity, it usually turns on a bright light. The idea here is to surprise whoever is lurking, and illuminate the spot so that the potential suspect may be seen and possibly identified. The hope is that once the light hits whoever is lurking, that person will beat a hasty retreat. If the person doesn't leave immediately, then at least it is possible that the property owner will be alerted to his or her presence. Also, passersby or other persons in the immediate vicinity may be able to get a look at whoever was caught by the security light.

So this means that the amount of illumination provided is very important. Usually, the brighter the light the better, because it is able to flood a larger area with illumination. This means that, even if whoever is there is trying to hunker down, and be unobtrusive, with such a large area lit, then that person has nowhere to hide. So usually, if not almost always, the light is plain white. Some devices used LED lights, when others use more traditional lights.

Not all security solar lights have motion sensors, but many do, or at least offer the option. Without motion sensors, then the solar light is really more of a normal light, or maybe a floodlight. There is no attempt by the device to surprise, or catch whoever is lurking. The light illuminates the space all the time, so that someone with nefarious plans will think twice.

Where a motion sensor is available, it is important to determine just how wide an area it covers. How much of the area in front of it does the sensor detect movement in? What about the area more to the side of the sensor? What about potentially areas behind it? Of course, the greater the angle of coverage, the better the possibilities for protection. Then one has to determine just how far ahead the sensor actually covers. A greater distance is of course better, so that the sensor is able to switch on the light before the lurker is able to get too close to the device.

One of the other things provided by some of these devices is a form of extension cord running from the solar panel to the light. The idea here is that some security solar lights might be located in areas which do not get much sunlight. For example, one particular side of a building might consistently be in the shade, making that area more vulnerable to intruders. While the solar security light could be helpful here, the usual design would have a difficult time precisely because sunlight does not adequately penetrate the area.

Furthermore, security lights might be intended to be located in areas indoors, completely cut off from the sunlight. For example, the security light might be located in a garage. What the extension cord does is allow you to locate the security light somewhere even indoors, or shady. You then run the cord from the light fixture to a location where sunlight is available, and then you position the solar panel there. That way, you're able to locate a security light which is solar powered even somewhere where the sun doesn't reach.

So those are a number of the concerns when taking a look at security solar lighting. I hope this post has been at least a little bit helpful.

Again, thank you for visiting this solar lighting blog. :)

solar pond lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:54:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this solar light blog. :)

Let me talk a little bit about solar pond lights. First of all, for me, this is one of those products which I feel best takes advantage of solar light technology. Why do I say that? Well, when we're looking at small bodies of water such as ponds, you immediately have issues with respect to water being in close proximity to electronic devices. Now, if you had more traditional lighting in place in your pond, you would have to worry about making sure that the wiring and other conduits of power are waterproof, or else you would risk electric shock or some other inconvenience.

With solar pond lights however, you don't quite have this concern. Again, as I've mentioned in previous articles, solar light devices tend to be self-contained units, and solar pond lights are no exception. This means for example, that when you set up a solar pond light, the unit contains the bulb or bulbs which provide the light, as well as the solar panel from which the light or lights get their power. All this can be contained in a more or less sealed the unit, so that there is much less chance if any of water penetrating the device.

So you don't have to worry as much, if at all, about electric shock or anything similar. And that's quite important, especially if you have live organisms in the pond such as fish.

As I've mentioned in previous articles, one of the other great things about solar lights is the fact that they're quite convenient. For example, if you would like to put eight solar pond lights out in your backyard, all you have to do pretty much is position the lights where you want them in your pond. There's no need to run power cords or other wiring back to your house, or to an outdoor power outlet. You just make sure that the solar pond lights have enough access to sunlight during the day, and you're done. So the convenience really is a big deal.

I was looking at the various designs available, and it is nice to see that there's quite a lot of variety with respect to solar pond lights. You have the more common pond light which comes basically in the shape of a ball. The light is inside, and the solar panel is on top, and provision has been made so that the solar panel will tend to face the sun. Some of these items also provide a way for you to anchor the device in place.

The other nice thing pointed out by some of the websites out there, is that if you desire, you don't need to anchor the lights in place. This results in an outdoor light show which is dynamic. For example, you position eight solar lights in your pond, which provide for illumination and ambiance at night. However, no two nights are the same because during the day and during the evening, the lights might be moved around by the wind, so their positions will keep on changing. As a result, at night, you're faced with lighting which can be subtly or even significantly different, which makes things interesting.

Not all solar pond lights come in the shape of a ball. Some of them look more like candy dishes or crystal trays, which float in your pond. Also, not all of them provide white light. Some devices provide light of different colors and shapes, in order to create more of a mood in your pond. Other devices are able to change light color, so that you're faced with a pond which presents ever-changing hues.

A particular device which I found interesting, is actually a solar pond light which comes in the shape of a frog on a lily pad. So basically you can have this frog, or maybe a number of these frogs, floating around on the surface of your pond during the day. At night, these devices provide light as well as charm.

So solar pond lights come in all shapes and sizes, in different colors, both static and dynamic.

Again, thank you for reading this blog post about solar pond lights. :)

solar powered landscape lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:33:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this blog about solar lights. :)

So you're interested in solar powered landscape lights? Good for you. Every little bit helps when it comes to trying to wean ourselves away from fossil fuels.

I've been going around online, taking a look at the different kinds of solar landscape lights available. As with most other solar lighting products, there is a lot of variety there. Your choice will boil down to such things as your aesthetic sense, the look of your house and garden, your priorities when it comes to what the lighting is meant to do, and your budget.

Some solar powered landscape lights come in the form of stakes. So basically each unit is driven into the ground at the point of your choosing. The stake keeps it in place, while the top portion features the LED lights and a solar panel. As with most other solar lights, these units are self-contained. There is no need to run a power cord back to the house. There's no need to worry about messy wiring. The light and its power source are all in that one stake unit.

There are different kinds of stakes available. For example, some of them feature white light, while others feature colored light to provide your garden with a certain look and mood at night. Some of the solar landscape lights look more modern, with cleaner lines and more sleek shapes. Other solar lights on the other hand, look more traditional, with more organic looking designs. You just need to figure out what type of an effect you're trying to create in your garden.

Of course, not all solar landscape lights come in the form of stakes. There are many other variations.

One of the things you need to keep in mind is how long the illumination will last. For example, I've seen some solar landscape lights which claim to provide twelve hours of light for your garden. So that's pretty good. That can basically take you from sunset to dawn. Other landscape lights however, offer fewer hours. I've seen a device for example which offers only ten hours of light. There may be other devices which offer less.

Ideally you want at least twelve hours, so that you don't need to worry about lights in your garden winking out before the sun rises. This may be less of a consideration if your lighting is more for ambience, but if the lighting is designed more for safety and security purposes, then you don't want the lights conking out before it gets bright enough to see.

Also, keep in mind that some solar landscape lights are sold in packs. So instead of just getting one landscape light, you can choose to buy sets of eight, for example. The hope is that this helps to keep the price lower.

So those are just a few of my impressions on solar powered landscape lights. Again, I very much like the idea of these products because aside from helping the environment, they offer a lot in terms of convenience.

Again, thank you for visiting this blog post about solar powered landscape lights. :)

solar walkway lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:13:00 +0000

Thanks for visiting this blog about solar lighting. :)

Now, let me talk a little bit about solar walkway lights. The idea here is that, somewhere outside your house, there is a path which you'd like to be illuminated. This could be toward the front of your house, where you want to light up the walkway leading to your front door. Or this could be toward the rear of your house, where you might have a path leading around the garden area, for example. Or you might want to help make sure that a path along the side of your house isn't too dark.

Now I was looking at some examples of solar walkway light products. It seems that the amount of illumination can vary. What do I mean? For example, there are some solar walkway lights which are really aimed at making sure that the path is well it. So we're talking here about some rather white light, maybe even a little bit bright. The idea here is that you want people who're walking in that area to be able to see what's on the ground, and maybe what's around them. These are more lights which are meant to be useful.

On the other hand, you also have solar walkway lights which aren't so much meant to illuminate, but maybe are meant more for decoration, or ambience. What do I mean? Some of the solar lights for example, don't give off a white light, but give off light in other colors such as blue, yellow, orange, that sort of thing. So while these solar lights do help to see where you're going, their primary purpose is really to make the surrounding area look good. In a way, they're a form of outdoor mood lighting.

Another area where solar walkway lights provide some variety, is in their design. Some of these solar lights are meant to light the path itself, or a rather low area, while other lights are designed to light higher areas, maybe around waist high, or even eye level. For example, some solar walkway lights are actually designed to act as stepping stones. So basically, these are flat devices which you lay on the ground, and which are sturdy enough to be walked on, or at least some of them are. The lighting they provide is focused on the area where your feet go, so they help you to see what you're stepping on.

On the other hand, some other solar walkway lights look almost like torches or small light posts. You can place these lights alongside a particular path, and they also provide illumination, but this time the lighting is more at around eye level.

If you're interested in this kind of product, you might also want to take note of the fact that some solar walkway lights offer the option to turn on automatically when it gets dark, and automatically turn off, when the sun begins to rise.

Again, as with other solar lighting products, the great thing about these devices is that they tend to be stand-alone or self-contained. You don't need to run a power cord over to an outlet. All you need to do is set up the accompanying solar panel, so that it gets enough sunlight during the day, in order to charge its battery.

I hope this basic information has been a little bit helpful. Again thank you for visiting this solar lights blog. :)

solar christmas lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:18:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this blog about solar lights. :)

To be perfectly honest, I didn't really know all that much about solar Christmas lights until today. Yet again though, it's an idea that makes a lot of sense. So in view of the coming holiday season, let me talk a little bit about solar Christmas lights.

I wandered around a bit online, looking at the various products available for sale. Similar to solar garden lights, a lot of emphasis is aimed at the fact that these types of lights are very mobile. If you've ever had to string a bunch of Christmas lights all around your house, maybe in some areas that are a little bit far from any nearby power outlets, or in some hard to reach places, you may appreciate the fact that the solar Christmas lights are pretty much self-contained units.

The design usually involves some lights, or maybe a string of lights, attached to some form of solar panel. This way, if you'd like to hang Christmas lights somewhere in particular, all you need to do is position the lights where you want, and locate the solar panel somewhere where it can get a decent amount of sunlight, during the day.

There's no need to run a power line from the lights all the way back to one of your house outlets. Also, this way there's no need to worry or at least there's less of a need to worry about power lines and extension cords crisscrossing the outside of your house, from your Christmas lights all the way to the sockets outside your house.

Of course, while this mobility is a big deal, the fact is that the solar Christmas lights need to possess a certain festive charm, and holiday feel as well. In this regard, these products offer quite a lot of variety.

For example, you're not just looking at a simple string of lights, but you're looking at lights which are made to look like snowflakes, or icicles, or something suitably Christmas-y. Some lights are designed to go around Christmas wreaths. Other lights look like Christmas balls and offer illumination not just in white, but also in red and green.

And speaking of color, there is of course a lot of variety here, so that you can decorate your house with lights in shades of red, green, as well as other possible colors.

So the variety is actually pretty good. There should be a solar Christmas light available somewhere which can appeal to a particular person's Christmas aesthetic. And again, the great thing about these lights is that they are self-contained units. This also means that, you don't need to worry as much about how your Christmas lighting will affect your overall electric consumption at home.

These lights are plugged into the sun, not your grid, so you can choose to go overboard on the Christmas lights if you want, and your electric bill will hardly suffer for it.

I rather like solar Christmas lights. They're a great way of celebrating the holiday season, of making a splash with lights of different colors, and yet in a way which doesn't seriously burden your family, as well as the electric grid in general.

Again, thank you for visiting this solar lighting blog. :)

solar garden lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:48:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this solar lights blog. :)

It's my intention to go into greater detail eventually as I discuss solar lights. For now though I'll be starting with more general descriptions just to give a general idea regarding the different types of solar lights available out there. Let me begin by looking at some of the characteristics of solar garden lights.

Solar garden lights come in all shapes and sizes. The idea here is that no matter what kind of garden you may have, there is a solar light available for you. Some offer a more modern look while others are more traditional in appearance. They come in different colors, and sometimes appear to be made of different materials.

I was looking at a site earlier which sells solar garden lights, and one of the things that the different products appear to have in common is mobility. Many of the lights have solar panels built into their tops, in order to ensure that the sun's rays are absorbed. Therefore, you could basically take the solar garden light and plant it somewhere in your garden, and as long as it's somewhere that the sun can reach during the day, then it should be able to charge itself so that it can provide illumination at night.

So these lights are mobile in the sense that they don't necessarily have to remain in a particular spot. There are no electric cords, or extension wires, which need to be dealt with or which need to be run all the way from one part of the garden all the way over to the house. Each garden light in a way is a self contained unit.

When it comes to solar garden lights, a lot is also made of their durability. After all, these devices are left out in the garden, so they're subjected not just to sunlight and heat, but also to rain, perhaps sharp rocks, maybe the biting of an energetic pet, or the kicking of a child, that sort of thing. So it is pointed out that these garden lights are rustproof, they do not corrode, and they are built to withstand tough conditions. So these are some rather durable light fixtures.

I hope to provide more information on specific types, and brands, of solar garden lights over the coming days and weeks.

Again thank you for visiting this solar light blog. :)

home solar lights

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:15:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this blog on solar lights. :)

I just wanted to mention very quickly at the outset, that this blog will be focusing on home solar lights, as opposed to solar lights found elsewhere. The idea here is that the information on solar power which will be provided, is targeted more at consumers, individuals, and families.

When a business invests in solar equipment, there is a very different situation there. Businesses have larger budgets, and they might be able to avail of certain benefits or breaks, which individuals cannot avail of. Businesses tend to involve larger areas, larger infrastructure, and many more people. And also for businesses there's the idea of investments in renewable energy as a form of marketing strategy.

I won't be focusing on investments in solar power by the government either. For example, I won't be focusing on solar lighting involved in government properties. The potential investment by governments is even larger than that of businesses, depending on the priorities. So there're even larger sums of money potentially which could be involved, and the decision-making process is a lot different. What would be considered affordable by the government would probably be much more than what an individual or family might consider affordable.

Which is not to say that I consider investments in solar power by either business or government to be not significant, because clearly they are. This is just more of a personal decision to focus on one particular aspect of solar power, and one particular aspect of solar lighting, specifically the solar lighting products which individuals and families may be considering.

So again, we're looking here in this blog at home solar lights, or solar lighting from a residential angle.

Again, thank you for visiting this solar lighting blog. :)

welcome to this solar light blog :)

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:23:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting this solar light blog. :)

I'm a big fan of renewable energy. This includes wind power and solar power. I believe that we are heading for a future where more and more of our energy needs will be met from these sources.

So I'm a big fan of solar power. One of the things I like especially is the fact that the solar panels used to absorb the sun's rays are becoming more efficient, and smaller. This means that it's looking more and more like solar power is becoming a fairly economic choice. Of course, there's still a long way to go before solar power becomes more widely used by consumers, but I have a feeling that, if prices and costs will drop further, then more and more people will consider solar energy for their homes.

This takes me then to the idea of solar lighting. In a way, it's a bit funny, because not so long ago, the idea of solar power meant energy that could only be accessed when the sun is out. Thanks however to advances, not just in solar panels, but also in the batteries these systems use, solar power can be taken advantage of even when the sun is no longer out.

I'm especially fascinated by the idea of solar lights because the process just seems to make so much sense to me. After all, a lot of the places where these lights could be installed are outdoors. Solar lights could be installed along the driveway, for example, or in the garden, maybe the patio or deck, maybe around the house as a security measure, that sort of thing. Now these places throughout the day receive a whole lot of sunlight. And during the day, there's no need for the lighting, so these products can focus simply on absorbing sunlight.

When the sun goes down at the end of the day, the solar nights can then turn on, and since they've been charging throughout the day, ideally they'll have enough juice to light their particular areas for the entire evening and early morning.

The thought of solar lights sprinkled around the house and nearby areas just seems quite elegant to me. And apparently, the solar lights can also be taken advantage of indoors nowadays as well.

So again I really do like the idea of solar lighting. It is my hope with this blog, that as I read more about these lights, I'll be able to share some of what I learn.

Again, thank you for visiting this blog about solar lights. :)

privacy policy

noreply@blogger.com (james) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:43:00 +0000

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For any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact James at solarlightsproducts[at]gmail[dot]com. This privacy policy was updated in November of 2008.