Solar powered landscape lighting is becoming very popular these days and was even featured on Good Morning America, August 28, 2008. There is really no reason to use traditional wired landscape lighting unless there are areas of the garden that just do not get enough sunlight. Solar lighting is powered by the sun and must have some sunlight in order to operate properly. Five hours of sunlight is usually enough to keep the battery charged and ready for operation come nightfall. The lights use a photoelectric cell that turns them on at dusk and off in the morning.
Solar Lights are made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, metal or stainless steel. The lighting mechanism is almost always LED lights. LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) are quite bright, draw very little current and last a very long time, typically up to 50,000 hours. There is a battery to store the power, usually Lithium Ion or more commonly Nickel Metal Hydride. These batteries last about 2 years before they have to be replaced. The very inexpensive plastic lights do not have replaceable batteries, something to consider. There is a small solar panel on top of the light fixture to generate power during the daylight hours to keep the battery charged, so the light will function at night. These lights are very safe and quite easy to install. Just find a location that gets ample sunlight, use the ground mount stake and drive it into the ground. Be careful not to hit the stake with a hammer if it is made of plastic, it may be damaged. Some lights can even be mounted on walls, posts or fences and often come with all of the mounting hardware necessary.
There are a wide variety of lights to choose from as well as a variety of applications. Solar walkway lights, light up paths or walkways. Solar spotlights light up trees and other outdoor features. Solar Shed lights light up remote storage sheds with easy installation and minimal wiring. Solar address lights are self explanatory and there are even patio umbrellas with solar lights for that dinner party on the deck after sunset. The lights usually come in sets but the number of lights in a set varies. Some have two per set; some have four and some six. Prices seem to vary considerably with some sets costing $30 to $40 and others closer to $100. The difference in cost is reflected by the quality and brightness of the lights, how long they will last and styling.
So if you are considering installing solar powered landscape lighting you might want to ask yourself a couple of questions first. Is there enough sunlight to keep the lights powered? What kind of application will they be used for? What kind of styling do I like? Am I looking for lights that will last a long time or do I just need them to last a little while? How and where will I mount the light and is all of the mounting hardware included? There are prices, styles and types for any budget or taste. Solar outdoor lighting is a great way to improve the look of your home and to improve the outdoor safety of your home. They are very easy to install and on top of every thing else, they will lower your energy costs.
Tags: Lighting
#1 by Captain Flatulence on June 30, 2010 - 6:19 am
no, thats how solar works you use the sun to charge batt, then use the power at night, I have a set of 12 that i got thru Harbor freight 3 yrs ago there still working,
they were around $20
#2 by zonk on June 30, 2010 - 7:17 am
We tried them along a walkway and were very disappointed. The light they produced was very dim at best. We soon replaced them with low voltage wired lights. We now use the solar lights on a boat dock and still consider them ineffective.
Good luck with your lighting project.
#3 by Mrs. Z plus 3 on June 30, 2010 - 1:27 pm
Sears "wear out before they grow out program". I buy all my kids jeans there and if they wear them out, like in the knees, you take them back and they'll give you a brand new pair for free. AND if it's a Sears brand, like Canyon River Blues, you don't even need a receipt.
#4 by AdGirl on June 30, 2010 - 4:18 pm
No, they may not tarnish either. Most of the landscape lights you buy will be pre-finished and coated with a clear protectant. Our copper lights have been outside for months without any damage at all, they are coated in a clear sealer by the manufacturer. If yours are (and they probably are) the most you should need to do is wipe them clean every so often. If they are not, over time they will darken and slowly turn green, the package should say if they aren't. There are any number of commercial cleaners out there to clean the tarnish off, some very good home remedies too. If they do tarnish and you don't like it, you can clean them and coat them with a clear sealer yourself so they don't tarnish again. I like Minwax Satin Finish Acrylic Sealer, which you should be able to get at Home Depot, or Lowes.
#5 by Hooptie on June 30, 2010 - 6:16 pm
Oddly enough, has this area been checked for volcanic emissions. What you are describing sounds a lot like gas emmisions from volcanic activities. The gasses can build up to a point where they are extremely toxic too. It is worth checking into. Either that or it is possible your area is on top of an old landfill with toxic chemicals that are leaking out of the ground. It still would require an air quality test though. Check with your local resources and see if someone can do that for you, and see if you are getting drift off of a local company too that might be causing these fumes. It is very strange definately.
#6 by heavyd on June 30, 2010 - 7:31 pm
Cheryl is absolutely right when it comes to the Solar powered lights being crappy. I have a few and hate them.
Malibu has really come along way in the last few years and has some beautiful lamp styles. One thing for sure though…If you can afford to upgrade, definitely go with the Metal Lamps as the plastic ones do not last and you'll be constantly replacing them.
Good luck with your lighting project…
#7 by taxmannyc on July 2, 2010 - 4:12 pm
To answer your question properly, one would need to know why you are wanting landscape lights & the location of those lights.
Most people only want a decorative effect & therefore don't need full-blown hard-wired lights. Good quality solars will be fine for them.
#8 by ksmith on July 3, 2010 - 5:00 am
NONE ! Sorry to put it that way but there is no such thing a a good solar landscape light. Even though other will probably chime in saying they have some they like. You need to go with a 12 volt system which you can install yourself or the 120 volt which you will need an electrician.
#9 by ShErMaN J on July 3, 2010 - 9:18 am
NO. That is the short answer. The solar technology has not yet gotten to the point where it is good enough for good landscape lighting. For now you should stick with a 12 volt system and you will be much happier. The 12 volt systems are very energy efficient and they put out a lot of light. Hadco and Nightscaping make great lights.