Energy Efficient, Convenient, And Versatile
Solar Lighting
Solar lights have become a more affordable and convenient option to choose from.
Most solar lights operate on LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, rather than incandescent lamps. That means they take much less power to operate and are ideal for solar applications.
LEDs typically emit a faint light. But in today’s solar lights, this problem has been alleviated. By using reflectors and prisms that enhance the light and make it brighter. They can be used for bright illumination as well as a soft glow. Another benefit of LEDs is that they last a very long time when used in solar lighting.
Solar garden lighting is very popular with homeowners. But because technology has become so reliable and advanced, municipalities use solar energy to power street lights and traffic signals. Of course, outdoor lighting for residential use doesn’t require so much energy. But the more powerful the light, the larger the battery required. So the lights will burn through the night.
The most popular use of solar-powered lights for residential use involves garden lights. They cast a soft glow on plants and showcase pretty landscape scenes. They also softly illuminate walkways and pool areas.
Where to use solar lights?
A more whimsical use of solar LED lights comes in the form of string lights. These are nice during holiday seasons. You can string lights anywhere and not need to connect to a power outlet. They come in all colors and shapes. So you can place them in tree branches and bushes… Or hang them from your eaves, and create a festive atmosphere any time of the year.
You can use solar lights also in the home security industry. Since solar lighting is now bright enough to fully light outdoor areas and act as a spotlight. These can be placed in areas where no electricity is available such as outbuildings or cabins. And provide a basic level of protection.
It has many advantages over traditional lighting, especially when it comes to outdoor lights. The initial cost is affordable and once you install the lights, there is no operating cost associated with them. Except when it comes time to replace the rechargeable batteries every couple of years. They are also much easier to install since there are no wires or cables to contend with. In addition, they are practically maintenance-free.
There is a wide range to choose from in solar-powered lights as well. The solar LED lights are available in different colors, and the housings are nearly limitless. You can get lights on a pole, on a spike. In the shape of an animal or plant, designed as a carriage light, or as a simple light that attaches to the side of a garage.
The great thing about solar lighting besides all these benefits is that it is dependable and reliable as the sun. As long as the outdoor solar lights are able to sit in the full sun for several hours each day. Your lights will work when dusk falls. You won’t have to worry about power outages or wasting the earth’s resources just to make your yard look pretty.
The Basics
Solar garden lighting can add personality to your yard and improve visibility. They are very popular today as simple garden accents. Or as full-fledged home security equipment. The demand for them has grown over the decades since they are so easy to install and maintain. Plus they are quite affordable and save money in the long run, too. Since they don’t pull from the home power source.
You can put the outdoor lighting just about anywhere since you don’t need any electricity. However, the lights do need to be in full sun. Solar lights are able to work without electricity because they store energy from the sun. The more sun they receive during the day, the more power that can be stored. Therefore when placing outdoor solar lighting, it is a good idea to observe the area first. So you can see how much sun and shade the lights will get.
If you use it in a climate where it is often cloudy, or you place them in an area that is shady most of the day. The lights may not burn very long at night. To help ensure the lights burn brighter and last longer. The brightest lights usually have multiple bulbs and large rechargeable batteries. To conserve energy, the lights don’t burn during the day. They will turn on when the lights fall into the darkness. For that reason, the lights should be placed in an area away from a street light. Or other bright light that might prevent them from turning on.
This makes them ideal to use around barns or henhouses. They don’t require much maintenance at all since the lights can last for up to twenty years if they use LED lights.
Installing solar lighting
Installing the lights is easy, too. Just about anyone can set up outdoor solar lighting since there is no need to connect or bury wires. Some garden lights sit atop stakes that you drive into the ground.
The good thing about outdoor solar lighting is that it is free to operate once you buy the lights initially. They don’t even connect to your home power. So they won’t add to your monthly power bill even if they run every night, all night long.
There is a wide variety when it comes time to shop for outdoor solar lighting. Since it has become so popular, it is easy to find in home improvement stores and other retail establishments. You’ll also find a near-endless assortment online. They come in all sizes and in a variety of decorative styles. So you can find a set that matches perfectly with your décor.
Solar Powered Garden Lights
Solar-powered garden lights are not cheap. But you can enjoy non-stop garden lighting all-year-round without incurring a huge power bill. At the same time, you help the planet by reducing carbon emissions when you use solar lighting.
How Solar Garden Lighting Works
Solar-powered garden lights do not need cables and wires to be connected to a power outlet. These are easily installed in any part of the garden and anytime you want to relocate these, you can do so without any trouble. Solar lighting for the garden looks like your ordinary light bulbs. But instead of consuming electricity from the grid, it uses the sun’s energy, which is stored during the daytime and releases this at night as light.
Lighted garden pots Llum-by-VondomInside each solar garden light is a simple system that works together to capture, store, and transform the sun’s energy. You will find an LED light source, a solar cell, a single AA battery, a controller board, and a photoresistor.
The lamp receives the stored energy from the battery that is charged by a solar cell which first converts solar energy to electricity. The power input from the solar cell and the battery goes to the controller board. The energy is ready and when the photoresistor detects darkness, the light goes on.
The more solar energy is received and stored, the garden lights can run up to 10 hours because the batteries are fully charged. These usually run longer during the summer months when the days are longer. Factors that also affect lighting are the strength of light, adverse weather, and shorter days during winter.
Too much snow on the ground can also damage the lamps. You might want to store them during the for the winter season but take care that the light switch is in an off mode or you will drain the batteries.
Where to place solar lighting?
Before installing garden solar powered lights, select the areas you want to be highlighted or lighted. Be sure that the area receives much sunlight during the day. Check the soil and if it’s hard, loosen it with a spade or dampen the soil until you can work on it. Forcing the garden lights onto the soil can stress the support post of the light. When everything is ready, remove the light fixtures from the packaging, following the manufacturer’s manual and install the lights securely in an upright position on the ground.
Maintenance
The light will shine brighter if you clean the lamps regularly. If the lights are dim, it’s due time to change the batteries. During the winter months, angle the lights towards the direction where they can get more sunlight as possible. These must be in the open, not under a tree.
Solar-powered garden lights are expensive. But on top of the benefit you gain from slashing you’re your electric bills, solar lighting provides security and safety, too. You won’t stumble in the dark and a lighted outdoor or garden discourages thieves from entering your property.
Make Illuminating Your Yard Easy And Fun
Solar LED lights are finding many uses around homes today thanks in part to their versatility and in part to new technology that amplifies the light they emit. LED lights work differently than standard light bulbs. They generally give off a much softer light and are cool to the touch when they are on. They also have very long life spans which makes them ideal for use in electronics and solar lights.
LED lights are very common in household appliances and usually, give off red or green light. However, they can give off any color of the spectrum, and in solar lights, they are more commonly white or blue. The other difference between solar LED lights is that they power totally by the sun.
Solar LED lights are very popular as garden accent lights where their muted glow illuminates plants or landscaping. You can also use them as pathway lights or pool lights. The low watt solar LED lights are more for decorative purposes; this is especially true of the string lights. You can decorate the outside of your home with solar Christmas lights, or strings of lights for any other occasion, without having to connect to an outlet. These lights can be used to decorate your camper or tent when no electricity is available.
You can wrap strands of them around a balcony railing or column; you can string them in your bushes or tree branches to create a romantic backdrop to your hot tub. The lights themselves are available in many colors and shapes as well. You can get string lights shaped like pink flamingos, chili peppers, snowflakes, or any number of things.
Improve Home Security
You may want brighter lights for your property however that work to illuminate an area or improve security. New technology has allowed solar LED lights to be used for this purpose as well and emit as much light as a standard home light bulb. These use multiple LED lights with reflectors and prisms that magnify the light and larger batteries that store more energy from the sun.
One good thing about solar LED lights is they are affordable. They don’t cost much more than traditional lights and they are much more convenient to use. The bulbs last a long time so there is no expense with frequent bulb changes. They are also easy to install since you don’t have to connect wires. All you need to do is secure the lights in a place where they can be powered by the sun. It can be as simple as pushing a stake into the ground when you install garden lights.
Outdoor solar lights are inexpensive yet effective when used for the purpose of home security. You may want outdoor lighting for other reasons too such as attractive décor or to illuminate landscaping. The good thing is outdoor solar lights look great while making your property safer.
Unlike some other home security features you may want to install, outdoor solar lights are very easy to install yourself. You don’t have to worry about complicated wiring or running lines to outlets. These lights are powered by the sun so all you have to do is place them where you want and let the sun do its job.
Economy ✓
When the sun beats down on the lights during the day, energy is accumulated and stored in the solar battery. Then when the sun goes down, the lights automatically come on and shine throughout the night. They shine even when the power is out. You can even place outdoor solar lights in areas where no electricity is available.
Crime experts say thieves prefer to hit homes that are easy targets. They like homes that are in darkness so they can move around unseen. Outdoor solar lights can be anywhere so your property is well lit at night to act as a deterrent to home invaders. These lights also make it safer for you to return home at night when the walkway and front of your home can easily be seen. You won’t have to worry about someone hiding in the bushes to ambush you at the front door. Plus, the walkway will be easier to see so the risk of tripping is reduced.
Many people like to place outdoor solar lights around the perimeter of their houses. From a home security standpoint, this is a much better choice than having large plants or bushes under the windows. With windows and doors illuminated on the outside, it is much more difficult for invaders to move around unnoticed. Other good places for outdoor solar lights are by outbuildings such as detached garages and barns, walkways, and driveways.
When placing outdoor solar lights, it is important to remember the solar charging panel needs to be in direct sunlight. If the solar cell is attached directly to the light itself, then it can’t be placed in the shade or it might not get enough sun during the day to fully charge. Another thing to consider is how the lights will look. You want to improve home security but you also want your property to look attractive.
Outdoor solar lights come in all shapes and sizes so you can find some that match your home and yard. You may want lights on poles or lights that hug the ground. You can even buy lights with colored covers so they can shine in different colors for different holidays. There are lights that offer a muted glow around landscaping and others that are bright as spotlights.
Outdoor solar lights not only make your home safer, but they also enhance the appeal of your property. They are economical and require virtually no maintenance since they recharge themselves. Outdoor lighting is a fundamental feature of home security and the solar option makes it easy for almost anyone to install themselves.
Easy To Install
Solar-powered lights may be the answer if you want outdoor lighting but dread the work of installing it. Outdoor lights are beautiful and make your yard safer at night, but they can be difficult to install if you are not handy.
You may even have to go to the added expense of hiring someone to dig the trenches and lay the wire so you know it is done safely and correctly. However, when you use solar-powered lights, you don’t have to worry about any of that. There are no wires to connect so they are super easy to install.
The type of solar power lights you buy will determine just how easy they are to set up. Smaller lights on a string are a breeze to work with. You can hang these from a tree limb, wrap them around a rail, or string them along the ground. If you want to do a little extra work you can attach them to your roof or wrap them around columns.
Most garden solar powered lights are just as easy to install. These are small lamps that cast light along walkways or against landscaping. They usually sit atop a spike that you push into the ground and that is all it takes to set one up. Other solar-powered lights don’t even take that much work as all you need to do is sit the unit in bright sunlight and let it do its thing. Of course, you should make sure it won’t tip over or blow away in a high wind and cause a safety issue or get damaged.
Solar lighting lasts for years
You can buy artistic solar lights that are like turtles or palm trees and like any other lawn ornament can simply be positioned anywhere you like. Taller, lamppost style lights should be on level ground in a weighted base. If nothing else you can sink the post into the ground so it is anchored in place.
Some solar-powered lights may be more difficult to install, especially if you want spotlights that attach to a building. While lights like that may need some knowledge on how to use simple tools, they are still much easier to put in than traditional lights since you only need to worry about putting up the light and not the light and wires too.
Most outdoor solar lights last for years. Therefore, there is little maintenance required. About all you have to do is make sure the lights don’t get buried under leaves and shielded from the sun or they won’t be able to recharge during the day.
You can try many different arrangements until you find just the right one since all you have to do is move the light and not worry about digging trenches and laying wires.
