Solar lights are excellent for illuminating your yard or garden. They don’t require much investment since they charge from sunlight. This means you save money while also having a well-lit backyard.
It is hard to find a solar light with so much variety in today’s market. Therefore, we have compiled a guide to understand how solar lights operate, their advantages, the different types, what they’re good for, and the best solar light options.
Solar Lights
Solar lights use solar cells to trap sunlight and convert it into electricity which is stored in a small rechargeable battery. The battery uses that stored energy at night to power lights. Solar lights need no maintenance, produce very low emissions, are easy to install, and are energy efficient.
Solar lights can light up yards, gardens, paths, steps, addresses, fences, and many more areas. Depending on your needs, they can be used for security, accessibility, or decoration. This is why there are different solar lights, like lantern-style lights, spotlights, and glowing lights, to accommodate different needs.
How Do They Work?
A solar light consists of a solar battery, a solar panel, and single or multiple LED light bulbs. A small solar panel traps and converts sunlight into electricity which is stored in the solar battery. This lights up the LED bulbs at night.
A con of this technology is that the amount of electricity generated and stored depends entirely on weather conditions. If sunlight intake is low, then the solar lights won't be able to stay on throughout the night.
Advantages
- They can be installed anywhere.
- No electricity bills.
- Long lifespan because of solar panel technology.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Power supply during blackouts.
- Automatic switching.
- Zero wiring.
- A higher level of security.
Types of Solar Lights
Solar Pathway Lights:
They shine brighter at ground level. They are used to light gardens, staircases, lawns, walkways, and paths.
Solar Deck Lights:
These low voltage lights light up walkways and pathways and are usually deck mounted or on a
3-inch post. They come in various designs too.
Solar Motion Sensor Flood Lights:
These are motion-detecting lights and only turn on if movement is detected. They are best for areas which don’t need constant lighting.
Solar Spot Lights:
These can highlight specific areas like bushes, walls, or trees for better solar landscape lighting.
Solar Lanterns:
They hang from walls, hooks, or posts while accentuating gardens and patios.
Solar Christmas Lights:
They provide temporary ambient lighting for holidays.
Function And Amount
You can either go for accent lighting, which focuses illumination and highlights specific areas that require more attention, or you can go for ambient lighting, which is soft lighting for illuminating walkways or paths.
You must consider available space when figuring out how many solar lights you need. For example, calculating the distance between bushes, existing lights, and trees. Next, determine the square footage that each solar light will cover with its light. Then, divide that number into the overall square footage you calculated to determine the number of lights you’ll need.
With motion-sensing solar lights, you’ll have to look for light coverages, sensor ranges, and
detection angles. The best thing is that you can install solar lights yourself. Ultimately, this saves installation costs. However, you are advised to read the installation manual before you install them.
Comparing Features
Warranty:
Buy from a credible brand and if something goes wrong in a relatively short amount of time, then replace the solar light.
Battery:
Research on the battery life and how long it will last daily.
Temperature:
There are different coloured solar lights depending on the temperature. Depending on your mood, you can purchase yellow, red, blue, white, or rainbow-coloured lights.
Brightness:
Pick a light with the correct brightness. For security, bright lights are best, but low brightness lights will work well for ambience.
Best Brands
JackyLED:
They provide you with a wide range of solar light options, such as security-focused wall lights maxing out at 1,000 lumens.
Brightech:
Having 10 years of experience in the solar-powered outdoor lights business, they offer great solar-powered string lights to add ambience to an outdoor space.
Sunforce:
They are known for offering solar lights to illuminate backyards, entryways, driveways, walkways, and front lawns with durable housings and customisable settings to meet individual needs.
Ring:
They offer a variety of solar light styles, like wall lights, spotlights, path lights, and stop lights. Most of them can connect to the Ring App, enabling smart lighting. This opens up features like camera recording and motion detection, which are very helpful.
Hampton Bay:
They provide everything from paths and spotlights to solar LED decorative fixtures and flag poles.
Your Choice
Solar lights are for you if you are looking for a hassle-free way to illuminate your backyard. Not only are they cheap, but they work surprisingly well and need no wiring or maintenance. You
can install them yourself and keep saving up on cash as long as you have them. They will work automatically, and you don’t have to switch anything on or off.