Solar Landscape Lighting

So, what exactly are solar-powered landscape lights? Do they really work that well, or are they just gimmicks to make people buy them? Yes, if done in the right way, solar landscape is indeed easy to install and can be remarkably handy– you don't want to unnecessarily dig up your walkway to run wires do you?

Solar landscape lights have the capacity to run anywhere from 8 to 10 hours every night, depending entirely on the amount of sunlight that they have been exposed to during the day.

What is Solar Landscape Lighting?

Solar outdoor lights or solar landscape lighting has this remarkable way of increasing the aesthetic value of any sort of landscape. With so many options available that range from solar landscape lights and flood lights to solar security lighting, the solar landscape and outdoor lighting category has a lot to offer in terms of lighting, which are designed to accentuate pathways, driveways and even steps!

Undoubtedly, using solar-powered landscape lights in most of the 50 states is indeed deemed to be practical. But, it is extremely important to first consider the placement of the lights and the geography and topography of your home before you actually go ahead and select the kind of lighting that you want.

How do Solar Landscape Lights work?

Solar landscape lights make use of tiny photo voltaic cells (PV) or solar powered cells to charge the battery that is integrated into the lighting fixture. After the battery is charged in the sun for the whole day, it will provide the required electricity to make sure the solar landscape lights are all illuminated after nightfall.

As far as unsightly wires running around and making the place look like a mess is concerned, you can be rest assured that each of these solar lights has its very own battery so there is no basic need to run wires. The PV panel that is used for charging the battery should be placed in such a way that it receives direct sunlight. This is done because shading of the panel by certain external features like buildings, trees, or even droppings can have a massive impact on the battery charging, thus affecting the 'run-time' of the landscape lights at night.

So, if your garden has a lot of trees growing in it or if there is limited sunlight filtering through, then solar landscape lighting will probably not work for you. With such large running capacities, the strong point about any solar landscape light is that during the summers it can run all night. The only known drawback would be during the winters, wherein you shouldn't expect them to operate to full capacity.

Types of Solar Landscape Lighting

solar landscaping lighting comes in a vast variety of styles. Some models are decorative and are made up of die-cast metal for styling detail and durability. Most manufacturers prefer to install the PV cell into the lighting fixture itself. However, this can work against you if you place the light in the shade. Other solar landscape lighting models tend to separate the PV panel from the lighting fixture. In this way, the PV module will be able to receive maximum sunlight. The only drawback would be that this technique would bring you back to the days of burying wires!

Some of the earlier versions of these lighting fixtures provided poor light and that too for limited periods of time. Likewise, incandescent bulbs had the tendency to burn out quickly without really producing much light. Not only were the batteries difficult to charge, but the life expectancy was considerably short as well.

Nowadays, most solar landscaping lights make use of LED light bulbs and nickel-metal-hydride or nickel-cadmium batteries. These lights are brighter and use up less electricity while lasting for a longer period of time than their incandescent predecessors. The new batteries can hold a charge for a much longer period of time than the older lead-acid units – all thanks to the cellular phone industry!

Even with such improved batteries, you should never make the mistake of expecting solar landscaping lights to be as powerful or bright as your regular low-voltage lights.

So, before you go ahead and select the ideal solar landscape light, make sure you check with your manufacturer from whom you are buying the lights on the availability of replacement batteries or bulbs. It will definitely not do you any good to install solar landscape lighting that you cannot maintain well.

But on the other hand, if you've got just the right location going for you, then solar landscaping lighting may be the right thing for you!