How Solar Yard Lights Work
Homeowners often yearn for well-lit grounds and walkways but are reluctant to install costly, complicated outdoor electrical lighting systems. Solar yard lights provide illumination without wires and at minimal cost. Does this Spark an idea?
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Solar Light Technology
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Solar lights are simply constructed and easy to maintain. A small panel on the light's top gathers energy from the sun and stores it in a tiny but long-lasting nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal-hydride battery inside the fixture. When darkness falls, a sensor automatically activates the solar light-emitting diode (LED).
Sun Exposure Requirements
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Since solar powered lights rely totally on the sun for their light producing energy, they operate most successfully when they receive maximum exposure to sunlight. With average exposure to the sun during the day, the solar lights will illuminate the yard for about eight to 10 hours at night. As the days grow shorter in the winter months, the lights may work up to 50 percent less than during the summer.
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Considerations
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Lots and yards with heavily shaded areas or those with large, leafy trees may significantly reduce the performance of solar powered lights. Geographic areas that are generally overcast and receive less sunshine than normal are also not recommended for solar lighting.
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References
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