How to Choose the Best Outdoor Solar Lights for You
In the past, outdoor lights have generally been wired to a home's electrical system, with the wires hidden behind walls or buried underground. As solar power has become more accessible to consumers, it has become a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to power outdoor-lighting systems. If you would like to place outdoor solar lights around your home, you have a variety of options. You just need to choose the best solar lights for you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Inspect the space where you want to put the solar light on your property. Watch the sunlight in the space throughout the day to make sure the sun exposure is constant. Measure the space to determine the size of light you can fit in the space.
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Decide how you want to install the light. If you have a light pole in your yard, you can purchase a solar light that attaches to the pole. Other options include lights that sit on the ground, lights that attach to the siding of your house, and stand-alone light poles installed in the ground.
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Consider the amount of light you need for your yard. If you need a lot of light, such as a light to highlight your house or a sign, consider floodlights. If you need only a small amount of light, like by your front door or a hot tub, look at standard yard lights.
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Factor in the amount of sunlight your yard receives. Even if you would like a floodlight for your lawn, your lawn may not receive enough sunlight to power an outdoor solar floodlight. Look on the packaging for each light you consider to see the amount of sunlight needed, which is generally listed in hours like the light requirements for plants.
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Get the best outdoor solar lights that you can afford within your budget. Choose lights made of metal over lights made of plastic because they hold up better in inclement weather and are likely to last longer than their plastic counterparts.
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Tips & Warnings
Solar lights run on batteries that come with the unit. These batteries connect to the solar panel on the solar-lighting fixture. When sunlight hits the solar panel, it charges the battery, giving the battery the juice it needs to keep running. These batteries usually last for around two years before they need to be replaced.
Solar lights generally contain a sensor that detects darkness and automatically turns the light on at night.
