How to Use Solar Outside Christmas Lights

Solar Christmas lights will save you money on your winter electricity bill, because they use a free, renewable source of power. Solar lights will also remove the hassle of trying to find power outlets to accommodate many strands of Christmas lights. Solar lights will usually last three to four winter seasons, which is about two to three years longer than conventional lights.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hooks
• Sunlight

1. Seek out spots that are exposed to direct sunlight for at least three hours per day and are not obscured by shadow as the sun shifts during the day.

2. Hang the Christmas lights. Like conventional lights, solar Christmas lights can be hung on your house's exterior or around bushes and trees.

3. Position the attached solar panel so that it is catching direct sunlight. Make sure your lights have the type of solar panel most appropriate to the spot where you're hanging the them---some solar panels are flat and can be affixed to a variety of surfaces (better for house exteriors) while others must be staked to the ground (best for decorating foliage or garden elements).

4. Enjoy your low-maintenance Christmas decorations. Most brands of solar Christmas lights will turn on automatically when it gets dark and stay on until first light or as long as they have juice. If you live in a place with many hours of sunshine your lights should last all night.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider buying lights with rechargeable battery packs. This way, if cloudy days are affecting the running time of your lights, you can always switch to battery power in a pinch. Note that in order to power the lights before the first use, the solar panel will need to be in about eight hours of sunlight, three of which are direct sunlight.

References

• House 'n Style Blog: Solar Christmas Lights

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