Solar Lights

Solar lights is the commonly used expression to describe outdoor lights used mainly in the garden to add lighting effect to your garden at night. In summary the lights charge during sunlight hours and then when dusk falls the lights, they incorporate a light sensitive trigger, which automatically comes on to illuminate your garden.

Solar lighting has two immediate advantages over other outdoor lighting systems.

1. They are easy to install. Each solar light is a relatively self contained product with little in the way of wiring. This means that they can be positioned in locations that traditional wired lighting systems would find complicated, such as in a rocky or a wet area.
2. They are environmentally friendly. Obviously as they are powered by the suns energy there is no need for alternative external power supplies which is a satisfactory environmental solution, but still allows you to enjoy the pleasing effect that outdoor lighting can provide.

Apart from the aesthetic effect that solar powered lights can provide it is also worth noting that they also have a security benefit, as intruders instinctively avoid well lit or occupied areas. The use of solar lights in your garden may well create the illusion of occupancy even if the reality is otherwise.

Solar lights are made up of three key components.

1. The photovoltaic panel. The photovoltaic panel is a panel encasing a series of photovoltaic cells. These cells are the mechanism that convert light into electricity. Clearly the more cells, and the higher the quality of those cells the more electricity is produced by the panel. For most outdoor solar lights the panel will usually be approximately 8-10 inches square (although this is not definitive).
2. The rechargeable battery. The battery is necessary because the during the hours of sunlight you do not need the solar light to be casting their beam. It is only when the sun goes down that you wish the light to operate. In order to do this, the light needs a battery. If the lights are on each night then the battery is likely to charge and discharge each day. In order for the product to have a long life the battery needs to be able to cope with this frequent charge and discharge cycle and still remain able to produce at near full capacity. Typically the type of battery used most effectively in solar lights is the nickel-metal hydride cell, often abbreviated to NiMH batteries.
3. The lamp. The lamp is the component of solar lighting that creates the light. Currently the most common type of solar light uses an LED bulb within the lamp. Due to the autonomous operation of the solar light the likelihood is that the lamp will be used each and every night, all night. This means that the bulb needs to have a very long life and it is for this reason that the LED bulb is most popular. LED lights have not always been the most incandescent form of lighting but as the technology improves so does the capability of providing similar brightness as other bulb combinations, for instance halogen bulbs, are capable of emitting. LED bulbs also have the advantage of not generating significant quantities of heat when operating which reduces their risk of causing damage to any of the flora and fauna they may be placed within.

When purchasing your solar light the quality of the individual components will ultimately determine the quality and longevity of the lights. An easy to tell indicator of quality is the quality of the solar lights housing. Cheap plastic casing usually suggest cheap internal components. With solar lights it really is a question of you get what you pay for so when making your purchasing decision it is a good idea to concentrate on this factor closely.

As with all decisions about lighting arrangements before purchasing your solar lights you need to sit in your garden and decide really what effect you are seeking to produce with your lights. In short, lighting decisions revolve around general, localized (task) lighting and accent lighting.

General lighting systems are simply for general illumination of areas. It is not likely that general lighting would form a major consideration when purchasing your solar garden lights. General lighting might for instance be used to illuminate the front of your garage area, in order to assist entry, but general lighting used in the garden would tend to neutralize the effects you might be seeking from other types of lighting.

Task lighting, or localized lighting would most likely be used to point our certain hazards or areas within the garden or lighting for your patio. For example you may use task lighting to highlight a garden pond, or to illuminate a path leading through the garden. Solar power lights are very useful for this type of lighting arrangement and would lend itself well for adaption in this area, for example a garden path may well be beautifully illuminated by the use of fairy lights arranged in a track either side of the path.

Finally there is accent lighting. Accent lighting is mainly decorative and intended to highlight certain objects of interest. In the garden this would likely be particular plants or shrubs, or other interesting features such as a fountain. The use of solar lights is perfect for creating these sorts of lighting effects in your garden and most products available to purchase are specifically designed to assist you in this regard.

Creating light effects in your garden can be a great way to enhance and prolong the enjoyment of your garden. By using solar lights you can generate effects and create a picture of your garden that is completely different to that available to you during the day. Not only this, but you can also use this form of lighting to creating seasonal effects such as solar christmas lights

In this way you benefit not only from the variety and interest derived from your choice of plants, but also from the way those plants look during the night, lit by solar lights, as well as the day. In addition your enjoyment of your garden can now continue after the sun has gone in without significant power usage thus prolonging your opportunity to enjoy your garden and the effort you have expended creating it.