Finding Solar Lights

September 12th, 2009

It is best to stick with just one manufacturer when you purchase solar lights. That way there is a consistency to the look and feel of your lighting arrangement. As I have written elsewhere, I caution against ever buying the cheapest brand of lights. This will likely end up with you turning around in your car and driving back to the store to return the things because they don’t work.

So with solar lights in general you are going to be saving a lot of money on energy bills. For this reason I think it may make sense to spend a little more than you otherwise would have on the lights. In fact, this cost savings is one of the chief reasons people start to look into alternative energy lighting such as solar lights. Going green for “moral” reasons is one thing, but when you can say that you are actually saving money by doing so then you know you have a winner.

I would peruse through online catalogs, as well as physical stores, and maybe even your neighbors’ gardens to see what type of lighting you might like to incorporate into your yard or  your cheap pop up gazebo . The styles have been a little slow to really come out, but I expect that maybe this spring they will finally really arrive. This is always the way it is: the technology and functionality comes first, and only later does the actual design come into its own.

By looking around at what others are doing we can get a sense for what we want to do with our solar lights once we get them dug down into the dirt and the garden. It will take a consciousness of the terrain as well as the movement of the sun and any shady spots if applicable. Remember that you’ve got to allow the battery to regenerate by way of a direct connection to the sunlight that spills down everyday. As long as you can get the solar cell in the vision of that old sun, then you should have a light that will be in business for a long time to come.

As you can see, solar lights are all about the environment in which they are found. They tend to go a long way toward matching any surroundings, but it is still worth a bit of foresight. This way you know that it is all going to work out right from the get go.

Design Ideas for Solar Lights

September 12th, 2009

Let’s take a look at some popular ways of arranging solar lights in one’s yard. First of all, the most used method of all is to “edge” the front path with the solar lighting. This is frequently the first place that people start. Of course, there is much, much more that one can do with this type of illumination but you do have to start somewhere always.

Nevertheless a good place to start is to create a boundary along your front walkway with your new solar lights. Make sure that they are in a position where the sun can hit them during the day. Then you will just need to program them so that they go on right around the time the sun sets. It’s up to you whether you let them run on all night long or if you have them die down sometime around midnight, for example. This will also depend on the lifetime of the battery or the solar cell and how long it can hold a charge and still emit light. These specifications should obviously come in the directions that come with your solar lights.

Another good idea is to sprinkle them through the front garden area. I would suggest not being too methodical; instead let some randomness come into your spacing out of the lights. You may also want to think about which plants or flowers in particular you want to highlight for your neighbors (and yourselves) to see. Your family is sure to take pride in a self-illuminated garden such as this.

One last notion I can suggest with solar lights is that they be used to frame or circle other landmarks on your property. If you have a tall, wide oak tree that is a perfect excuse to surround it with lighting. Or you may want to provide an extra guide to people coming and going from your driveway at night.

The bottom line is that you can get really creative when it comes to how to lay out your new solar lights. They allow for a wide stretch of usability because they don’t require any wires. Therefore, the only thing that will really limit you is if the sunlight can’t get through to certain spots. If you can find a way to work around that, however, you’ll be well on your way. Besides that, I can’t see any other limitations that come with solar lights whatsoever.

Installing Solar Lights

September 12th, 2009

It’s a good idea to plan out where you want to put your solar lights before you get them. This way, when they arrive you will be able to plug them right into the grid. Also, it’s just generally good to map things out beforehand. In this day and age there are many new gimmicks coming onto the market but solar powered lighting is certainly one that is certain to stay for a long time to come. This is because of its usefulness in scooping up the inherent energy in the sun’s solar rays and transferring it into light emitting diodes later. This is an ingenious device that will probably revolutionize the way we light our homes and even our planet.

Most people like to draw a little map of where their garden is in relation to their house. Then you make some measurements and determine how wide the path is. The path is the most common starting point for anyone installing solar lights: they tend to like to light up the front path on both sides right from the get go. After that, you can do various things like stringing the solar lights along in the garden, if you have one. Or, if you have a flowerbed, that is a very good thing to douse with solar light. Remember that the panels must be placed in such a way that they can receive the daytime glow of the sun. This is how they power themselves up. If you stick them for example in a shady area then you are bound to have a solar light which just simply won’t refuel itself. Upon reflection, it will become obvious that this is because it is removed from its natural (and only) source of energy: the sun.

One major problem that comes along with most garden lights is the cords. They have wires that have to go here and there and everywhere. It makes it a real hassle when you try to weed your garden, because if you’re not careful you’ll stick a shovel through an electrical wire! That is yet another positive thing about solar lights: that they have no cords or wires. This is simply not a problem when it comes down to it. You can rake and shovel as much as you want and you won’t be digging up any electrical cords. It is a clean, efficient, and almost effortless way to light you garden.