Solar Landscaping Lights

Solar Landscaping Lights

Solar landscaping lights is a new attempt to save valuable energy resources on Earth. As the name suggests the solar landscaping lights convert the sunlight into electricity using small solar cell. This electricity gets stored into a small battery which is used to light the bulb using night hours.

In early days the battery that was used to store the converted electricity was mostly the standard lead-acid, but gave very poor results. But technology has evolved and now a days the nickel-cadmium batteries are very popular and more efficient.

Also the light bulb that was used in early days was the standard incandescent bulb which has very less life and burned out very early. Now these bulbs have been replaced by LED's the light emitting diod's for brighter light and longer life.

The solar landscaping lights come into two types

1) Solar PV panels attached to the light fixture itself.
2) Solar PV panels away from the fixture and comes with wires that connect to the bulb.

1) Solar PV panels attached to the light fixture itself.

These solar lights are specially designed in such a way that they carry the solar panels in their design. In most cases the topmost surface of the fixture is flat and has a solar cell into it.

However for proper functioning of this kind of light it is necessary that the light fixture receives ample amount of sunlight. If the light fixture the shadow of a tall tree or even the building, then it is almost impossible to store enough electricity in the solar cell for burning the bulb for the entire night. So positioning of these kind of bulbs is very important.

2) Solar PV panels away from the fixture.

With this type you have much freedom as far a position of the solar landscaping lights is concerned. The solar cells that convert the sunlight into electricity can be fixed at a suitable place where it receives maximum direct sunlight.

However with this you will have to workout the wiring connections between the solar cells and the light fixtures in your garden. the length of the wire can cost you much of not planned properly. Also the wire will have to be taken underground. In this case if your garden is already complete and if you plan to fix solar landscaping lights afterward you will have to dig up some are for laying the wires. This can spoil your beautiful garden/lawn/pathways etc.

So the decision to fix solar landscaping lights must be taken during design phase for getting the most out of them.