Almost all outdoor solar-powered lighting now uses long-life LED technology to provide the lighting.

There is an idea that one day we will all be able to use free electricity from the sun. This is a seductive promise that is harder to put into practice, but solar powered outdoor lights are a step in the right direction.

On a bright, sunny day, the sun’s energy generates approximately 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of the planet’s surface. The goal is to find an affordable technology that enables us to collect all of that energy so we can get power for free.

solar-path-light

The benefits of LEDs are that they are rated for over 20 years, meaning they should last that long before needing replacement.

However, you will certainly need to change the re-chargeable batteries that power the lights several times in that period.

Generally speaking outdoor solar-powered lighting is the most sustainable means to provide exterior illumination. Outdoor solar lighting is also easy to install and work on.

All you have is a solar panel which is attached to the lighting fixture, plus batteries to store the solar electricity generated. There are no mains connections or cables to run, so you don’t need an expensive, skilled contractor to install solar lighting.

In summary, solar lighting for your home and garden makes great sense because it is fast and easy to install with no wires and no electricity costs. Its safe, simple and there are many fixture designs to choose from.

solar-outdoor-security-light

Outdoor solar lights are now available with the the same range of features as mains powered lights. This includes security lights with motion sensors.

The only exception is for high powered, spotlight lapplications, where the power drain is too great on the batteries. Hence, these lights will need to be mains connected.

 

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • bodytext
  • Bumpzee
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Mixx
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google

Related Posts


    Save Power With Solar Garden LightingYou can choose from many different types of landscape lighting.  If you are interested in conserving energy, low voltage landscape lighting is one option. However, for conserving energy solar landscape lighting is the best because the energy comes for free. Solar lighting is powered from sunlight and it stores energy during the day while the sun is shining. Once it gets dark enough, the lights come on automatically using this stored energy. They give out a gentle glow that is best for ambient lighting of lighting up a small area (they're not so good for large areas). Solar landscape lighting is a fun and cost effective way to light your yard. Find out more about outdoor lighting at www.landscapeoutdoorlighting.com

    Efficient LED Solar Outdoor LightingHere is another example of why you should consider solar landscpae lighting for energy efficient and environmentally friendly outdoor lighting, such as LED outdoor lights. Bonita FL is considering a city ordinance to limit bright outdoor lighting in residential areas of Bonita Springs. The limits would be in effect between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. During that time outdoor lights would need to be: Directional so no light shines onto a neighbor's property. Limited in wattage i.e. brightness and power consumption. The new regulations are meant to limit two things: Light pollution -- the kind that interferes with a clear view of the night sky. The

    Solar Power Developments For Outdoor Lighting & NetworksThe challenge with consumers around the globe is to encourage them to balance the convenience of plug-and-play solutions and instant gratification with longer-term benefits and sustainability. The growing success of small solar applications such as the solar landscape and walkway marking lights you now see everywhere are an illustration that if the right products are produced balancing instant gratification with sustainability, people will buy them. Solar-powered roof vents are growing in popularity, as are domestic solar systems to power lighting. As well as being clean energy and independent from the grid, solar is typically cheaper to install when hardwiring is required over distance. Small, task-specific solar is generally cost effective. Full blown domestic

    Maine Ornamental Solar-Lighted Post CapsOutdoor lighting beautifies your home and landscape and enhances special features at night, lighting pathways and creating security and peace of mind. The landscape lighting products from Maine Ornamental (http://www.postcaps.com/) deserve a mention becasue they are creatively designed, attractive and solar-powered. They offer a range of classic, copper-topped post caps with a solar-powered light, plus Tiffany-style glass post caps with a variety of different woods and composite materials. All of the post caps offered by Maine Ornamental are designed for easy installation on fences, decks, posts or docks with no need for wiring or mains electricity. The Convertible Post Cap Lights also offer the option of using

    Landscape lighting & solar energy panelsAs solar panels become smaller and cheaper, they are becoming more popular for landscape outdoor lighting applications. The main benefit is that solar powered lights do not need any wiring and are therefore simple to install and can be easily moved around to different spots. The major downside is that they are dependent upon sunshine to work. If you have a series of cloudy days, the lights will only work for a short period, or perhaps not at all, before the battery runs out How solar energy panels work A solar energy panel collects energy from the sunlight and converts it into direct current
Comments

Leave a Reply