The Starter Guide To Solar Lights For Home

Channeling resources to the necessary parts of your home is one of the best, long-lasting investments. One good example is getting affordable solar lights for home. 

This is true, especially when considering alternative sources of power. With great outdoor and indoor lighting supplied by solar energy, the party can keep going on long after it gets dark.

The best Solar lights for home offer homeowners a cheap, reliable, renewable, and environmentally friendly lighting option. Solar-powered lights use solar cells to facilitate the conversion of sunlight energy to electricity in order to power the lights. 

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Solar technology has improved so much over the years. Solar lights are now wireless and used inside and/or outside the home, and the solar setup process for them is seamless. 

The lights just simply take in solar energy from the sun and transform it into light energy through photovoltaic effects occurring in the solar panel. In this guide, we’ll tell you what you need to know about using solar lights for home, so ride along.

The Benefits of Using Solar Lights For Home

There are a variety of styles, shapes, and sizes for solar lighting in the market and the use of solar lights is very friendly to the environment.

Using solar lighting for home guarantees you very low maintenance. All that is required is some annual checkups and cleanings. Since it’s easy to maintain, the solar light products only require a few check-ups and cleaning throughout the year. 

The lights have renewable energy and will not get exhausted as long as there is sunlight. Most solar lighting systems generate benefits that equate to the cost of their installations after a period of time. The best part is that they are very cost-effective. 

The solar alternative is considered by most as the cheapest solution to the electricity problem. That’s because of its simplicity and the fact that most homeowners can even learn how to set up solar panels themselves.

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Types of Solar Lights for Home

There are two major types of solar lighting and they can both be installed in different areas of the home. From the garden and porch to the parking lot, solar lights will fit in almost anywhere. The two types of solar lights are outdoor solar lights and indoor solar lights.

Apart from these two main types, the classifications of solar lighting systems can be branched out to more types that include (but not exclusive to) home lights, yard lights, garden lights, etc. to name but a few. 

Outdoor Solar Lights For Home 

Outdoor solar lights are becoming very popular in the solar energy market these days. This is due to the products being useful for different purposes ranging from illuminating the patio and garden paths to ornamental accessory for the home in general.

Since the solar LED lights for home charge up when the sun rays hit them directly on the solar panels, the outdoor lights receive a huge amount of solar energy. Such energy is then stored for use at a later time. At a full battery charge, some high-tech, high-powered solar lights can perform effectively for up to 10 hours.

Another good thing that comes with the use of these outdoor lights is that you don’t have to bother about wires. So you have the freedom to choose where you want to place your solar lamps. Also, you can have as many solar powered outdoor lights as you desire. Some types of outdoor solar lights include:

  • Solar garden lights
  • Solar string lights
  • Solar deck lights
  • Solar spotlights
  • Solar post lights
  • Solar flood lights
  • Solar fence lights

Indoor Solar Lights For Home 

The indoor solar lights also come in different types, sizes, and shapes like outdoor solar lights. They can only be used in the house after getting them connected to solar panels placed at the topmost part of the home.

Indoor solar lights are typically used as an alternate source of power held on standby in case of emergencies. However, they can also function as main power sources. There are two main types of indoor solar lights which are the solar shed lights and solar desk lamps.

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How To Choose The Best Solar Lights For Home 

Knowing the types of solar lighting available is one thing but picking the best one for you is an entirely different one. It is important to note that solar systems are a renewable source of power. As such, they are good investments that will pay off in the future when the homeowner finally gets an off-grid solar system.

Before you embark on the solar lighting project, there are a couple of things that you need to do first. They include –

  • Make a complete analysis of the site where you want to install the solar lighting system.
  • Take the available space into consideration and always take accurate measurements so that you don’t choose lighting fixtures that are too big or small.
  • Make use of LED lights. The main reason for this is that these bulbs use way less energy than their halogen or incandescent counterparts. Also, these bulbs are almost maintenance-free, meaning there is no need to change bulbs.
  • Look at the indented project space and visualize how it would look once the project is over. This can help to make the decisions of the lights to use, how to power them, where to place them etc. 
  • You need to make sure you know exactly what you need and how much of it to get before you even start shopping. For calculating how many lights you’ll need, you can run this simple maths – Multiply the square footage of the area of the project by 1.5. With this calculation, you’ll get a rough estimate with which you can work with instead of just going in blindly.
  • When it comes time to entertain guests, consider the use of lighting that gives out warmth and ambiance to the environment. 
  • Make sure to place sufficient rights to protect the home. Solar lights are not only good for making the home look better but are also good for providing added security.
  • The three fundamental types of solar lighting should be incorporated into your project layout. These types of lighting are ambient, task, and accent. For Ambient lighting, you can get that effect by using hanging lights, wall lights, etc. Task lighting can be achieved with security lights, pathway lights, etc. And accent lighting can be achieved with spotlights and some natural landscape kits. 

Connecting Solar Panel To Home Lighting System

Remember to charge your solar lighting panels once you buy them. Charge these lights up before use. To charge, let the lights be exposed to direct rays of the sunlight for about 10 hours till full capacity.

Avoid placing your solar lights in areas that are brightly lit. This is because doing so spoils the purpose of the light in the first place. Also, many outdoor lights will turn off when a light source is detected close by. For great performance, the sensor has to be placed in the right spot. Poor location and/or placement may result in the decreased sensitivity of the solar light sensor.

Place the solar panels at the top of the solar lights. The placements and angle of the solar panels often affect the output of the entire lighting system. Remember to tilt the panels occasionally to get the most of the sun. Normally, the solar panels should be facing south.  

Follow these instructions to store your solar lights efficiently –

  • Make sure that your lights are stored in a dry place at room temperature.
  • The lights need to be stored where some sunlight can still be received each day.
  • When you are storing the batteries for a long time, the units should be fully discharged and charged once a month
  • Storing the solar lights in a dark place will destroy the batteries and may even prevent them from charging and/or holding a charge.
  • To make the solar lights work and last better, don’t store them for a long period of time.
  • Make sure to clean the solar panels periodically because dirt might cause the lights to malfunction. Just make use of a dry cloth and warm soapy water to wipe it off.

Best Solar Lights For Home

Best Solar Deck Lights

Best Solar Garden Lights

Best Solar Flood Lights

Best Solar Fence Lights

The Buyer’s Guide  Solar Lights For Home: The FAQs

How long do Solar lights last?

Thanks to various technological advancements, we have solar lights that can last for as long as 10 hours on a single charge. However, it depends to some extent on the frequency of usage. The best solar lights used frequently is likely to die off quickly and vice versa. 

Where is the best place to use outdoor solar lights?

Outdoor solar lights can be used anywhere in your yard. This type of solar light for home can also be used in your patio or extended garden. To get the perfect outlook, you may consider the services of solar installation service experts within your area. 

When should I replace my solar lights?

For general purposes, solar batteries can be replaced once every two years. But if your area has a long winter or some other extreme weather conditions, it would be safer for the batteries to be replaced annually.

How do you charge solar lights for the first time?

Allow the lights to stay exposed to direct sunlight for about 5-10 cycles or 10 hours before using it.

Conclusion

Many important exterior house lighting tips encourage the use of solar lights for home. That’s because it adds a lot of great features, maximum creativity, and flexibility when it comes to designing your home’s outdoor area. Maintenance and proper use will help you get the best from the lights as they can last for a long time if handled right.

Whether you are doing the solar light installation on your own or not, don’t forget to test everything immediately after arrival. In addition to this, check the return and replacement policy before placing your order, just in case of any factory defects.

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