Guide to Solar Landscape Lighting

Solar lights are becoming a favorite selection for illuminating gardens, yards and walkways. These lights require little or no maintenance and are simple to install. Once the solar outdoor lighting is in place it provides free light for its lifetime. Depending on the location of your lights and the amount of sun they receive during the day these solar lights can give six to twelve hours of light between dusk and dawn.

There are many varying styles of outdoor solar lighting. You can use hanging lights, spotlights, patio lights and even specialized lighting in the form of turtles or gnomes that decorates your garden during the day and lights it up at night.

How to Determine the Right Outdoor Solar Lighting

1. Find areas that get the most sunlight throughout the day. Keep in mind that the sun changes position during the year so some areas will receive more sun in the winter than the summer.

2. For shaded areas you will have to install a solar panel in a sunny area such as on your roof and run wire to the lights. Solar energy roofing is a more expensive option, but it will allow you to have your outdoor solar lights wherever you want them.

3. Choose the type of light fixture that best suits the area you are lighting.

• Solar spotlights – for highlighting a specific area
• Low fixture lights – for driveways or landscaped borders
• Tall fixtures – illuminates a larger area for pathways, gardens or decks and patios
• Tiered lights – lighting is angled downwards to minimize glare, good for walkways
• Motion sensors – light up when motion is detected
• Patio light fixtures – illuminate a patio or deck area from above
• Hanging lights – for doorways and entrances
• Decorative lights – come in many interesting styles to provide light as well as decoration

4. Choose an attractive finish for the light fixtures, such as copper, stainless steel or various colors of plastic.

5. Keep the lights relatively close together to avoid dark areas, or group in circles.

6. Standard solar garden and walkway lights only need to be pushed firmly into the ground for installation, or attached to a wall.

7. Ensure that the solar cell on the light is aimed to capture as much of the sun’s light as possible.

General Solar Outdoor Lighting Information:

Depending on the type of light, solar lighting can illuminate a large or small area

Solar outdoor lights are efficient and cost effective

Solar lighting is a great replacement or alternative to electric lights

Landscape lighting adds a nice touch to yards, gardens, patios a walkway

The only maintenance required for solar outdoor lighting is to occasionally clean the solar cell

There are many types and styles of solar lighting to suit the area you want to light