How to Choose the Best Outdoor Solar Lights For Yard
Solar lights offer a stylish and energy-efficient way to illuminate your outdoor space. But how do you choose the best ones for your yard?
During the day, solar cells convert sunlight into electricity to power rechargeable batteries. At night, photoresistors switch on the bulbs to provide lighting.
Brightness
A big part of why people choose outdoor solar lights is to have a brighter yard than they can get with regular lighting. This is especially true for yards that need more than a simple light to illuminate paths or other features. Luckily, there are plenty of options on the market to meet your brightness needs. Whether you’re looking for stakes to stick into the ground, mounting clips to hang on a wall, or simply using the sun’s energy to illuminate your space, we can help you find what you’re looking for.
We’ve put dozens of outdoor solar lights through the paces in our lab and on our own back yards to help you figure out which one is best for your space. Our testers are looking at everything from the brightness of the lights to how easy they are to set up, mount, and use. They’re also considering features that might be important to you. If you have pets or a lot of wild animals in your yard, for example, motion-sensing technology can be helpful in scaring them away. Likewise, timer controls can be useful to control how long you want the lights to stay on.
Jenica Currie is a Associate Commerce Editor who tests and writes about the latest home and garden gadgets for The Spruce. Her favorites include solar lights for the backyard and front porch that have a lantern-style look to them.
Durability
Outdoor solar lights are exposed to a variety of weather conditions and elements, so their durability is an important consideration. Look for rugged construction with durable materials, outdoor solar lights for yard such as weatherproof plastic or aluminum. You also want to consider how the product will be mounted to your home or landscape. Some products, like string lights or a post lantern, require mounting to a wall using screws; other options have stakes that stick into the ground. For long-lasting performance, you’ll need to install your solar lights in a location that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.
Solar lights use a photovoltaic panel to absorb sun energy during the day; this solar energy then transforms into electrical energy and charges the batteries inside the light. When darkness falls, the battery-powered light turns on to provide bright, ambient lighting. Many solar lights have multiple brightness settings to suit different needs and preferences.
The more features you get on your solar lights, the more money you’ll likely spend. For a basic option, opt for a model with an auto on/off function that automatically illuminates at dusk. If you want something more versatile, choose a model with several lighting modes, such as motion-sensing or dimming. Some models even have a WiFi connection, so you can control them from your smartphone.
Cost
A solar light is an excellent choice for your yard as it requires little maintenance. It uses solar energy to recharge its batteries and turns on automatically when night falls. The type of solar light you choose depends on your needs and budget. For example, if you have wild animals in your yard, a motion-sensor light will help scare them away. You also need to consider the amount of sunlight your backyard receives on a daily basis. If you live in a sunny area, you should consider a solar landscape spotlight or flood light.
There are several different types of solar lights, but most come in the form of lanterns, stakes, or wall-mounted lights. These solar lights can be used to illuminate a flower garden or to provide ambiance around your patio or porch. They are also useful for highlighting certain features in your yard such as a statue or plant. They are easy to set up, require no wiring, and can be moved around with ease.
Jenica Currie is an Associate Commerce Editor for outdoor, gardening, and home improvement products at The Spruce. She uses a combination of research, lab insights, and real-world experience to select the top-rated products. She has reviewed dozens of solar lawn Garden Outdoor Solar Light Manufacturer lights to determine their effectiveness and value. During the testing process, she evaluates setup and features, including on/off switches, multiple lighting modes, battery life, durability, and design.
Ease of Installation
Solar lights can be a cheap way to spruce up your yard. They don’t require electrical wiring and are easy to install. Most come with stakes that can be pushed into the ground and placed in the area you want to light. If you’re using the lights to illuminate a garden feature or for other purposes, be sure to place them in a sunny location so that the solar panel can collect sunlight. You should also clean the panels regularly to ensure that they are absorbing the sun’s energy effectively.
Before starting to install the lights, expose them to direct sunlight for a few hours. This will give the batteries a chance to charge and uncover any potential issues before you begin working. You may also need to prepare the area where you plan to install the lights by soaking it or loosening up the soil. Lastly, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before beginning installation.
There are many types of solar lights available, ranging from simple string lighting to more sophisticated landscape features that can create an elegant nighttime ambience. The most common variety is a standard solar light that simply lights up when it gets dark, but other options include motion-activated or timer-controlled lights.
