What to Look for when Buying Outdoor Solar Lights

The addition of outdoor solar lights can turn a garden or lawn bathed in nighttime darkness into a subtly lit landscape. Outdoor solar lights do not flood light upon the ground, deck or anywhere else. They are best used when ambience and atmosphere are desired. Solar lights utilize different bulbs to produce a brighter or dimmer glow, but for the most part they are used for accent. If you are interested in installing outdoor solar lights, there are a few attributes that you should look for so you don't end up buying a poor quality product. 

Solar Lights

Solar lights make an excellent addition to a landscape in part for the ease and convenience in which they operate. Solar lights require no power cords. They work by storing sunlight captured by a small photovoltaic cell built onto the light. The energy captured is stored in a rechargeable battery. Once the photosensor on the light fails to detect any more sunlight, the LED automatically turns on, supplied by the power stored up in the battery. This is a continual process. Sunlight must reach the mini solar panel, and it must not be covered in debris. The only maintenance outdoor solar lights require besides changing their batteries every couple of years is keeping their solar cells clean and making sure trees, shrubs and other foliage is not blocking the sunlight from reaching them during the day. 

Buying Solar Lights

When buying solar lights, consider the following 5 attributes: LED brightness, solar panel variety, photosensor features, installation and placement. You are not limited to one type of outdoor solar light, so you'll also want to look into your options including post lights, stake lights, step lights and lantern style lights. 

LED Brightness

To get brighter solar lights, each will have to use a fluorescent bulb or two LEDs. Not all lights come with that feature. Many possess a single LED and consequently do not shine very bright at night. Either check the capability of the light before you purchase or, if possible, plan on installing many outdoor solar lights. Even if somewhat dim, they can produce an atmospheric glow when combined. 

Solar Panel Variety

Many outdoor solar lights each have their own mini solar panel attached. Another type comes in sets that connects each light in the series to a bigger solar panel. Lights with individual panels need to be in the sun during the day to work. Light sets, by contrast, can be placed anywhere, even shady spaces, so long as the panel is in the sun. 

Photosensor

To have the most control over the light, look for outdoor solar lights that include a manual override for the photosensor. This will allow you to flip the light off when you don't want it to turn on. Otherwise it will always come on at night.

Installation and Placement

The beauty of outdoor solar lights is that they require hardly any installation. At most you will have to affix them to the top of a post. In many cases they are simply staked into the ground. There are no wires, power outlets or heavy digging involved. 

Look into your options for outdoor solar lights before purchasing, and make sure you understand the different types available. That way you will make the right purchase for your landscape needs and get out of your solar lights exactly what you thought you would.