What to Consider when Buying a Solar Lantern

A solar lantern derives its power from a combination of solar panels as well as batteries, which are easy to recharge. Using solar-powered lanterns means getting cheaper illumination, needing less maintenance, and using safe and eco-friendly energy. Before purchasing such lanterns, it pays to look at each of these benefits in detail.

A Cheaper Alternative

There is nothing worse than having a battery-operated lantern fail in the middle of the night. Regular batteries can easily lose their charge, but this will not happen with a solar lantern which, thanks to its solar panels, will always remain powered. Investing in a solar lantern means enjoying cheaper illumination. Over the long term, the initial investment will pay for itself and given the fact that such lanterns are already priced attractively enough for an ordinary person to buy them, the savings gained in not having to pay for either electricity or batteries will pay off.

Lower Maintenance

Tapping solar energy means using systems that do not require many moving parts and this, in turn, means that a solar lantern will be easy to maintain. With solar lanterns, there is only need to clean out the lantern so that accumulated dirt and dust can be removed. This is the only real maintenance required when using solar-powered lanterns. Furthermore, these lanterns are made with panels that do not scratch, so the panels will also be impervious to any kind of damage.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is naturally safe and earth friendly. It only takes between six and eight hours of sunlight for a solar lantern's batteries to be totally charged up. Using these lanterns helps in saving fossil fuels that are costly, polluting, and quickly dwindling. Solar energy on the other hand, is available in abundance, and it is clean and renewable, which means that by using solar energy, mankind will be able to save electricity in many kilowatts.

Significant Savings

Using solar lanterns instead of those that are powered by batteries, electricity, or kerosene can help a household save between 150 and 250 dollars each year.

Location

In order to derive maximum benefits from using solar-powered lanterns, it is necessary to ensure that the lantern is used in a region that gets plenty of sunlight. For regions that tend to experience a lot of cloudy weather, it may be necessary to choose a solar lantern that makes use of amorphous solar panels.

Backup Time

When the solar lantern is to be used for short durations, it is enough to buy a product with a smaller battery, typically which is rated at 4.5 Ah. For longer durations, it will be necessary to use a lantern with 7 Ah batteries.

Lantern Specifications

Finally, it is important to decide whether to buy a six-volt or twelve-volt solar lantern. Furthermore, it is also important to buy the product from a reliable source.

In order to purchase the right solar lantern, it is necessary to first identify the location where it is to be used, and in addition, it is necessary to pick a product with the right specifications. It is also necessary to look at the number of hours for which the lantern will be used. Based on this usage time, there are different options available.