exterior solar lighting

exterior solar lighting

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Most of us think of solar lights as small inferior lighting used in landscape design and as low lighting units stuck in the ground for those who can afford nothing more but want a little light to show the way from the sidewalk to the front door.

No more! Today solar lights have advanced to useful lighting that has a variety of uses, styles, designs and light output. Among the most innovative of solar lights for exterior use are solar security lights and lamp posts. As with most solar lighting, you get what you pay for.

Today solar lights can be used as floodlights for security purposes, offering as much as a 30' span of light. With cables now extending as far as 12' it is no longer necessary to worry about placing the security light in the direct sun. The solar panel can be placed in the sunlight and the light itself can be placed on the porch or under the eaves. Another new advantage to solar lights for security purposes is that some now come with an infrared motion detector.

Most homes today have a lamp post at the entrance to the walkway to the house or the drive. With the new solar lights that have posts as high as 11' and double lamps that each have an output of 75 watts, solar yard lamps are an advantage for those who need to install the yard lamp.

With solar lights and lamps there is no need to wire or re-wire. There is no need to dig up the yard to bury electric cables. To install solar lights all that is required is placing the lamp where you want it and securing it. The solar security lights can easy be installed with a few screws. The lamp posts generally require securing them by bolting them to concrete or a level surface.

Once in place the biggest upkeep factor is occasionally changing the battery if there is a need for replacement. Otherwise, the benefit of solar lights for the exterior is based on the set it and forget it theory.

With larger lights such as the lamp post yard light or with solar security lights, there is little chance of theft since the lights are secured by screws or bolts. When solar lights for the exterior were first introduced they were flimsy plastic lights that were often vandalized or stolen. With the newer more fashionable and well constructed lights, the problem has been solved.

Solar lights come in a range of prices, from a few dollars per unit to under $2,000 for a unit. However, it must be said that a solar lamp post light that may cost $1500 is often less expensive than digging up the yard and paying an electrician to install the cables.

As America focuses on going green and saving energy, solar lights are basically a one time expense that will cut the cost of usage and add a touch of class to the yard.

Maggie Mae has long been an advocate of "going green." While solar lights are not without their deficiencies, the quality of the lights and the output has advanced significantly over the past few years. As Maggie searched for solar lights for her own yard, she found the range of options to be ever expanding. Today she writes Guide to Solar Lights (http://www.guidetosolarlights.com) as she continues her quest to go totally solar.

Solar Lights