FAQ

What is the difference between regular lights and solar lights?

Most solar lights are equipped with LEDs rather than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.  LED stands for light-emitting diode.  Our solar landscape lamps contain multiple LEDs to create a bright yet non-glare area of light.  When used in a landscape setting  they offer soft , subtle accent lighting that is very effective outdoors at night.

 What are the advantages of solar lights for the landscape?

They are safe and easily installed since no wiring or electrical connection is required. Those that are mounted on stakes are wonderful because they can easily be moved from one location to another in your garden.  And because they use the sun’s energy, they cost nothing to operate and they do not add pollutants to the environment. The LED’s never need to be replaced as their life expectancy is 25 years or more.

 How do solar lights work?

Each light has a photovoltaic cell that converts sunlight into electrical energy which is stored in a rechargeable battery. When the sun goes down at night the light switches on automatically. It is important to make sure there is no other strong light that may cause the automatic switch to fail to turn the light on.  It is also important to place the lamp in an area that receives sunlight for most of the day so that the battery is recharged each day. Placing a light in the shade of trees, buildings, or other objects that create deep shade will not allow adequate charging of the battery. In some cases you may place the solar panel some distance away from the light, but then a wire must connect the two.

 What maintenance is needed?

The only maintenance is cleaning the solar panel surface to keep it free of dirt and debris that impedes the sun recharging the battery. You will need to occasionally replace the rechargeable battery. They are designed to be recharged a minimum of 1000 times so will last for at least 1000 nights of light. They are readily available in most local stores where batteries are sold.

 How long do solar lights stay on?

With a full day of bright sunlight on the solar panel, they will typically run for 8 to 15 hours. Lesser amounts of sunlight, a dirty panel, or significant shade from surrounding objects will result in less than a  full charge and thus a shorter running time.