Solar Lights- Do you like them?

[Mockingbird]

Last year I finally broke down and bought a pair of solar lights for a new bed that I put on the side of the driveway. I know I am strange because every night after I first put them in I would be at the window making sure they lit up. I had to actually replace the one set because they just did not seem to go. Before winter I pulled them out because I didn't think the snow would be great for the solar cell.

I went to the drug store today and they have all sorts of cute solar statues and lights on display. Some are pretty tacky, but a few were cute. I have got so I like to see some of the nicer ones in the gardens, it gets very dark in our area so it is one of the few road marks in the evenings. What do you think about solar lights? To commercial or something you like?

 

[kevinkimers]

I absolutely adore solar lights. They let me see where I am going without me having to remember to turn on lights. Not to mention, strategically placed, they make your yard amazing to look at at night.

 

[zigs]

If I didn't have Solar light I wouldn't be talkin to you now

 

[CanadianLori]

Picked up another 40 watt panel today and the guy at the store rook my number so he can call when unadvertised clearouts come up. YES!!!!

 

[claudine]

I really don't like solar light. Whenever I want to spend time in a garden at night, I always take a few glass vases (or jars) and candles with me. Candlelight is so warm!

 

[Trellum]

I really like solar lights, I actually plan to get some of those for my garden in the future! They are lovely! Nothing I dislike about them to be honest, love the way they look in a garden

 

[Pat]

I like the lights, we put them along the driveway last summer. The lawn guy does not remove the lights before he starts to mow so the lights took a beating each time the lawn got mowed. We will need to replace at least half of the light put down. I like the way the let you see where you are going and when you look out the window it is not so dark, we should put them in the back also, you can see anything back there at night.

 

[LIcenter]

Everyone I have seen gives off a sorta blue-ish light, which I really don't care for. Do they make them with a different color spectrum bulb?

 

[claudine]

Most solar lights I have seen give off a slightly green light. In my opinion it looks spooky and it always reminds me of ghosts in horror movies

 

[gata montes]

I've been using solar lighting for well over ten years now - in fact as I live in the middle of nowhere - I'd be living in pitch black if weren't for solar lighting.

To be honest I think a lot of people have misconceptions about solar lighting - as although I have to agree that some years ago solar lighting was generally pretty basic and very definitely far from attractive - its come a long way in the past five or ten years - so much so - that now you can have solar lighting in any color as well as almost any shape that you desire - as apart from the standard types of garden lighting you - now have the choice of

Almost every flower shape to stars like these which can either be stuck in the ground or hung from trees

Ceramic Pots - plain or with a variety of cutouts

Solar Ornaments of every kind - from frogs to bird and fairy houses

String Lights which can be draped around shrubs and trees or butterflies stuck in the ground like these

As well as all kinds of lanterns from plain to ornate

 

[zigs]

Picked up another 40 watt panel today and the guy at the store rook my number so he can call when unadvertised clearouts come up. YES!!!!

Cool, I got a new 40 watt one from Amazon last week, then spent days exchanging emails as it didn't work. Tried everything then in desparation the chap asked me to reverse the polarity.

Works fine now

 

[zigs]

I've been using solar lighting for well over ten years now - in fact as I live in the middle of nowhere - I'd be living in pitch black if weren't for solar lighting.

To be honest I think a lot of people have misconceptions about solar lighting - as although I have to agree that some years ago solar lighting was generally pretty basic and very definitely far from attractive - its come a long way in the past five or ten years - so much so - that now you can have solar lighting in any color as well as almost any shape that you desire - as apart from the standard types of garden lighting you - now have the choice of

Almost every flower shape to stars like these which can either be stuck in the ground or hung from trees

View attachment 4359

Ceramic Pots - plain or with a variety of cutouts

View attachment 4360

Solar Ornaments of every kind - from frogs to bird and fairy houses

View attachment 4361

String Lights which can be draped around shrubs and trees or butterflies stuck in the ground like these

View attachment 4358

As well as all kinds of lanterns from plain to ornate

View attachment 4362

Lovely Gata

 

[Cereus]

Depends on how you do them. If done creatively like gata showed, they're lovely accents.

 

[zigs]

Most solar lights I have seen give off a slightly green light. In my opinion it looks spooky and it always reminds me of ghosts in horror movies

Or Toilet roll tubes

 

[Cereus]

That looks like something from a weird Sci-Fi movie haha.

 

[kevinkimers]

I really don't like solar light. Whenever I want to spend time in a garden at night, I always take a few glass vases (or jars) and candles with me. Candlelight is so warm!

They actually have solar lights that have the gentle yellowish light that flicker like a candle. I had one once. It was seriously like the light of a real candle. I heard they have solar tiki lights like that too, but I have not see them yet.

 

[LIcenter]

I had no idea what is actually out there gata montes! I love the little butterflies, and dragonflies, not to mention those lanterns are pretty cool also. Thanks for the eye opener.

 

[Shimus]

I bought some cheap ones from the store around here that barely emit any light, but they work well to outline our sidewalk because there are no lights at night generally on up here - I live on the edge of town, next to a farm, and the nearest streetlight is in our parking lot which is a three minute walk from my building. So I figured, hey why not.

I was disappointed by their dinky dim light. So, I'm wondering for online Ziggs since we've been talking about Amazon and how you get plenty of solar energy, maybe you could point me out some cheapies that you'd recommend for lighting a pathway.

 

[zigs]

I don't use the little ones anymore so can't really advise other than to replace the cheap rechargable battery they come with with a 2000mAh one.

They're usually AAA size so shouldn't be difficult.

My main power comes from £400 worth of solar panels and a £450 wind generator charging £320 worth of leisure batteries.

 

[PrideKidd]

Thats Amazing Ziggs, that you live off the land like that! I'm curious after reading your post on how much you think you save over a year with all of your solar power?

I'm really interested in getting started. Where would one begin this endeavor?