Outdoor Solar Lighting

Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting

Q: I'd like to add lights around my yard and front walkway. I've heard solar landscape lighting is the easiest to install, but do solar-powered lights really work?

A: Solar-powered landscaping lights have several advantages. With no wiring, they're easy to install and don't require you to tear up any existing landscaping. They're also inexpensive to purchase and won't increase your energy bill because they use a rechargeable battery powered by sunlight.

Outdoor solar lighting probably won't be powerful enough to light your whole yard, but they work well as accent lights teamed with wired low-voltage lighting. Because the receptor is only as large as the top part of the fixture, it can only absorb so much light. This, of course, limits the amount of light the fixture can produce.

The reliability of solar-powered lights also depends somewhat on the climate. Daily sun exposure directly affects the length of time they stay on at night. Therefore, they should be placed to receive direct sunlight throughout the day. If you live in a cloudy area, solar-powered lights probably aren't for you.