solarsystem

Using solar lighting outdoors can be a lifesaver when outdoor outlets are not available. But do solar-powered lights really work? How do they measure up to hardwired electric lights? And what if your yard is shady or you live somewhere that rarely sees the sun? Here’s the full scoop on choosing and using solar-powered lights in your yard. ​ How solar lighting works. Photovoltaic cells absorb sunlight during the day to charge the batteries, which then light the bulb at night. Because solar lights are powered by the sun, they must be placed in an area that receives full sun — ideally eight or more hours per day. What if you don’t have direct sun? If you are putting solar lights in your desert yard in Tucscon or Palm Springs, they are sure to operate at maximum strength — but what if you live in Seattle or simply have a heavily shaded yard? It’s not quite as simple, but you can still have solar-powered lights, even in a fully shaded area. A solar or landscape lighting pro...

  Solar lights  work like a miniature version of a rooftop solar panel system with one important distinction: solar lights must include battery storage. During the daytime when the sun is shining, solar cells attached to the light generate electricity and store it in a battery. Most solar lights include a darkness sensor so that come night time, they will automatically turn on and start using their stored electricity. While many solar lights have their solar cells built right into the same unit as the light itself, some products will have lights separate from the solar panel providing power to it. Most solar lights are LEDs that only use a small amount of electricity. Because of this, many solar lights can run for a full night (if not more). Most solar lighting systems have a “nightly run time” rating that indicates how long you can expect lighting given a certain amount of sun exposure. Keep in mind that these run times will vary significantly from the actual lighting time yo...