Picking Solar Lights For Your Property
If you are looking to add some light to your outdoor space, then it may be time to start thinking about installing some solar lights. Solar lights have a wide variety of benefits, but you should choose the right ones for your specific home and property. There are a few tips that can help you to pick out the correct lights for your landscape lighting design. Keep reading to learn what they are.
Look At The Charge
Before purchasing your solar lights, you should look at your options to see what kind of charge and use time are offered with the lights. The vast majority of solar lights will work well for about two years. This is the time period or longevity of the battery. The light itself can last up to 20 or 30 years, especially if you have purchased an LED light, as long as the batteries can be changed. So, look for a removable battery if you want to keep your lights more long term.
You also want to make sure that your solar lights are offering a large enough battery for eight hour illumination. Some have smaller four hour batteries, but this often does not provide a long enough time frame for illumination.
In addition to looking at the battery and how long it lasts, you want to use the lights properly once you set them up. You will need to remove the plastic piece from the unit that has been preventing the battery from charging. Then turn the light to the on position, let it charge in full daylight, and turn the light off. Turn the light on again during the next day, and then leave it on. This will give the battery in the light two full days of sunlight to charge properly.
Investigate The Panels
Most lights will have solar panels either on the top or side of the light. This depends on the manufacturer and the design of the lights. If you live in an area that is dark in the fall and winter months with little sunshine, then this may be a problem. Typically, you should be looking at the lights with the top solar panels if you live in a low light area. The panels should be large enough to cover the top of the light.
Also, the lights and the solar panels should be easy to clean. Clean panels are able to absorb light better than dirty ones, and you should use soap and water whenever there is a visible amount of dirt or debris.