Solar lights and lamps

If you want lighting in your garden, for example around your patio area or even your drive, there are a number of options. In the case of the patio, garden heaters provide some light, but usually this will not be adequate and therefore further lighting will be required. The down side to this is that lights use energy and energy costs money. There is however the option of using free energy in the form of solar energy.

If you regularly use your garden heater for parties and al fresco eating you will already be paying for extra electricity, gas or wood, so getting illumination for free is a good idea.

Stand alone solar lamps

Solar lights come in a number of forms and the cheapest option is an all in one light, solar energy panel and battery that can be positioned anywhere. This kind of light has no cables, no dependence on any other fitting or connection and it can be pushed into the ground (they usually have a spiked base) in a lawn or flower bed.

The solar collector on the top of the lamp collects the suns rays during the day and they, in turn, are converted into energy and stored in the lamps small battery. In most cases a low light detector recognises when the natural light is diminishing and automatically turns on the solar lamp. The lamp then provides illumination until the battery is depleted, or until sufficient natural light causes it to switch off.

Solar lamps of this type have great flexibility because you can set them up or move them around at a few minutes notice. All that they require is to be in a bright position during daylight hours and for their top surface (with the solar collector) to be kept clean and free of debris.

The down side to this form of solar lighting is that the levels of illumination are fairly low. The result is that this type of lamp is good at delineating path ways, or providing gentle illumination in flower beds. It is less effective at providing light that illuminates an area for activity or visibility.

Solar panels

The other solar lighting option is to use regular outdoor lights that do not have their own integral solar energy collector. In order to do this it is necessary to connect the lighting system to solar generating network This sounds complicated, but it is in fact a job that can be undertaken by anyone competent in DIY or home improvement projects.

Solar lighting kits that include the solar panels and everything else necessary to get a solar lighting system working can be purchased on line. It is also possible to build these networks in a modular way, buying accessories like low energy 12 volt bulbs, solar inverters and charge controllers. These systems can be used to illuminate garden areas, sheds or even rooms inside a home.