Author Topic: Solar outdoor house lights? (Read 2827 times)

280plus · « **on:** November 16, 2012, 07:20:49 PM »

The wifey wants some for Christmas. Anybody have any experience with them? Horror stories?

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2012, 08:13:18 PM »

Yeah.

They suck.

I've gone through two sets of them in three years. Out of all that ... exactly ONE still functions. Doesn't produce any usable light (none of them ever did) but during the summer months it at least lights up enough to serve as a walkway marker until 2:00 or 3:00 o'clock in the morning.

Now? If I come home at 6:00 p.m. it's a barely-visible glow.

Skip solar -- go low-voltage, hard-wired.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2012, 08:56:14 PM »

Apparently it has become in vogue to use the little solar lights that you push in the ground as grave decorations. Several small town and country cemeteries I drive by at night have them all over the place. Sometimes just a couple, sometimes outlining the grave. Kind of tacky IMO.

Jim147 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2012, 09:14:22 PM »

I bought some of the solar spot lights about three or four years ago. I use them mounted on fence posts to light the driveway between the house and the cabin.

They have been outside since the day I bought them and are still going strong. I think they cost about $20.00 for two of them at Sutherlands Lumber.

jim

RocketMan · « **Reply #4 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:10:40 AM »

Lots of variability in quality. I have several that require maintenance every year to keep them going. Cleaning battery connections, replacing batteries, etc. Others have been in service for a couple of years without problems.

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:47:38 AM »

I have two. Teh suk.

They have 4xAA batteries inside that are charged by a little 3" by 3" solar panel. They worked for about a year, then gave up the ghost. Maybe I could put new rechargable batteries in them, or investigate what's wrong with them... but they cost less than new batteries would cost. Just not worth it.

Go intermediate-grade. Something less than a full 30 amp solar rig charging marine batteries, but more than a mickey mouse stick in the ground system. Some of the motion sensing solar charged floodlamps look alright. Things like that.

Tallpine · « **Reply #6 on:** November 17, 2012, 11:41:56 AM »

They don't react well to being back over

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #7 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:26:31 PM »

We have the little ones that you stick in the ground. We've tried different brands, but they all stay lit for a couple of hours after sunset, and that's it. Now we use them to mark spots in the back yard where the dog has taken a dump so we can find the pile in the daylight to pick it up.

Out front we have hard-wired walkway lights and spotlights on a timer. Much, much better, and not that expensive.

280plus · « **Reply #8 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:34:27 PM »

Quote from: Tallpine on November 17, 2012, 11:41:56 AM

They don't react well to being back over

Good to know!

She's already got the little stick in the ground ones. These are meant to replace the 115V ones on the house for the front door and garage door. She sent me some links I haven't looked at yet.

280plus · « **Reply #9 on:** November 17, 2012, 12:36:32 PM »

FWIW our stick ones are ok actually. They seem to stay lit quite a while. Not that I've ever really paid attention. I'll check the brand and watch how they work.

birdman · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2012, 05:35:11 PM »

Quote from: 280plus on November 17, 2012, 12:34:27 PM

Good to know!

She's already got the little stick in the ground ones. These are meant to replace the 115V ones on the house for the front door and garage door. She sent me some links I haven't looked at yet.

Ah, you confused people, you want solar powered FLOOD lights, not walk-way lights.

280plus · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2012, 07:40:45 PM »

No, Not floodlights regular old hang on the wall over the door kind of lights. Sconces or some such similar thing. The kind you turn on for halloween to attract the kids so you can make soup out of them. Wait, did I say that last part out loud?

birdman · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2012, 07:46:35 PM »

Quote from: 280plus on November 17, 2012, 07:40:45 PM

No, Not floodlights regular old hang on the wall over the door kind of lights. Sconces or some such similar thing. The kind you turn on for halloween to attract the kids so you can make soup out of them. Wait, did I say that last part out loud?

Still, not stick in the ground lights, which most people concluded. I am sorry, I shouldn't have used floodlight. So what you want is an outdoor light fixture that mounts on a wall or pole, and provides local illumination, but NOT a stick in the ground walk-way light.

So a "see your keys" or decorative "hey visitors, my front door is over here" light?

280plus · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2012, 09:03:06 PM »

The combo. We have a sconce light on either side of the front door and a single light over the center of the garage door. SWMBO wants them to turn into solar powered lights. For Christmas. Major deal here.

birdman · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2012, 09:57:44 PM »

Damn, thats a tough one, to provide anywhere reasonable light (like a watt or two of LED for a few hours) its gonna need a not very small solar panel. Does SWMBO realize what that will look like?

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #15 on:** November 17, 2012, 11:04:56 PM »

Why? Run some led lights that plug into the light bulb socket,
slap on a dusk dawn sensor and call them solar activated.

I have led sting lights & marker lights that are solar recharged,

They run for 4-5 hours depending upon the amount of sunlight.

gunsmith · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2012, 11:37:21 PM »

Some are quite good, on the ranch where I live is an old cemetery, a couple of people from the early 1900's.
We cleared the area and mr ranch owner put surrounded it with solar lights, they've worked fine for over two yrs

There are some on the gate, 3 or 4 yrs still working good.

We bought some to put around inside the buildings at night for when there is no wind ( we is off grid ) and the lights don't work.
The new ones crap out real quick.

Buy the better ones, or buy a few different brands and buy more of the ones that don't suck.

For off grid wilderness living they're great.

280plus · « **Reply #17 on:** November 18, 2012, 10:57:14 AM »

A hint as to which ones don't suck would be helpful. Got a brand name?

Fly320s · « **Reply #18 on:** November 18, 2012, 06:35:26 PM »

Solar charged lights on your porch? Will they get any sunlight?

AJ Dual · « **Reply #19 on:** November 18, 2012, 07:26:08 PM »

Liberate one of the light heads from its stake and put it a few stories up in a tree with its body camouflaged with some leaves our twigs.

Then in fall the tree sheds its leaves, and the solar cell gets light during the day, and the LED its visible at night making your mark go "WTF is that?"

gunsmith · « **Reply #20 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:39:58 PM »

Quote from: 280plus on November 18, 2012, 10:57:14 AM

A hint as to which ones don't suck would be helpful. Got a brand name?

As usual, I am here all alone, well except for the dogs.
Mr Ranch owner buys them, I'll ask him when he returns.
(LIKE a day or two )

MechAg94 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:41:56 PM »

I would suggest buying them with shades or adding something so you don't have to see the light itself when trying to look at what you are trying to light up. Those lights are just bright enough to mess with your vision, but not bright enough to illuminate the surroundings without a shade.

They make models that are supposed to mount on the eaves of your house with a solar section that lays up on the roof. I haven't tried those yet.

280plus · « **Reply #22 on:** November 19, 2012, 07:51:00 AM »

Cool, I've almost made it to those links she sent me. I'm getting closer.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #23 on:** November 19, 2012, 08:01:43 AM »

Every time I see this thread I read it as Solar Outhouse Lights.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_alternative-renewable-energy+solar-lighting

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #24 on:** November 20, 2012, 01:43:08 PM »

http://www.amazon.com/HitLights-Motion-Activated-Outdoor-Perfect-Backyard/dp/B008S1VMZ0/ref=?ie=UTF8&m=AJ0QRPX8ADNI1

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Author Topic: Solar outdoor house lights? (Read 2827 times)