Jun 22 2010
Solar Landscape Lights
The use of solar power to light up the darkness is not a new invention. Solar panels have been providing power to light homes for many years. What is new is the technology that has allowed solar landscape lights to be created that are more powerful, smaller, and able to absorb more power from less sun meaning they don’t have to be installed in direct sunlight. There are other new solar lighting options that allow the landscape designer to be more creative than ever before when using solar lights for the landscape.
Solar stepping-stones for pathways are one of the most creative new uses of solar energy. These injection mold-created pathway markers have solar lighting designed into the stone. The inclusion of a light sensor allows these stones to become luminous when night falls. The stones appear to magically light up and allow people to see the way to their destination one-step at a time until the door home is opened. These pathway markers are heavy duty to withstand heavy traffic and contain batteries that store the energy collected from the sun for up to 8 hours at a time.
Plant light rings that are solar powered are a unique and interesting way to add light to the landscape in a subtle yet artistic manner. These rings fit around the base of plants and are a great way to provide uplight that enhances the plant while at the same time providing lighting to the area. The solar panel can be located away from the plant and connected to the light using an attached cord that can be discreetly placed out of sight.
Solar powered butterfly and firefly lights are an attractive and creative way to add light to the garden. They are available in a variety of sizes and are stake lights that appear to take flight when night comes and the sun goes down. Butterfly and dragonfly lights bring multi-colored light to the landscape and help to create a fantasy garden to be enjoyed by homeowners and guests. Like the other solar lights that are available, during the day the butterflies gather the sun’s power and convert it to energy that is stored in Nickel Cadmium batteries.
The constant theme throughout any landscape light that is solar powered is it having the solar panels needed to gather the sun’s energy, the mechanism needed to transform that energy into stored energy in the batteries and the photocell to tell the battery when to power on and when to power off. Solar powered lights provide lighting in the garden without providing extremely high power bills at the same time.
-Sharon Chapman
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