Solar powered exterior lights
Recent technology means most solar lights last over ten hours on a full charge.
Recent technology means most solar lights last over ten hours on a full charge.
A photovoltaic cell is used to charge the battery of the solar light during day
light hours. The photovoltaic cell is normally mounted on the top of the light making
it a self contained unit.
As the sun shines during the day and the light works at night the electricity generated
by the photovoltaic is stored in a battery. Direct sunlight is not necessarily required
to charge the exterior solar light. The light will still charge on a cloudy day
but the stronger the light, the more power the photovoltaic cell produces.
A sensor within the solar light detects when the sun is setting and the ambient
light reduces. Electronic circuitry within the solar light then switches the light
on. As the sun rises and the ambient light increases the sensor switches off the
light and the battery starts to charge again.
Residential exterior solar lights come in all shapes and sizes and almost any high
powered light you can purchase you can also get a solar powered version.
With conventional lighting high voltage electrical cables are required. This is
not always practical. Digging up asphalt and concrete to lay cables can often make
the installation of exterior lighting economically unviable.
A major advantage of solar exterior lighting is that no cabling is required. You
can install solar lights for the garden or yard with just a screw driver. And the
cost of purchasing them is often low. If you search Google for solar lighting, outside
solar lights or something similar you will be surprised with the variety and cost.
The brightest solar lights often cost a little more than the standard. They generally
come with a larger solar panel. A set of exterior solar lights can be purchased
with a single solar photovoltaic panel supplying a number of lights. The solar panel
can fixed to a fence or stuck into the grass. A cable is used to connect the solar
panel to the solar lights. Even though this solar power outdoor lighting system
does include cabling, the cables are very short and the solar panel can be placed
in the vicinity of the solar lights.