Selecting outdoor lighting takes some planning and time effort. Before chose any type of lighting, you need to evaluate the different types available and make a list of what you want to light up and whether you can get power to it. Solar lights offer great flexibility in this and this article will list some pros and cons to consider.
When you are considering install lighting of any kind, you need to evaluate which types of lighting are available. Here are some pros and cons of solar lighting to consider.
Pros:
- Ease of installation – Shop at your neighborhood store or purchase from an online solar light supply store. When they arrive, set up and you’re done.
- They are relatively inexpensive – There are many types available of course, but the basic ones come in sets and they can cover the area you want lighted without having to run wires
- They come in a variety of styles, shapes, materials and colors. There’s one for practically every application.
- They can be moved around easily. If the area you want lighted is not quite what you had in mind, either move the lights or add more.
- Since they are relatively inexpensive, you can change to another style or get the latest and greatest that is out today.
Cons:
- Need of sunlight. Solar lights are powered by re-chargeable batteries. These batteries are charge via a small solar panel affixed to the light. If the area does not get adequate sun, the batteries may not charge adequately.
- Batteries affected by weather. If your area does get wintry and cold weather, the batteries may not charge adequately since cold weather has a tendency to draw down the batteries power much the same as a car battery. Further, in winter, you may get more cloudy days and the batteries may not charge adequately. Your solar lights might even get buried in the snow and get forgotten and when clearing snow, they may be damaged. As you can see, solar lights fall into the same Pro and Cons that any product may fall in. The most important thing to consider is to decide how flexible you want to be with light. Solar lights certainly offer that, but it may not be the best solution for every application.
