How To Use Solar Panels For Outdoor Lighting

Solar panels come in many different wattage depending on how much power you want to generate.

How to use solar panels for outdoor lighting.

Matching the right collectors charge controller and the battery takes some know how. If you want to take advantage of the sun s abundant energy to power an outdoor light you have at least two options. Outdoor lights accumulate dust and debris so clean them regularly to prevent buildups. When the solar lighting system is switched on it begins to deplete the battery.

The deck and patio are the perfect places to let your solar lights shine. Spray a layer of lacquer on the panel itself to restore its shine. A path light wrapped in wire and hung with the help of a 15 inch rope. Outdoor solar lighting systems work well in most areas of the united states.

A few easy maintenance steps can help clean cloudy solar lights. It is also very easy to replace the light when needed since it is held by the spring tension. You can hook the light up to a solar powered battery system or you can remove the light altogether and replace it with a stand alone solar fixture. Diy outdoor solar lighting using rope solar light and rustic wire this is a simple project.

Manufacturers most commonly use nickel cadmium sealed lead acid and lead acid batteries. This is a problem for two reasons. If you want ac power you ll also need an inverter that converts dc voltage to ac for outdoor solar outlets. Solar kits eliminate guesswork.

Outdoor solar lighting systems use solar cells which convert sunlight into electricity. Take your average daylight hours and divide that by the 380 watts you need and the size of the solar panel will be determined. Solar post caps deck rail lights step lights and even solar string lights all offer a maintenance free glow that makes your deck safe and inviting. The wiring will attach to the battery which is essentially a storage unit.

A solar panel produces electricity from the sun and charges up a battery. This step is essential to solar light maintenance and will directly influence how well your outdoor lights function. Solar panels that have a layer of dust or other debris cannot fully charge the battery during sunlight hours. The electricity is stored in batteries for use at night.

You can cobble together your own system with individual parts but that can be dicey. A charge controller is needed so that the solar panels do not over charge the battery and damage it. Aim a beam of light from a solar powered spotlight or floodlight at an interesting feature in your landscape such as an ornamental tree or architectural detail or integrate them into your home security lighting plan. The battery is then used to power electrical things like light bulbs.

The first option costs more but it s the way to go if you like your present fixture or want to convert an array of lights. In this case if you had 7 hours of sunlight per day you would need at least two 30 watts 12 volt solar panels.