In this article, you’ll find:
- The top 5 advantages of solar lights.
- How solar lights work.
- If solar lights work indoors.
- The best solar light solutions.
Many Australians are turning to solar-powered lighting to provide their home with electricity and lower their energy bills. While there are many benefits to solar power (including the all-important environmental factors), installation costs can be high.
If you want to lower your grid-powered energy consumption and yet your budget won’t extend to a full system, solar lights around your home may be an option.
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About Residential Solar Lights
What are the top 5 advantages of solar lights?
Aside from the obvious environmental and financial advantages of solar lights, they’re also great for storm season.
- One of the most beneficial advantages of solar lights to you personally is the impact on your energy bill. As you’ll learn further on, solar lights run on energy from the sun, so the upkeep is extremely low.
- Most solar lights can also be installed yourself, so you also don’t need to worry about pricey installation costs.
- There are a lot of different solar lighting options, so prices vary. However, we recommend investing in a good-quality light as the battery inside will tend to last longer. Expect to pay anywhere from around $50 to $70 per light.
- While solar lights alone won’t take you off the grid, they do help our environment. They reduce your carbon footprint, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
- In Australia, blackouts are almost inevitable during storm season. With indoor and outdoor solar lights, even solar-powered torches, you never need to go searching for a battery or candle in the dark.
How do solar lights work?
Solar lights absorb the sunlight during the day and then covert it into energy to use when turned on at night.
Inside each solar light you will find a battery, which absorbs sunlight during the day. This supplies the electricity and allows the light to turn on at night. Most lighting specialists will recommend you give your lights at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to provide around 8 hours of light once turned on.
Worried about cloud cover or rainy weather? Don’t be. Solar lights are able to absorb sunlight even on cloudy days.
Can solar powered lights work indoors?
As solar lights require charging, it’s best to place them in direct sunlight.
Solar lights produce the same amount of light as ‘normal’ electric lightbulbs. They have very strong receptors that can detect even the slightest hint of sunlight, so this is why cloudy days are no problem. However, you’ll want to place solar lights in direct light without obstructed windows for the best results.
What are the best indoor solar lights?
1. Solar fairy lights.
If you’re looking to put up lights in your garden or home for an event, a major holiday or as decoration, why not hang up solar powered fairy lights? With different shaped bulbs and the ability to select different coloured lights, they’re sure to make your garden or home look bright and beautiful.
2. Garden path solar lights.
Updating your front or backyard with individual solar lights can help highlight different features, such as a garden bed or water feature. Plus, adding lights along a pathway in your garden can help make it easier to navigate outside at night. Try adding LED solar strips along pathways or for outdoor stairs, some individual flower-shaped solar lights.
3. Solar pool lights
When it comes to pool lighting, you have a few options. Solar-powered LED lights can be installed around the sides or bottom of the pool to provide lighting during those warm summer night swims. Alternatively, why not try some floating lights in your pool or garden pond? With decorative options such as lily pads and flowers, you can add both style and function.
4. Solar security lights
Installing a security or motion sensor light around your front door or windows can help stop unwanted visitors and animals from hanging around. As soon as it becomes dark, your solar lights will turn on and help to keep your home safe.
5. Solar Candles
Solar candles are perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. They use LED lights instead of a flame, which makes them perfect for households with children and won’t extinguish with the window. Many solar candles come with a flickering light mode to mimic a real candle, as well as the option to choose the colour of the light emitted. We love the idea of placing some solar candles out on the patio or by the pool!
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