The technology behind solar energy has come a long way over the past decade. The use of solar energy has grown from being used in mostly commercial applications to offering a solar alternative in a wide variety of products. This article will first explain how solar lights work and then move on to how they are applied in outdoor lighting projects.
Solar lights have four main components:
- Solar Panel
- Battery
- Light Sensor
- Light Bulb (either incandescent or LED)
The solar panel converts the solar energy from the sun into an electrical current, which is stored in the battery. When the light sensor no longer detects light from the sun, it allows the battery to power up the light source, whether that be a conventional incandescent bulb, or a more efficient LED light.
The solar panel converts the solar energy from the sun into an electrical current, which is stored in the battery. When the light sensor no longer detects light from the sun, it allows the battery to power up the light source, whether that be a conventional incandescent bulb, or a more efficient LED light.
Solar lights have the obvious advantage of saving money since they use stored energy from the sun. Additionally, since there is no wiring involved, solar lights can be placed anywhere that receives sunlight. For the same reason, installation only takes as long as it would take to assemble the light and place them in your lawn or garden areas.
One drawback of solar lights is that they aren’t bright enough to be used in any design application. Solar lights are best used for path lighting or highlighting very small plants. Typical solar lights are not bright enough to be used for spotlighting or other design techniques that require strong light.
As solar lights have become more available in various products, their cost has come down significantly in recent years. They still cost more per light, but the fact that they require no energy from your home allows them to pay for themselves over a short period of time.