Solar Lights FAQ’s
How do solar lights work and how do they store energy?
Solar lighting is the safest and easiest type of outdoor lighting to install. Each light fixture has a solar collector panel that converts sunlight into electrical energy. This electrical energy is stored in highly efficient rechargeable batteries, that release the stored energy to light the fixture at night.
What are the differences between solar lights and incandescent or fluorescent lights?
Solar lights are equipped with LED’s. LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) are semiconductor devices that emit visible light when conducting current. This is why solar lamps give off a different type of light than incandescent or fluorescent lights.
It is a common mistake to compare the wattage of LED units and their incandescent and fluorescent counterparts – wattage indicates power consumption, not brightness.
The proper way to compare outdoor lighting is using lumens or candle feet, which measures the brightness of the light. A typical LED will give off the equivalent of a 2 watt bulb. However, an LED unit is more intense and provides a different angle of dispersion, while incandescent light glows in all directions.
Another advantage of using solar lights is that LED bulbs will never burn out during the lifetime of the product. Low voltage incandescent and fluorescent systems need bulb replacements often and add to the cost and inconvenience of the product.
Are solar lights as bright as regular lights?
Solar lights are usually not as bright as other forms of outdoor landscape lighting. This means that instead of harsh, glaring light, you’ll have the benefit of softer, subtler accent lighting that makes your outdoors look attractive in the dark.
How long do solar lights stay on?
Because their energy stored in the batteries is charged by the, the length of time that solar lights stay on is dependent on the amount of sunlight received during the day. Most solar lights will stay lit for up to 10 or more hours with fully charged batteries.
What sort of maintenance will I need to be concerned with?
There is almost no maintenance required except for occasional cleaning of the panel surface to keep it free of dust and dirt, regular battery checks, and replacing the batteries when required.
Living on the lake, we have to clean spiders and insects out of our solar dock lights once per year, but it is a fairly simple job.
How often do these batteries need replacing?
The batteries are designed to withstand a minimum of 1,000 deep discharges or at least 1,000 nights of light. They are readily available and easy to replace, rechargeable batteries.
How often will I need to replace the L.E.D. in my solar fixture?
The LED’s themselves are not replaceable. However, their life expectancy typically exceeds 25 years, based on running 10 hours every night. Therefore, LED bulbs should never burn out during the lifetime of the product.
What advantages do solar lights offer?
Solar lights need no wiring and are very easy to install. Because they run on the sun’s energy, they cost nothing to use. This means they are also environmentally friendly, and help conserve our rapidly depleting regular energy resources.
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Dock lights need electricity to power them, usually either alternating current (from an outlet) or direct current (from a battery). Both options are fine, but batteries can be annoying to constantly replace and expensive to buy. Hooking into an outlet may be a better choice, but you’ll need to pay a high electric bill, and deal with wiring to the site.
Solar dock lights collect solar energy during the day in small solar panels, usually positioned on the top of the dock light. This energy charges a battery located inside the dock light (usually this is a standard NiCad rechargeable battery). The recharged battery then powers an LED light. LED’s are small lights that are very bright, but use a minimal amount of energy to run. Therefore, the energy collected during the daylight is enough to power the dock light through the night. Some dock lights automatically turn on when the sun sets – automating the process and making them even safer.
Remember, safety is the key to boating fun. Knowing that these 
.