Solar Gutter Lights – Buying Guide and FAQ

3 Features to Look for in Solar Gutter Lights

When looking for a lamp for your home or outdoor space, solar gutter lights offer so many different designs and shapes that you will surely find the model that you love. But, as for the technical specifications, we gathered a small list of things that you should look out for when searching for the best solar gutter light.

Light output

As with any light, you mainly want to know how much it illuminates your space. It can be measured through mainly two parameters; the lumens measure how much light will come from your lamp and the color temperature describes the light’s appearance.

Lumens refer to the brightness of a lamp or a bulb. They will tell you the intensity of the light coming from it. Common outdoor lighting applications use around 50-300 lumens for proper lighting of paths and landscapes. For reference, a standard 40-watt incandescent light bulb provides around 400 lumens.

The color temperature is measured in Kelvins and it comes on a scale of 1000 to 10,000 K. Most residential applications use lighting from 2000 to 6500 K, and it depends on how you want the room to be illuminated. A 2000 K light illuminates on a “warm white,” mainly used for internal applications, while a 6.000 K is referred to as “daylight”, and it can be used as outdoor and security lighting.

Solar panel and battery

As a rule of thumb, the bigger the capacity, the better the efficiency and operating time of your light and system, whether it be from the panel or the battery capacity.

In particular, the solar panels of gutter lights are small-size solar cells, but still capable of providing lighting throughout the night since they have a high quality and they are energy efficient. The higher the efficiency of the solar panel, the shorter charging time will be required by the light.

As for the battery, apart from its capacity, you want to check the battery’s technology. The most common types are lithium-ion and nickel-metal hybrid rechargeable batteries. Li-ion batteries can be charged faster than Ni-MH, but they are a little bit more expensive.

The built structure of the battery is another spec you want to take into consideration, AA size batteries are inexpensive and replaceable, but built-in battery packs can last way longer and are way more efficient.

Materials

As solar gutter lights are mainly installed outdoors, you want to make sure that the lamp’s material resists harsh weather and environmental conditions.

A great and easy to look out for parameter to rate this is the “Ingress Protection” rating, which ranks the ability of the units’ enclosure to prevent dust and water from entering inside of the unit.

An IP55 assures the unit is water resistant, but you want to mainly lookout for durable materials, such as ABS and an IP rating of IP65 or above, to be a certified waterproof unit that will last for years.

It’s always better to look for additional mechanical protection features, such as corrosion-resistant, anti-scratch, and rust-resistant qualities on the materials of your gutter light and mounting hardware.

Solar Post Cap Lights – Buying Guide and FAQ

3 Features to Look for When Buying Solar Powered Flood Lights

Illumination intensity

The first fact that must be verified whenever looking at an illumination source is the lumens output (intensity or brightness). Unlike traditional incandescent light bulbs, solar LED lights cannot be categorized by their wattage because this technology produces a brighter source of light while consuming less power. Therefore, here the reference is always related to lumens output.

In solar flood lights, you will generally notice lumen output values that can go as low as 50 lumens to as high as 10,000 lumens. As you can see, there is a wide range difference between them, so you need to properly choose the one you need.

For your reference, installing solar flood lights between 700-1000 lumens is good enough to work as outdoor yard lights.

Lighting Modes and Working Times

After evaluating brightness, the next feature to look for is the available lighting modes. Most solar flood lights will have two or more available lighting options to efficiently use the available power. Some of them even working similar (but not equal) to solar powered motion detection security lights.

Common modes include a dim mode which generally contains low lumen values (generally below 200 lumens) and a full brightness mode (generally between 700-1000 lumens). Other modes allow you to adjust the intensity of light or to configure the lights to detect motion. Each light will have its own particular modes.

Combined with this feature, you must also evaluate the working times of the solar flood lights under each mode of operation. Sometimes this will not be possible, but at least having a reference for the amount of time that the light can stay on at full power is a very important tool to compare among products. Of course, this will be related to the capacity of the battery. Products with higher storage capacities should be able to provide higher working times.

Miscellaneous

Finally, there are always additional factors that may influence your decision between one product and the other one. For instance, for flood lighting, some products have a remote controllability feature that allows you to adjust brightness levels, working modes, time settings and to turn the lights on or off while standing from a safe distance. In this case, checking the number of feet that the remote control can stand away from the light would be something to look at.

Also, factors such as warranty, waterproof rating, PIR sensor parameters, the material of the structure, and solar cells’ specs, can all play an important role in this matter.

5 Features to Look For When Buying Solar Powered Christmas Lights

Charging Time vs Working Time

Some of the first technical factors that you should be looking for when choosing solar Christmas lights are related to the charging and working times of the lights.

The charging time represents the number of hours that the integrated (generally Ni-MH) battery will need to get fully charged from the solar panel power supply alone. The charging times for these types of lights generally vary between 6-10 hours.

The charging time is highly dependent on solar radiation throughout the day. Also, the number of hours required for charge estimated by the manufacturer assumes full direct sunlight radiation. Therefore, if there are any cloudy days ahead, then the solar panel’s performance will not be as efficient as calculated by the manufacturer. Based on these cases, it is advisable to select the lights that take fewer hours to get fully charged in a single day.

On the other hand, there is also the working time. Also referred to as the running time, it represents the number of hours that the holiday lights will be able to light up during the night. Ideally, it is desirable to have as many working time hours as possible, however, this will depend on the energy capacity of the battery and if it was capable of getting fully charged or not.

It is also advisable to select LED lights with realistic working times and take into account the charging time over the working time. If the working time is long, but the charging time required is 10-12 hours, then your battery will need two days at least to get fully charged, assuming good sunny conditions. Not charging the battery to its fullest on multiple occasions can affect the performance of the battery and reduce effective capacity.

If you are thinking about indoor applications, keep in mind that the solar panel can also work with artificial lighting, but it is nowhere close to the conversion efficiency that the panels can have with sunlight. Since the lights are designed to work with sunlight, you should consider finding a way to mount the panel in an area through which it can receive direct sunlight (not through glass).

Length

The next factor that must be considered is related to the length of the lights. The length of a Christmas LED set of lights is crucial to find out how many packages you will need to purchase for your application.

Some people like to light up every corner of the house, while others like a simple touch addition without overwhelming the house with Christmas lights, this depends on taste. Depending on what you like, you will need longer or shorter strings of lights.

Shape and Color

Aesthetics are also important, especially since the lights are designed for decoration purposes. Therefore, the shape and colors of the lights are things to look for.

For Christmas purposes, there are many alternative colors and shapes. Most will offer either a multi-color option composed of green, red, yellow and blue, while others will offer a warm white color view. Despite that the multi-color is always more lively for Christmas, the warm white option is always more elegant. A combination of the two is always an option, get creative!

Regarding shapes, you will find globes, stars, snowflakes, water drops, and crystal ball styles. Again, choosing is a matter of your personal taste.

Lighting Modes

Most lights for Christmas will have at least two working modes: steady and flashing. However, some will have more options that can add a vibrant atmosphere to your garden, yard or Christmas decoration.

Some of these modes that you will find are: waves, fading, chasing, fireflies, twinkle, slow-glow, combination, sequential and steady on. Choosing a model that offers as many lighting modes as possible is always preferable. If you have kids, they will love the switching patterns.

Waterproof Rating

Finally, the waterproof rating should be the final consideration that you should look at. Like many other solar powered devices, manufacturers provide a waterproof rating that allows the user to understand how well protected are these devices against rain, snow, heat, and dust.

The rating is usually specified by an IPXY standard. In which the X value represents the protection against dust and particles, while the Y value is referred to the protection against water. To better understand the available standard options, you can check this link.

Keep in mind that the solar panels aren’t affected by rain or hail because they have been designed for outdoor conditions and they can withstand multiple climate scenarios.

5 Features to Look for When Buying Outdoor Solar Lights

Type of Outdoor Solar Lighting

There are multiple outdoor solar light types and each one serves a different purpose. Therefore, the first thing that you must look into is defining the type of solar light that you want to purchase.

Keep in mind that when selecting outdoor solar lights you must ask yourself: What is the main purpose of these lights? Decoration? Illumination? Security? Where would I place the lights? How many lights would I need?  When would I use them?

All of these questions will help you find out the type of light that you are looking for. In any case, in the next section, you can take a look at the available types of solar outdoor lights.

Lumen Output

One of the most important factors that must be taken into account when selecting outdoor solar lights is the lumen rating of the product. The lumens give a reference of how bright the light will be. Decorative solar lights will have a lumen output below 30 lumens, while others that have a good illumination purpose will have between 100 and 1000 lumens (only in large outdoor solar lights).

Battery Specs

The next factor that must be considered is related to battery performance. Generally, most solar lights will have a lithium-ion battery. When evaluating the battery specs you need to look at the capacity, but also at the charging and working times.

Working times will generally be located between 6-12 hours. This will depend on whether the battery is fully charged within a single day or not. Keep in mind the purpose of the light when evaluating the working time. If it is for decorative purposes, lower working time may not be as important as it would be if it were intended for security purposes with motion sensor lights.

Charging times will often be located between 6-8 hours. Ideally, choose the model that normally requires fewer charging hours. With low solar radiation days, the performance of the battery will be better.

Adjustability

The possibility to adjust features of the solar outdoor lights is highly desirable in any product. Many solar lights have multiple options for lighting modes, especially motion sensor lights. According to the use that you intend to give to the solar light, the possibility to choose bright or low illumination modes will always be valuable, so always keep that in mind.

Some solar powered lights will also have the ability to adjust tilt or orientation angles of the solar panel or the light bulb. This is extremely valuable, as the solar panel’s optimum performance is highly dependent on the tilt angle. The ability to adjust it allows you to obtain maximum performance in any location.

Miscellaneous

Finally, other factors such as design, creativity, warranty, manufacturing materials, and waterproof/heatproof features may also help you decide between models.

How to Choose Outdoor Solar Powered String Lights – 3 Features to Look For

String Configuration

This is mainly related to the number of LED bulbs that are part of the product, the distance between bulbs and also the length of each string.

These factors will help you get an idea of how illuminated your area will be and also how much area you will be able to cover with those string lights. At the same time, it will give you an idea of whether or not you will need to purchase one or more strings for your application.

Keep in mind to measure the distances required in your garden between anchoring points for the string lights before purchasing.

Solar Power Specs

The specs of the solar panel and the rechargeable battery are critical. The current output of the PV module is very important, as this will be a reference for how much energy the panel should be able to generate per hour. The technology of the module is also valuable as it will be an indicator of the efficiency of the panel (monocrystalline better than polycrystalline).

Finally, the mounting structure of the module will also be important to decide where you will place it. Available options are generally wall or ground mount. Remember that the panel will be located at a specific distance from the first light, therefore, you must plan ahead of the arrangement of lights considering this fact.

On the other hand, the factors related to the battery itself are also very important. Charging times and battery life operation must be considered at the time to choose. Logically, the product with lower charging time and higher working time will always be preferable.

Miscellaneous

If you haven’t decided yet, then you might want to consider other factors.

For instance, the modes of lighting (steady, flashing, pulsating, etc.) are especially important for Christmas decoration purposes. Price is also quite relevant in your decision. Current prices should not go above $50.

Other things such as warranty terms and the style of the solar powered LED string lights can also play an important role. Keep in mind that you will find string lights mainly intended for Christmas decoration (Joomer style lights), while others may have other interesting uses for your garden or yard (like the Honey Bee models).

3 Features to Look for When Buying a Solar Powered Camping Lantern

Lighting Modes

The first element that you must look for when selecting solar powered camping lanterns is the lighting modes that the product offers.

Brand specifications will generally show the available lighting modes for every model. Among these specs, you will find the lumen output of every lantern under every lighting mode.

The lumen output is a parameter that you can compare among solar powered camping lanterns, to find out which is the brightest option. Keep in mind that warm or cool light colors will also influence your perception of brightness, so making your selection according to lumens and color of light is highly recommended.

You will generally find references in the manufacturer’s data related to the number of hours of light that the powerful LED lantern is able to provide. This will show you how long you can keep the LEDs ON under every mode of operation.

Keep in mind that to completely light a tent you will need around 100 lumens. Meanwhile, for other activities such as hiking, backpacking, and trekking during the night, you will need between 50-100 lumens. For reading in a tent you will need nearly 50 lumens, and to light up a complete campsite you will need several lanterns that reach around 300 lumens in total.

Charging Modes

Another important factor that you should take into account is the charging operation modes that are available for each product.

Despite that the basic requirement is that the camping light gets powered by solar energy, having other charging options such as DC, car plug-in, USB port or even with a hand crank dynamo, are always desirable to increase the reliability of the camping lantern.

The more charging modes available, the better the solar lantern will be.

Design and Miscellaneous

Finally, additional factors such as the design can also influence your decision. Selection of lighting and design colors, multiple hanging options such as hooks, metal handles, suction cups, and other factors must also be balanced.

Having a durable design and a strong water-resistant performance is also very important, especially if you regularly perform activities such as paddle boarding in mountain lakes. Taking a look at the warranty terms might also help you decide which option is best for you.

Choosing Outdoor Solar Lanterns – 3 Features to Look For

Appearance and Design

The main purpose of these lights is to add a beautiful and cozy ambience to your patio, backyard or garden.

Since the idea is that you feel confident and happy about it, the first thing that you must look into is the design of the solar patio lanterns.

There are multiple aesthetics options for you to find the one that fits your taste.

You can choose from modern style lanterns such as the LVJING or LampLust models to Arabic styles such as the MAGGIFT products, passing through vintage type models such as the Sunwind and Aobik Mason jar lanterns and finally traditional ones as the Steady Doggie model

Battery Capacity

The next factor that you must look into is the battery specs.

The battery capacity in mAh is very important to consider. If you have a good solar resource available in your location, you will do better choosing a long battery capacity type model. However, if you don’t, then it is better that you choose a low capacity one. This will give you a better chance to properly charge the battery every day to the fullest which will optimize its performance over time.

Keep in mind the amount of time that is needed to get large solar lanterns charged and the amount of time that they should have available to work every day.

Lumens and Color of Light

The intensity of brightness is also another factor to consider. Most solar lanterns will have between 5 lumens and 40 lumens. Keep in mind that they are not intended for lighting purposes, but for decorative purpose, so the light intensity will never be high.

Combining this spec with the color of the light (amber, white light, etc.) is also important to consider as it will give you an idea of what you can expect when you turn it on during the night.