Solar Lighting

Would you consider putting solar lighting in your garden?

How much would you spend for a set of 4 lights?

 

What bits of solar lighting I've had I've always been disappointed in, especially during winter. Not very bright and doesn't last very long (ha, sounds like me). I want lighting in my garden, but when I can afford it, it will be mains ...

 

the old ones are Cr*p ... especially the ones that cost £2-£4

but technology has now changed, and there are some very good ones on the market ... my neighbour has a few and they have been working well even during winter

here is a good site :
Solar Garden Lights

and here are a few that gets very good reviews:

Evo36 Solar Security Light

Evo15 Solar PIR Utility Light

all these are available from John Lewis

 

Not sure about lights, but I bought a fairly cheap solar pump for my 'waterfall', and it works really well.

I guess technology is moving on.

 

Thanks everyone.

What you want is LED lights. They use a lower voltage so require less power (so thats less sunlight). There is also something called 'iPS technology' which measures the amount of power the solar panel has 'collected' then adjusts the voltage so the lights stay on for longer.

 

I've got LED lights in my woodshed, but I think the damp has got into the batteries, they only come on now and again.

 

as far as I understand, the new solar lights have a panel that charges nicad batteries .... these are standard rechargeable nicad penlight batteries (those that you buy with a charger and can recharge) .... if they are damaged, you can replace them with new ones that are cheap

the new ones state that you should place the units in position, and not switch them on for 2 days, so that the batteries can be fully charged

some of the new ones have the panels connected to a long cable so that you can place the panel in a sunny position

I may be wrong, but that is how I read it

 

I'd say that was correct. The batteries last about two years.