Garden solar lights

Are they all a gimmick or do some actually work?

I wouldn't mind having a few (but dont want to run wires # 's feet underground using powered lights) and there are some nice looking one on the market but I am sceptic.

Any opinions or recommendations?

thanks :WINK1:

 

I have none,but surely if they're solar lights the whole point is there are no cables,they're powered by the sun.

 

i have both types - elec run down one side of the garden and solar dotted about where i want them

i find them really good - the batteries do die in the end but my last old lot lasted three years

they are quite cheap now so why not get one or two and give them a try?

Loopy

 

Some of them, like our neighbours set, have two panels which run wires to the lamps, as they're only like 'fairy light' type things, so too small for individual panels. I have a lot of the singular solar powered lights, they're to run along the edge of the driveway, when it's finally done. Like a runway landing strip LOL.

 

Mmmmm - solar lights.

I've got one really cheap set of 10 'soft glow' solar lights which must be at least 8 or 9 years old by now, possibly older. I recall the instructions saying to take them in during the winter, but since I'm both lazy and forgetful they've been in the garden from day one, are still working perfectly and have never had so much as a new battery. Since then, I've bought some of the LED ones but they're nothing like as reliable and I'm afraid I'm not really keen on the ultra bright, rather stark, light they emit, but unfortunately they are all you seem to be able to get now.

That's just personal preference though.

Do they work? Well, yes they do. In the top of each is a re-chargeable battery which is 'topped up' during the day and not only during sunshine, I've seen mine shining brightly with 4" snow on their 'roofs'!

Having said that, I think it's true to say that because there are many people like you (and me) - who don't want the expense and 'faff' of running underground wires - solar lights have become extremely popular and their price has rocketed in the last few years. I can't remember how much our first set cost but it wouldn't have been much because we couldn't afford it. Now, I look at them and think 'Hmph, I'm not paying that much' (not only am I lazy and forgetful, I'm also a bit of a skinflint!).

The other thing I've noticed is that these days you generally buy them in sets - which can range in price from something like £7.99 to as much as £20 (:OUCH for 2, although I have seen some on Amazon for as little as £23 for a set of 20.

If/when my LED ones give out, I would probably replace them, but I wouldn't really be surprised if they didn't all work, (if they 'flicker' all the time as some of my newer ones do), or if they only lasted a short time.

In all, my advice would be, give 'em a try, but buy a fairly inexpensive set (with these I don't think it is a matter of 'more expensive = better product' since they're all made and work in exactly the same way), supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda sell them. If you really want to try 'silly cheap', I've noticed you can buy them singly in places like a Pound Shop or 99p Stores.

 

I'm struggling to get some solar lights or wind lights. My neighbor showed me his one got from pound shop, costs around 10 quid each. Don't know how long will it be lasted. Saw this wind powered lights, Mylitco Online Retail Store

Don't know if it's worth to buy or not. Solar or wind?? Any opinions????

 

Definitely - solar. They add so much coziness to the garden or the path to your door! But I would suggest shopping around for less expensive ones, mine are $2.50 a piece - they still do the same: shine at night...

 

aldi have a special offer from yesterday ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 26th May 2011

loopy

 

I have solar lights Pink Finger and they work a treat.
I bought them in B & Q. I can't remember the price but it wasn't very much.

 

ive had my solar lights for a couple of years now ,work a treat

 

I have a couple of solar lights I got them to see how good they are.

They are as most solar lights are "a light on a short stick" The idea being to stick several in a row along the edge of a path, for that purpose and arriving home in winter around 5pm I would say they are ok, however I don't get home till around 6pm by which time the batteries have run out. I know because at week ends in the winter I can see them working.

In the summer they come on much later (as you would expect) so are of little use for lighting a path.

Overall I would say if you want lights get a "low voltage" set with cables, as these can come on / off via a timer, so are on in the winter when I come home.
I also have some colour changing wired lights in the garden that I can turn on and off at will. (That's something you can't do with solar.)

I also have one single light lighting my bamboo bush, again this is wired.

To me, solar lights have their place, but i have yet to figure out where that place is, because in my experience solar lights:

Do not stay on for long.
Can not be remotely switched on / off
Are not that bright (yes close up they are, but not from a short distance)
Don't last long if weather in the day poor (no bright sun to charge batteries)


Its not because they have LED's, I have a lot of LED lamps, these have multiple LED's, its the solar panel and batteries I think are too small.

 

thank you all Im going to have a look at the Aldi ones

 

ive bought 10 of the 98p ones from wilkinsons at weekend and id just thought id report that they are working fine seen as its been cloudy this week x

 

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If like me your'e not posh, our local the pound shop has them, they cost a quid each!

 

I have low voltage lights in a couple of areas in the garden , but I can't be bothered with all the faff of running cable to an area Mrs H would like to light. I want the spotlight / uplighter type of solar light . The only ones I can find are on Ebay at £10 a pair , has anyone spotted any cheaper ones of this type on the usual cut price store circuit ?

2 X Stainless Steel Garden LED Spot Light Solar Powered | eBay UK