Solar Lights For Your Yard And Garden

The improvement being made in photovoltaic cells is bringing solar lighting for the outdoors into greater demand. In the past when you wanted to provide light in your landscape it meant burying wires and installing a transformer to convert household current to the low voltage desired for landscape lighting. It also meant that a complete plan be laid out because of the need to determine the exact amount of current the transformer would supply. This meant that making changes after the system was installed was difficult.
With the new solar lighting wonderful flexibility is available. Outdoor solar lights are evolving from the package of 6, 8, maybe 10 little lights to put along a path or driveway to lamps with multiple LEDs which provide much brighter light. The photovoltaic cells (rechargeable batteries) which power these lights are also much improved. A day's charge from the sun will power a solar light for 8 to 15 hours. Of course, this varies with the amount of sun available.
· Solar spotlights are bright lights to mount near a doorway, or to spotlight a flag. They also work well to brighten dark corners to discourage unwanted lurkers.
· Pole lamps are mounted on taller poles and cast a wider circle of light. They work well as a curb light or near steps to provide safe footing.
· Accent lights can be shorter versions of the pole lamps and they can be mounted on a stake which makes it easy to move them around if you want to do so since the stake is simply pushed into the ground.
· Step lights and in-ground lights and can be attached to the risers to provide light for each step or pushed into the ground for ground level lights that won't be in the way for mowing and trimming.
· Low profile accent lights can be mounted on walls or deck rails to light your deck or patio with a soft glow. They are great installed around a pool area.
Most solar lights are equipped with 4 to 6 LEDs. Some throw light in a full circular pattern and some in only a half-circle. Many of them come in colors such as blue, red, green, and amber as well as white.
There are solar lights that can be mounted on a wall beside a door to serve as an entry light and solar lights that can be placed to shine on a special piece of statuary or interesting tree or bush. Sometimes lights can be hung in a tree to provide down-lighting in special situations.
And a special treat are the new atmosphere lights in vases and bowls which can change colors in a pattern or can be set to one color. These are especially wonderful on the deck or patio for that evening party or neighborhood get-together. They can be used for flowers and to serve food as well as provide a beautiful display of color.
Solar lights come on automatically as it gets dark. The most important point to remember though, when you are looking at solar lighting for outdoors is that the rechargeable battery (photovoltaic cell) has to be in the sun for as many hours as possible. They are easy care. Just wipe the photovoltaic cell to keep it free of dust and debris. The LEDs never need replacing and the rechargeable batteries are usually double As that are available almost anywhere.
Winifred Churchill is interested in all aspects of keeping this Earth and her people as God intended. The website at Lighted Landscapes is devoted to promoting the use of renewable resources and clean energy while maintaining the beauty and safety of our homes and yards.
Author:Winifred Churchill
http://www.lightedlandscapes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Winifred_Churchill