Here are six things to consider before installing solar patio or deck lights:
- Know what to expect. Solar won’t burn as brightly as low-voltage lighting. In fact, incandescent lights are about 10 times brighter.
- Rely on solar lighting more for ambience than function. Consider solar fixtures for soft accent lighting.
- Don’t write off solar fixtures just because you’re building in a shady area of your yard. On a July night following a bright day, most solar fixtures will stay charged from dusk until dawn, manufacturers estimate. After a cloudy day, or if the fixture is in a shady spot, it might run for six hours instead of all night.
- Solar fixtures are simple to install: Screw them onto a railing post, activate the batteries and walk away.
- Batteries need changing about every three years, manufacturers estimate.
- You’ll pay more per fixture for a solar light than for a typical incandescent lamp, but you’ll save on wiring and power supply, so the cost comes out about the same for both.
###
