The Solar Lighting Installation Guide

Did you recently discover the beauty of solar power? Are you looking to update your lighting fixtures with solar-powered options?

Aside from LED lights, shifting to outdoor solar lighting is an excellent way of reducing energy consumption. Whether it’s for private or public use, outdoor solar lights can turn any property into a more energy-efficient one.

However, you must first learn how to install solar lights before you can maximize their benefits. Continue reading below for a simple installation guide.

1. Pick the Right Spot

A solar street light installation guide involves more intricacies and hard work. On the flip side, installing solar lights for your yard is far simpler. Nevertheless, you still need to start the right way, which is picking the perfect spots to install the lights.

The success of your outdoor solar lighting depends heavily on the spots that you will pick. Ideally, you want to identify the specific areas where full sun exposure throughout the day is present.

Solar lighting for yards comes with small solar cells. These cells are the ones that absorb sunlight and store it into the lights’ batteries. The simple equation is the more time the solar cells get under the sun, the more energy they can gather.

In turn, your lights will have more running time, especially at night. When picking the right spots, don’t fall into the trap of choosing an area where the sun shines the brightest at noon. Instead, you want to look at the surrounding elements that may affect sunlight.

These include your house walls, as well as trees. Moreover, you want to check the condition of the spot where you plan to install the lights. Check the condition of the surface and pick one that’s smooth.

2. Prep the Materials and Location

Next, you want to prepare the materials that you need. Aside from the solar lights, you will need a trust drill; some Philips drill bits, and a measuring tape.

You may also need a sturdy ladder depending on the type of solar lights you bought. Additionally, you should have a hammer and a compass ready.

Solar lights come in different forms and sizes. Check if yours came with a stake. You will have to insert the stake into the ground.

In this case, you will likely insert it either along your yard’s pathway or into the dirt in your garden.

Did you get a wall-mounted solar light or security light? Then you need to find a wall that gets the most amount of sunlight. Alternatively, you can go for solar lights that you can attach to your fences.

3. Install the Panels

If you bought solar lights that you can mount on your yard, you can skip this step. However, if you have solar lights that you need to mount against the wall, you will likely have to install a solar panel separately.

To do so, use your compass to determine the best spot to install the solar panel. The key is to install the panel directly toward the sun. Generally, the panel should face south if you’re living in the United States or Canada.

Also, check how long the cord is from the panel to the solar lights. You want the distance of the panel from the lights to meet the maximum length of the cord.

Thereafter, you can start drilling holes against the wall. Take your pencil and mark the locations where you will make the holes. Align the holes of the panel with the holes that you drilled.

Make sure to use the screws that came with the panel to ensure an excellent fit. After securing the panel, you can start running the cord. You want to run it along the eaves.

Alternatively, you can hide the cords inside the wall by tucking them underneath the roofline.

4. Install the Solar Lighting

After securing the cords, you can now install the solar lights. Drill the pilot holes against the location that you picked. Use the mounting brackets that came with the lights as your guide.

Regardless of the type of lights that you chose, be sure to read the manual carefully. Follow the instructions and familiarize yourself with the switches. Some solar lights come with a physical on and off switch.

Finally, take the solar panel cord and plug it into the fixture cord. Take note that some solar lights feature integrated lighting sensors. This means the light automatically turns on once the environment becomes dark.

Tips for Choosing the Best Outdoor Solar Lights

When searching for some of the best solar lighting systems, you need to consider some important factors before making a decision. Firstly, you need to consider the solar lighting installation cost you don’t want to go beyond your budget, especially if there are cheaper options available.

Thankfully, you can find different options online. Amazon is a good option if you’re only buying one or two. You can find solar lights that will cost you anywhere between $30 and $60 each.

However, if you want something more durable, it is best to go for a trusted brand. Also, determine the purpose of the solar lights. Do you want to install one to illuminate your walkways or driveway?

Then a path solar light is your best bet. Do you want lights that will highlight the key areas in your yard? Then what you need is a solar accent light.

If you want something that will boost your home’s security, then a task solar light is what you need. This can be a solar floodlight, a solar spotlight, or a solar security light.

Last but not least, have a professional install the lights if you’re not confident with the task. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Learn More About Energy-Efficiency

By investing in solar lighting, you can reduce your home’s energy consumption. You can also increase your home’s value and boost its security in the process. However, switching to solar lights is only one of the many ways to increase your home’s energy efficiency.

Discover other methods by reading our different articles. We discuss home improvement topics that will reduce your home’s carbon footprint and more.

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