Garden Lighting

The advances made by contemporary technology are amazing, to say the least. Compared to nearly all areas, of technology, there have been none so spectacular as those in the area of solar lighting. No more are the days where you might only get the one type of lamp and yours were exactly the same as mine. These days solar lights are to be had in every configuration imaginable. There are spot lights, flood lights, pool lights, highlighters, downlights, wall washers etc. And the list only goes on and on.

Why would you prefer to use these as an alternative to Low Voltage Garden Lighting? Many reasons, not the least of which is ease and simplicity.

- they are powered by the sun, no electricity usage.
- there are no cables or transformers to trouble yourself with.
- you don’t have to dig trenches.
- if you are using a pre-drawn design then you have the option to modify your plan at any time.
- some folks are just not self-assured around electricity, this is not a worry with solar lighting.
- as a general rule, it’s just an issue of pushing the spike into the ground, putting the lamp on top and letting the sun look after the rest.

There are, however, a number of downsides to keep in mind as well…

- Solar Lights are not as bright as Low Voltage Garden Lights.
- the intensity of illumination you receive from them varies throughout the year according to how much sunlight they get to recharge themselves.
- the illumination from 12 volt lighting is constant and won’t diminish throughout the night, whilst solar lights have a tendency to fade near daybreak.
- if the lamp fails, as a general rule, you will need to change the complete unit, with low voltage lighting, you just have to replace the bulb.

Some things you need to be aware of while installing your brand new solar lights. Number one, you must in no way try to press the spike into the ground by attaching the light and pushing down on it. Your fitting will almost surely break.

As you initially set the solar lights up, leave them switched off for a few days. This will allow the sun to charge the rechargeable batteries completely before you use the lamp. Failure to do this can result in the batteries developing a false memory and you will only ever get a partial charge, which can result in less than optimum illumination. An alternative, of course, is to remove the batteries as soon as you get back home from the shop and stick them in a battery charger. Once fully charged, put them back in the lamp and away you go.

The most significant matter to remember while dealing with any kind of garden or landscape lighting, and in particular solar lighting is the aesthetics that go with a lighting system that is well maintained.

• keep the lamp area tidy of dust and spider webs etc. solar lights, solar lighting, garden lights, garden lighting
• keep a close eye on the line up of the fixtures. Especially along drive and path ways. They look impressive when they’re all like little toy soldiers in a row and are quite pleasant to look at. However, if they start to tilt, they can begin to look quite ugly, very quickly.
• every couple of years, you may well notice the lights are not so bright. When this happens, it’s time to replace the batteries. At all times use rechargeable batteries, and try to purchase a dependable brand. It’s well worth the additional money if you attach any importance to the look of your lights.

When choosing your solar garden lights, always take time to shop around. The different varieties of this kind of lighting are countless. It would be an embarrassment to settle for second best for the sake of an additional day of window shopping. As soon as you have the lights you require it is essential to remember, always abide by the manufacturers’ directions.