About Outdoor Solar Lighting

Outdoor solar lighting uses the same technology to generate power as solar roof panels. It does this by using photovoltaic (PV) cells, which collect solar energy and transform it to electricity. These PV cells use semiconductors to absorb sunlight, which reacts with silicon and other elements to produce electricity. This electricity travels through wires that provide power to the battery, which then provides power to the light fixture. While this is an oversimplification of the process, it should give you general sense of how solar lights work. Solar cells are only able to make electricity when exposed to direct sunlight; this is why solar lighting must have a battery in order to provide illumination at night.

A solar light fixture needs to be in an area that receives full, direct sunshine during most of the daylight hours in order for the batteries to fully recharge. If the solar panel receives only partial sunlight, because it’s in a shaded area or because you live somewhere with cloudy weather, the batteries will run out of power more quickly and your fixture may not be able to provide illumination throughout the night. Because of this, most outdoor solar lighting fixtures use a backup power system of rechargeable batteries. Accent lighting and fixtures that use little electricity typically use small AA Ni-Cad or NiMh batteries. But, more powerful solar lighting fixtures, like outdoor floodlights, usually rely on a backup sealed lead-acid battery.

Solar lights have built-in photo sensors that measure light levels, much in the way that a camera knows when to use the flash. These sensors monitor light levels and automatically turn the fixture on at sundown and off at sunrise. For the sensors to work properly, it’s important to make sure there are no artificial light sources nearby, such as street lamps or flood lights. Otherwise, these may give a false reading and prevent the light from coming on.

LED bulbs are typically used for outdoor solar lighting fixtures. These use less energy than incandescent bulbs, and last far longer with a lifespan of up to 20 years. Until recent advances in technology, solar lighting was generally not as powerful as lights powered by direct current electricity. But modern super bright LEDs can now provide as much light as halogen bulbs.