Useful Mother's Day Gifts - Solar Powered Lights

As the time gets closer to Mother's Day, we frantically start thinking of a worthy gift. Flowers and cards are great staple gifts but we always want something more for our mothers - perhaps something unusual, something that will last a while... If your mom has any kind of yard - big or small, consider giving her solar powered lights.

Lights might add security and beautify a yard and using solar lights has its advantages. Solar powered lights are easy to install and maintain. They are also safe, energy efficient, durable, and easy to install. Plus, there is a great variety of solar lights on the market today to satisfy any need or taste. Here are some ideas.

Your mom might want to line up the walkway to her door with solar path lights. There are so many different types and sizes of path lights, that it is virtually impossible to not find just the right kind. There are even slender ground lights or stepping stones with built in solar lights if she does not want anything above the ground.

If there is a pool, pond, or fountain in your mother's yard, floating solar powered lights are a great choice. Powered by the sun, they are safe and are designed specifically to float in water and light up automatically at dusk.

If she likes to decorate her garden with gnomes and statues, there are statuary lights that light up at night. As an alternative, she might like to illuminate her existing statues or other special spots of her garden with solar spot lights.

Other popular choices are solar lamp posts, solar security lights with motion sensors, and solar string lights.

Whether for security or for decoration, solar powered lights will definitely be a worthy and useful present for your mother and serve their purpose for a long time.

How Durable Are Solar Powered Lights?

Solar lights are popular for power conservation and low maintenance. They are also deemed to be rather durable. So, how long will your solar powered lights last? Well, there are three factors that will influence their longevity: batteries, bulbs, and solar panels.

Batteries. Most solar lights are equipped with double or triple A rechargeable batteries powered by the sun through solar panels. As you probably know, rechargeable batteries tend to lose their recharging capability - usually within about 2 years. When you notice that your lights are not performing as they should, do not panic - most likely you just need to replace the batteries.

Bulb. Most solar powered lights in the market today use LEDs, though you still might find some with incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Generally LEDs are quoted to last about 100,000 hours; which is about 100 times more than regular bulbs. If you translate this into years, you will get roughly 10 years of normal use. And of course, unlike incandescent bulbs, LEDs will not suddenly go out, but rather fade gradually. This will give you an idea of when you might want to replace them.

Solar Panel. Solar Panels typically used in solar lights are essentially silicon semiconductors. They tend to degrade due to sun exposure. However, if not directly damaged, it will take a long time for them to become unusable. You might see some solar panels functioning for 20-40 years.

Here are the conclusions I made. Out of all three factors, solar panel is the most durable and, therefore, almost a non-factor. Rechargeable batteries will fail the fastest but they are typically easily replaced to bring your solar lights back to full capacity. That leaves the bulb as the main solar powered light longevity factor. My suggestion is when the LEDs do not shine as bright as you desire, it is time to look for replacements. Good news is, in 10 years you might want to change your decor anyway.

Choosing Solar Lights - A Look at Batteries

The most important component of any solar light is its solar panel. However, solar powered lights will not be able to function at night without their rechargeable batteries. After all, these batteries are what the sun is charging during the day. Rechargeable batteries in solar powered lights can be used up and then restored to full or partial charge through the application of electrical energy collected during the day through solar panels. AA or AAA Ni-Cd (Nickel-cadmium) and Ni-Mh (Nickel-metal hydride) are most commonly used rechargeable batteries in solar lights today. Some batteries are built in the solar lights, others are included. Either way, you might want to replace them every 2 years or so because even rechargeable batteries go bad eventually. Good news is that, most likely, this will be the only maintenance you will ever have to perform on your solar lights.

So, when your solar powered lights stop performing, perhaps it is time to replace the batteries. When you are looking at rechargeable batteries, make sure to take into account their charge capacity. A typical unit of measurement for rechargeable batteries is mAh (milliampere per hour) which measures the amount of electric charge per hour or, in plain terms, how much electrical charge a battery will hold. It is simple, batteries with higher mAh values will last longer without requiring a recharge. On the flip side, they will also take longer to charge (all day long in full sun should be plenty for batteries with any charge capacity.)

Choosing Solar Lights - Solar Panel Matters

All solar lights regardless of their purpose come equipped with a solar panel. Everyone who has heard of solar lights knows this - after all that is what makes the lights solar. However, in my experience, most people are unaware that not all solar panels are created equally. There are three specific attributes of panels that I like to take into account when I am considering solar lights: structure, size, and connection to the light.

1. Structure. There are several different types of solar panels but only three of them are most commonly used in solar lighting industry: polycrystalline, mono crystalline, and amorphous. Polycrystalline panels are made of solar cells that consist of a number of smaller silicon crystals. They can be recognized by a visible metal flake-type grain. These panels are most common and least expensive. Mono crystalline panels are composed of homogeneous single-crystal silicon cells. In single crystal silicon, the arrangement of crystal atoms is continuous and unbroken. It can be identified by an even external coloring. Because of their uniform structure, these solar panels are more efficient and therefore more expensive. Amorphous, unlike crystalline silicon solar panels, are not composed of crystals but rather a thin homogeneous layer of silicon atoms (usually sprayed over metal, glass, or plastic.) Because of the thin layer, these panels generally have to be bigger in size to hold as much energy as crystalline. However, amorphous panels have a structural advantage to crystalline panels: they are able to capture a wider spectrum of light, which, in turn makes them more tolerant of limited light conditions, such as cloudy days. These panels are often used in security solar lights.

2. Size. When it comes to solar light panels, size matters - the bigger ones are more powerful. Believe it or not, the explanation is very logical. The bigger the panel, the more sunlight it will be able to absorb at once, the faster the lights will be charged. This attribute is important in areas with limited sun light. However, bigger is not always better. A huge solar panel might not be esthetically pleasing. So, if your solar lights get plenty of sun during the day, a smaller panel will do the job.

3. Connection to the light. This attribute is referring to the way the solar panel is attached to the light. Many solar panels are installed directly on top of the light, while others are connected through a wire. This feature becomes important when it comes to practicality. Wires might be unnecessary for outdoor solar lights that get plenty of sunlight exposure during the day but vital for any indoor solar lights or path lights placed in a shady spot. In this case only the solar panel that is connected to the lights through a wire needs to be placed in direct sunlight.

When it comes to solar panels in solar lights, there is no single best choice that I can recommend because your pick will depend on a number of factors, such as, functionality, placement, and even price. Yet, I am certain that the information provided here will empower you to make a wise choice that will fit your personal needs.

Solar Light Flowers - Unique Valentine's Day Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

Whatever its origins, Valentine's Day is celebrated throughout the world as a day of romance and love. So, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Valentine's Day? Chocolates, flowers, love? Those are the answers I get most frequently when I ask this question. Have you thought of what you will give that special woman in your life? As a female, I can tell you that both chocolates and flowers will be accepted as a token of your love. However, the same gift year after year may become repetitive and much too ordinary.

If you are searching for a lasting and unique Valentine's Day gift, I recently found something that might interest you - solar light flowers. Yes, they are man-made flowers. I know, I'm usually not a big fan of 'fake' flowers myself; yet, solar flowers have a certain appeal. Indeed, a solar light flower bouquet is a unique yet not tacky gift that could be used as a patio table centerpiece. They look pleasant not only at night as they light up but also during the day while being charged by the sunlight. Besides, nothing says 'undying love' as flowers that can't die. Indeed, live flowers will usually end up in the trash can within two weeks and chocolates will get eaten most likely even sooner. Yet, solar flowers will last a lifetime as a daily reminder of your everlasting love. All in all, this may be a great choice for an unusual and special gift.

Choosing Lamps in Solar Lights

When it comes to the lamps in solar powered lights, despite being more expensive, LEDs (light-emitting diodes or tiny two-terminal devices that emit light when an electrical current passes through them) are preferred to incandescent or fluorescent lamps. You might still find some indoor or outdoor solar lights that do not use LEDs; however, LEDs are becoming preferred in solar lighting industry because of their many advantages:


- Efficiency: LEDs generate more light per watt than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.
- Natural color: LEDs can emit light of an intended color (through different wavelengths) without the use of color filters that are required in incandescent lighting approach.
- Cool light: LEDs radiate very little heat through infrared radiation that might damage sensitive objects or fabrics, unlike heat-driven incandescent and fluorescent lamps. This feature adds to the safety of solar powered lights that use LEDs.
- Longevity: LEDs can have a relatively long useful life - typical lifetimes quoted are 25,000-100,000 hours (in comparison to 1,000–2,000 hours for incandescent lamps.)
- Gradual failure: LEDs generally fail by growing dimmer over time instead of suddenly burning out like incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs.
- Sturdiness: LEDs are small solid state devices which makes them difficult to damage with external shock in contrast to fragile incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. This feature is especially helpful in the outdoor solar lights.


Brightness, in my opinion, is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. I believe it depends on your personal preference and use: you may want some lights to be bright for safety reasons (such as solar lamp posts or solar security lights) or set the mood with dimmer atmosphere lights (like solar pond lights or solar stepping stones.)


When it comes to brightness, there are several elements to consider:


- LED quantity: The lamp in a solar light will shine brighter if it is composed of more LEDs.
- Optical elements: LEDs themselves are usually very small in size, but lamps often have integrated optical elements that help to direct and reflect the light and aid in brightness.
- LED type: You may find some LEDs being described as ultra bright or super bright. If you are wondering whether it's just a sales trick, it's not. These are indeed much brighter than regular LEDs.


So, when it comes to choosing what kind of lamp you want in your solar light, consider the attributes presented above and your personal preference. Good luck.

'Tips for Selecting Solar Lights' - Educational Series Announced

Because renewable energy and conservation are growing in popularity, you may find a great variety of solar lights on the market today. You may illuminate and decorate your gardens, yards, patios, ponds, decks, driveways, pathways, and walkways with solar powered lights such as lamp posts, spotlights, path lights, stepping stones, string lights, and even pond lights that float in water. I named just a few of the more popular outdoor solar lights. However, there are some made for indoor use, such as, garage or shed solar lights that you may also use in the greenhouses and houseboats, as well as different solar flashlights and lanterns.

As if having to choose from such a great variety is not hard enough, you also find yourself reading the descriptions which include unfamiliar terms and technical specifications. This can make an easy task of finding the right solar powered light more difficult than it should be. To help you make the choice less complicated, I've designed an educational series 'Tips for Selecting Solar Lights' . Starting next week, you will receive a tip of the week on choosing solar powered lights.