The Best Solar Wall Lights

Are you looking for ways to light up the outdoors of your house in a cost-efficient manner? If yes, then solar wall lights are your way to go. They are an eco-friendly solution that can light up your home. Whether you want to brighten up your porch, garden, or lawn, these lights can be a good option for any part of your house. All they need is a little bit of sunlight as a power source.

They’re easy to install, are low maintenance, and are cost-efficient. It’s a one-time investment that looks pleasing to the eye, provides good lighting, and has no wiring issues either since they rely on batteries. Since there’s not much reliance on electricity, you can also save some money as the sun’s energy is converted into electricity through this technology.

Below are all the details you need to know before installing or considering installing the outdoor solar-powered wall lights.  So without further ado, let’s discover the best outdoor solar wall lights available in the market.

How Do Outdoor Solar Wall Lights Work?

We think that one of the elements most lacking in the modern capitalist world is reliable, friendly and accessible consumer advice. It’s far too easy to be tricked into buying a product based on the marketing campaign alone, only to discover too late that it doesn’t work the way you thought it would. That’s why we here at Semprius are dedicated to providing you well-researched information on exactly how the products you’re shopping for work, and what their upsides and downsides are.

So how do outdoor solar wall lights work? Well, whilst their styles and overall aesthetics might differ quite considerably, their general construction remains pretty uniform. Generally speaking, outdoor wall lights are designed in a casing which can be easily mounted on any vertical surface (be it a house wall, patio wall, pillar, trellis, or garden shed). Inside this casing, behind a glass or clear plastic front, you’ll find housed some strong, bright LED bulbs, and behind them the battery which powers them. But this battery still needs electricity to function, right? Well, that’s where the solar panel(s) comes in. Usually built right into the solar wall light unit, but sometimes attached separately via a wire, the solar panel should be directed toward the sky and sun in order to maximise its electricity-generating potential.

Solar panels are actually made up of many more individual, small solar cells, comprised of thing films of polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon. This silicon, when exposed to the sun, undergoes a physical and chemical reaction during which electrons are displaced from one layer to another. This process is known as the ‘photovoltaic effect’ and it is through this effect that volts of electricity are produced. These volts are generated for as long as the panel is exposed to direct sunlight, and are stored in the battery we just mentioned. Solar panels require some sunlight at least to function (monocrystalline panels can generate electricity even in overcast conditions), but generally speaking they require consistent exposure to strong direct sunlight in order to function most effectively.

Some outdoor solar wall lights come with additional features, such as motion-sensors, variable brightness settings, ON/OFF timers, or remote controls, and most feature innate and automatic ON/OFF technology (light sensors detect sunrise and sunset, turning the unit off and on respectively).

Pros and Cons of Outdoor Solar Wall Lights

As we said above, we think it’s important that you go into a purchase as informed and educated as you can be about the product technology. Thus, let us now take a look at the fundamental positives, and the flaws of outdoor solar wall light technology.

Pros:

1. Free electricity. Solar power relies on one thing and one thing only to stay charged and powered throughout the night, and that’s sunlight. The sun’s heat and light is free and infinite, and thus you’ll never have to pay to power your solar wall lights, making massive energy bill savings in the long run.
2. Green energy. Solar power is a renewable energy, which means that using it doesn’t damage the earth like non-renewable fuels do. In an era during which our world is in climate crisis freefall, we think that it’s important to buy solar whenever you can.
3. Easy to install. Most solar wall lights require nothing more than mounting before they start working straight away. Even those which come with a separate panel require minimal setup and should start functioning after just a single day’s full charging in the sun.
4. Functional and aesthetic. Solar wall lights are designed to serve a functional purpose: keep your home, garden, patio, driveway and porch well-lit, safe, and secure. However, they don’t have to look bad in order to do it; with a range of styles from antique to modern, just about anyone can find an outdoor solar wall light to suit their tastes.
5. Durable. Solar panels by their very nature have to be designed with long lifespans, and also to withstand rain, wind, UV-radiation, and even snow and ice. As such, solar wall lights are typically just as durable, and should last you for years requiring next to no maintenance.
6. Affordable. Solar power may sound expensive (it’s a pretty remarkable technology after all), but it really doesn’t have to break the bank. With solar outdoor wall lights ranging from $15 to $40 for a pack, you can almost always find a set to suit your budget.

Cons:

1. Sunlight dependent. This goes for all solar technology, but remember that in order for your outdoor wall lights to work, they or their panels will need to receive ample sunlight on a regular basis. Whilst many of them may be able to operate a few nights in a row on one full charge, any periods of overcast weather or low light which last much longer than a couple of days will render your solar-powered lights redundant. Try and ensure that you place them directly in the path of the sun, and keep their panels clean and free of debris.
2. Dimmer light. Whilst not true for all solar powered outdoor wall lights, you will likely find that the luminosity of your solar light dulls over time, as the batteries begin to wear. So, too, will the luminosity vary depending on the amount of sunlight, or the season/time of year.

Best Outdoor Solar Wall Lights

The Best Solar Wall Lights In 2021

Now let’s get an in-depth understanding of the features offered by the best outdoor solar wall lights in the market.

Outdoor Solar Wall Lights Buyer’s Guide

What features to look for in outdoor solar wall lights?

Type of Bulb

As mentioned earlier, solar wall lights can be of different shapes and sizes. You must choose your product depending upon your needs and the place you need to fix the light. For a softer and aesthetic outdoors, you can use solar LED string lights. They also give away a festive feel. For other purposes, you can go for solar lamps or other normal outdoor lights.

Light Color

Solar LED panels come in various light colors. However, most solar lights work similarly, with an equal amount of brightness, irrespective of the color. 

If you are looking for sharp, bright light, you could choose a white light bulb. If you want a cozier and a softer ambiance, you can choose the yellow light. 

Brightness

One of the essential factors to consider is brightness. For solar lights, the intensity of brightness is often measured in lumens. 

There is a wide range of solar lights available that produce different lumen output. It can range between 12 to 1500 lumens and sometimes above that. For instance, step solar lights produce 12 to 100 lumens. 

Pond or pool solar lights produce 200 to 400 lumens. And solar flood lights can produce 700 to 1300 lumens. 

Installation Type

Many types of solar wall lights require a little DIY wall mount installation. Some LED solar lights can be set up without a fuss. But in the case of brighter and bigger setups, you will need complicated installation. However, all solar wall lights are usually not very difficult to install.

These systems are designed to work self-sufficiently using solar power. Therefore, wall mount installation is easy. 

Battery Type and Capacity

Usually, solar lights can have four types of batteries- NiCAD, lead-acid, NiMH, lithium-ion. Depending on the battery type, the power of the solar light is determined. 

For low-power light, you can choose the NiMH battery light, as it has longer working hours. If you want high-power solar lights, lead-acid batteries or lithium-ion batteries are the best. 

Battery capacity is something you should also consider. It is the measure of energy stored in the batteries. This stored energy is often measured in ampere-hour (Ah) or milliampere-hour (mAh). NiCAD batteries usually come with a 600 mAH capacity. Lead-acid batteries can have 4000 to 6000 mAh capacity. 

Usage

As mentioned earlier, the solar wall light serves more than just one purpose. Depending on your requirement, you may have to get a light installed. 

For instance, if you want a light for security, these lights should have motion sensors installed. Depending upon the illumination level, size of the bulb, and light color, you can decide upon the lights you want for your outdoors. 

Energy Efficiency

There can be three types of solar panels, depending on the design and material used on the panel- monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels. Each kind of panel has a separate energy efficiency range. 

For monocrystalline panels, the energy efficiency ranges between 15% and 21%. For polycrystalline, the energy efficiency ranges are around 16%, and for amorphous, it is around 10% or sometimes lower. 

A fully charged solar light will last for 10-12 hours. You must keep a watch on the light’s longevity despite it being charged the whole day. If it lasts lower than 8 hours, you may want to get it checked, as the energy is not being used efficiently. 

Settings

As mentioned in some of the products, there are two types of settings available in solar lights. One is automatic, where the light turns off and on at appropriate times during the night and day. The other type is manual, where you will have to manually activate or deactivate the light switches. There are a few solar lights available with additional brightness adjustment.

Size of Solar Panel and Quality

To use solar energy as electricity, you will need to install solar panels. There is no need for large solar panels for a solar wall light. Manufactures may deceive you by saying you need a larger panel to produce energy. But in reality, you will need a small yet efficient solar panel system. 

Weatherproofing

As these solar lights are designed to be kept outdoors, they must be equipped to handle all types of extreme weather conditions.

Cheaper solar light products may stop working after getting soaked in the rain. A few lights can also stop working in extreme heat, cold, or wind. You must get your hands on the lights that can work through all the weather conditions. 

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