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Installing outdoor solar lights in your garden
Outdoor solar lights can transform your garden into an enchanted fairyland. Find out why you need outdoor solar lights in your garden.
Wondering about installing outdoor solar lights in your garden? Not sure how easy it is to do? Read my complete guide on how to choose and install the right outdoor lights for your garden. You will have a lovely outdoor space to enjoy this summer when you finish.
Installing outdoor solar lights in your garden
Garden solar lights can make a big difference to your garden. Our back garden is enclosed and it gets really dark at night. Sometimes I need to access the garage via the garden and it is always hard to see where I am going.
Installing solar garden lights not only makes it safer to navigate the garden but allows you to highlight garden features which makes it look stunning in the dark.
Solar garden lights from PowerBee
PowerBee are an independent family run business who are based in the UK. They are solar lighting specialists and recently sent me some of their solar garden lights to try out.
One of the challenges of having outdoor solar lights in the UK is that we do not get much sun, especially in the winter. PowerBee aim to provide solar lights that will work for hours even in the dark winter nights.
As well as solar lighting they also have a range of fountains and water features, all with free UK shipping. The lights automatically turn on when it is dark and turn off when its light.
I was looking forward to see what difference solar lighting would make to my dark back garden.
How to choose which lights to install
The whole point of outdoor solar lights is to light up specific features in your garden and allow you to move around it easily. Think about the different features in your garden. Do you have paths or patios? Is there a lawn? Are there any trees, shrubs or water features you might like to highlight?
Once you know what areas you want to light you can choose from solar stake lights, fairy lights or spot lights to produce the desired effect.
How to install garden solar lights
Once you have chosen the lights you need then you need to install them. Different areas will have different style of outdoor solar lighting which will combine to create the overall look.
Beside paths
Stake lights are great to use along the side of paths or on the edges of flower beds to guide the way. I put a few of PowerBee’s Saturn solar garden lights around the edges of the flowerbeds.
These are really easy to install. The stake needs to be put at the bottom of the light after unpacking it. To do this you just slot three bits together. You then push the light into the ground where you want it to go.
The top of the light is removable which allows you to easily replace the batteries. Before the light will work you also need to pull out the blue tab which is protecting the battery while the light is in transit.
The great thing about these Saturn solar path lights is that you can change the angle of the solar panel so it gets maximum light during the day.
Highlight garden features
Solar spot lights are great for highlighting garden features like fountains. It makes them look really special in the dark.
In the corner of my back garden I have an Easter Island head, also known as the big giant head. Adding a spotlight pointing at this makes an interesting focal point in the corner of the garden.
The PowerBee solar spotlights are also easy to install. There are two stakes that you need to add, one on the bottom of the solar panel and one on the spotlight. You then just need to position the light where you want it and the solar panel in the sunlight. The cable is long so you can have the panel some distance from the light.
The solar panel has an on off button on the back so you can turn the spotlight off.
Add a touch of magic
When you have your path lights and spotlights in place why not add a touch of magic with some solar fairy lights? These can be put along fences or around a bush to decorate your garden.
I have a silver birch in the corner of my garden so I added a string of PowerBee Firefly string lights to this. The lights are on a string attached to the solar panel and are easy to wrap round the tree or fence.
The solar panel has an on off switch so you can turn the lights off if you wish. There is also a mode setting which allows you to adjust the lights to flash, turn on and off quickly or just stay on. There are about ten different settings so you can experiment to find which you like best.
When all the lights were in place the garden looks amazing at night. You can easily adjust and re-position the lights to get the effect you want.
How to place the solar panels
To get the most light from your solar lights you need to position the solar panels so they get the maximum amount of sunlight. Try and face them to the south and they should get sunlight all day.
When they are in position make sure that they are not being covered by branches or shrubbery which could take away some of the light.
If the panel is quite a distance from the light it is worth burying the cable to help protect it from moisture (and to prevent your dog tripping over it!). Also think about lawnmowers and make sure you keep the wiring well away from where they might go.
What we thought of the garden solar lights from PowerBee
The outdoor solar lights from PowerBee have made a big difference to our garden. We now have an interesting focal point in the corner of the garden that looks lovely at night. I can also see where I am going when I go out to the garage which is much safer. I can also see where the dog is when I let him out at night. The light will also act as a deterrent to burglars.
At the moment there is not much daylight. The days are still short even though it is starting to get a bit lighter at night. I was impressed how long the lights were bright for. Even though they have not had much sunlight to charge them up they were still bright the next morning.
The lights are well made and easy to install. I am thinking of getting some more to put along the edge of the patio. It will look great in the Summer when we have a barbecue.
Read more: Easy Barbecue recipes
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Other information about outdoor solar lights
Why do solar garden lights need batteries?
When the sun shines on the solar panel during the day it creates power. The power will charge up the batteries in the solar light. At night the battery powers the outdoor solar lights converting the stored power into light.
Can solar lights stay out in the winter?
Yes they can. There is less light in the winter so you need to make sure you position your solar panels to get as much light as possible. This will ensure that they stay as bright as possible during the dark nights.
Can you replace the batteries?
Yes, most solar lights will allow you to replace the battery. You need to ensure you are using a rechargeable battery. Take the old one out and get a similar one to replace it.
Do you have outdoor solar lights in your garden? Do they make a difference? Let me know below.
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