The benefits of solar lights in terms of sustainability, running costs, and convenience are well established, where you can install a new set of outdoor lights in just a few minutes and implement year-round security lighting or patio lights with zero utility charges.

However, exceptional performance is as important, where your outdoor lighting doesn’t just look elegant but provides advantages in terms of safety, reliability, light efficiency and longevity.

Solight’s range of outdoor lighting is designed with precision to ensure that, when you switch from wired LEDs to eco-friendly exterior lights, they exceed your expectations at every turn. Today we’ll compare conventional LED lighting to solar-powered lights to provide some like-for-like comparisons.

Safety Features in Outdoor Wall Lights

The first element to consider is safety, where the two best options are low-voltage LED lights or solar outside lights. Lower-voltage cabling provides some protection from accidents, including the rare likelihood of electrocution, where wired lights are cabled to connect to the electricity network in your property.

Outdoor lamps are not often a significant hazard, but over time where lighting is installed with wires concealed under topsoil or underneath patios, erosion and heavy rain can expose live electrical wires, where plastic casing can become worn, damaged and weathered.

Low-voltage outdoor lighting, often used in landscape lights, is the next-best alternative, but the unit must be connected to a transformer with a compatible outdoor plug.

These lights still have cables buried around six inches below the ground, but the 12V lighting is less dangerous to pets, children and wildlife and causes shocks rather than burns in the worst-case scenario.

However, a downside is that any lights fitted to a hardscape, such as garden lights around decking, outside of a garage or affixed to posts, will need to be directly cabled, meaning they cost more money to install and will generate an expense to run – albeit lower than higher-voltage lighting.

Solar lights, of course, have no wiring or cabling, are entirely safe for families  , and can be placed or mounted anywhere you wish.

Efficiency in Solar Lights vs Wired LED Lighting

Onto efficiency and solar lights perform well across all featured categories, from beautiful garden lighting for entertaining to higher-capacity security floodlights, often installed above the entrance to a house or parking area.

Most of the advanced functionalities can be found in either wired LED lights or solar outside lighting, but we incorporate intelligent technologies across our full range of outdoor lighting solutions:

  • Automatic ALS (Adaptive Lighting Systems) for energy conservation. Lights powered by the sun’s energy respond to weather conditions and the time of the day by reducing the intensity of the light to avoid unnecessarily draining batteries.
  • Pre-programmed light activations. Setting your outside lights to come on at a predetermined time or switching lights on remotely can be an excellent security measure while away from home.
  • TCS (Temperature Control System) tech extends the life of solar batteries and prevents lights from overheating or becoming damaged due to extreme weather.
  • Independently tested and rated IP-accredited waterproof lighting casing ensures every set of security lights is designed to last for years, with minimal maintenance, and work perfectly year-round.

While many customers assume solar outdoor lighting will be weaker or less able to illuminate larger pool surrounds, decks and garden spaces, our extensive range of security lights suits any setting.

Models like the Solar Billboard Light, for example, generate 1,500 lumens for five hours, or 900 Lumens when in constant use – the average light output for motion sensor lighting starts at 300 Lumens, with most floodlights producing 700 to 1,300 Lumens, as a comparison.

Choosing Versatile, Long-Lasting Garden Lighting

Customers often look for lighting solutions that run independently from mains power and have the key features they require, but that can also be moved or repositioned, such as when hosting a garden party or dining on a patio during warm weather.

One of the unique performance attributes of a set of functional solar lights is that they can be placed and removed at your convenience. However, mounted wall lights may need alternative fittings in the relevant places you may wish to hang them.

Solight’s Short Bollard Light is a great example; a simple, classic and effortlessly ambient light that provides a gentle shine to transform a garden space to create a different style and atmosphere. While bollard lighting styles are often used around trees and walkways to brighten a path, they can also be moved to any position that will suit your requirements.

The diverse uses of solar lights mean they fit into your space, and if you decide to add new planting areas, seating or a fire pit, your outdoor lighting moves with you without the cost and time required to dig up cables, re-fix lights, or address the damage to your groundwork.

How to Select the Best-Performing Outdoor Lights

We appreciate that the complexity of lighting performance, power outputs, battery conservation and light intensity can be a lot of information to digest, and we always endeavour to make choosing your outdoor lights seamless and simple.

There are several considerations when deciding which lights and styles are ideal for your property, so we normally run through a series of questions to help narrow down your selection:

  • Where would you like your lighting to be? The Solight range includes everything from wall lights and mast-mounted landscape lights to ground-level garden lights and larger-scope estate lighting with a broad array of choices.
  • What is the primary function of your garden lights? Are you keen to illuminate a patio or deck, enhance security around the rear of your property, or fit access lights to help when parking a vehicle in your garage?
  • Do you have a specific style or aesthetic you’d like to achieve? Lighting designs often trend, but we cater to all personal preferences with slimline, traditional and contemporary models to slot into your garden décor.

As we’ve seen, solar lights perform to outstanding standards and have few limitations, so by assessing your priorities and needs, you can select the lighting models that will add just the right lighting, texture and brightness to your home and garden.

If you would like any further information about any of our range, from features to functionality and performance, please get in touch.