Anyone have solar garden/path lights?

[madmax]

Do you like them? Do they work well? What brand?

Any landscapers living in NJ? I need garden help desperately. :cry:

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. I have a couple solar lights out in the yard.

Don't know what brand, they came from Target. They work fine, as long as there is sun. I live in Seattl..er... Chicago. We have had Seattle weather lately.

Garden help? I need it too, LOL. Sorry!

[madmax]

2. Ahhhh, Target!!!

My favorite store. I have some electrical ones in the front by I'd rather not have to hire an electrician to install electrical power. My son (the know it all) said solar lights don't work as well as electric ones. Well I guess not, if it's cloudy all week :evilgrin:

But, that's not a big problem as far as I'm concerned...I think :silly:

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. They're not as bright as electrical.

But they work. If there is sun here and there.

[ScrewyRabbit]

4. I bought some at Home Depot

Made by Hampton Bay. Cost on $20 each. They don't light up a huge area, but they give off enough light for a bit of path.

[Kadie]

5. I have some solar lights

Well, I don't think I would call them lights, they just kind of glow an orange color. I think they are the Malibu brand. Not too expensive, bought them at Lowes. Not good if you need to light a path or walkway.

[madmax]

6. Thanks....

My driveway is very dark. Maybe I should consider a motion light - If they run on batteries. Think, I'll google that one ;)


HEY!!! Last Call for a landscaper :(

[Massacure]

7. My neighbor has them

I like them.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. I wouldn't got for the solar...

ones around here. Too dim and not enough sun. Don't forget how dull the winters are, and how long the nights. They could be backed up from the house wiring, but the cost wouldn't be worth it for the little light you get.

Low voltage outdoor lighting doesn't require an electrician, and doesn't use much electricity. There are lots of options.

[madmax]

11. TB - where do you plug them in if you don't have an

outside electrical outlet?

[Lefty48197]

14. adding an exterior 110v outlet is not that big a deal usually

if you have an electrician friend it's even easier. I'm guessing the cost would run between $50 and $250 depending upon a lot of factors, including whether or not you hire a friend. The parts alone for an exterior GFI outlet and the wiring will cost most of the $50. If you're going through a brick wall, and you have to travel a long way to tie into the existing electrical system, then the cost goes up. If you can afford it, then spread out over a few years, the cost of the outlet really isn't that much.

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Theoretically....

you could just plug the transformer into an outlet in the garage.

You could even run them from a car battery.

There are downsides to those ideas, but it could be done. There are standards for the transformer itself, but no electrical codes for low voltage circuits.

Anyway, somewhere else you said you're just gonna buy a couple of solar lights and see how they work. Good idea for now. Any outdoor path lighting is going to cost a few bucks for a decent installation.

Here's how it's done right (but you don't seem in the mood to go to this extent :7 )

http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/articles/200006/lowvolt/main.html

Aside from some of my more harebrained schemes, like using mini Christmas lights, automobile bulbs, LEDs and flashlight bulbs, one thing I tried was cheap and easy. I replced the floodlights in the back yard and driveway with those big 6" globe bulbs and put a dimmer switch in. The globes didn't glare nearly as much as the floodlights, and I could adjust the amount of light to be very pleasing. 100W globes worked just fine.

[Ksec]

9. Theyre dim and dont give off much light.

But they do kind of frame whatever you put them around.

Do I like them?

Yea theyre fine.

[madmax]

10. It's always something

I'm really getting tired of a house. It's inside, outside, cut grass, shovel snow, rake leaves, mend the fence, plant stuff, pull out dead stuff, clean out gutters, repair the driveway... :crazy:

And then the inside. I want to pull my hair out. Not enough hours in the day. Especially when you get to be a certain age time FLYS!

I'm going to try a set of solars, how bad can they be, right. Not a big deal :spank:

Thanks, you guys. If anyone else has an opinion I'm still listening.
:hi:

[NJCher]

12. what county in Jersey, madmax?

My handyman works when he needs money, LOL. Otherwise no. But hey, ya' never know. Maybe he's broke this week.


Cher

[madmax]

13. Middlesex, Near East Brunswick.

He only works when he needs money, LOL... Gotta love him.

Last year I hired a guy to do yard clean up. He dropped off 4 Mexican fellas who work so hard in 90 degree heat. He left them with nothing to drink. I took care of them.

I wish I could find some Mexican landscapers. They do such a great job and I'm sure the boss doesn't pay them well. I would!

on edit: I was thinking, uh oh - we could use a Help Wanted/Work Wanted thread. Ya think?

[NJCher]

18. shoot

I'm up in Essex.

My husband goes himself to the places where the labor hangs out. Like you, we treat them far better than the landscapers. We paid $20 more per day and provided water and my husband even fixed lunch!


Cher

[AgadorSparticus]

16. got some solar ones from home depot last year and hate them.

they are not bright enough. but if you want it for decorative purposes then i think you'd be okay.

[radfringe]

17. we use them on the path on side of house

have 4 on each side of pathway (total of 8) and they are staggered to give the maxiumum coverage.

We put them up, because I leave before the sun comes up in the morning, and it gives off enough light to see my way down to the driveway.

We have flood lights too, but they "blast" into the bedroom window and it's quite disconcerting to my partner who is still asleep. The main problem is keeping enough snow dug out around the solar lights to enable the maximum spread of light during the winter months