Types of Solar Deck Lights

The following is a guest post from Bubba

There are a number of different types of solar lights available for most decks. In fact, until I started looking for deck lighting for my gazebo canopy I had no idea there were so many styles and configurations.

Solar lighting is becoming very popular with everyone trying to conserve electricity as much as possible. With the price of solar panels and equipment becoming more advanced every year, the types of equipment that can be powered by solar energy grow exponentially.

As a result, a wide variety of solar lights for your deck and patio area are available. In many cases they blend right into the surface, and in other cases where you want them to stand out for design purposes there are a number of very attractive models available.

One popular category of solar deck lighting include the hanging style lights. Models like the Kettle Lantern LED solar light set are intended to be mounted either in the ground beside the deck or along the railing. The lantern is then suspended on a tall rod and hangs over the edge of your deck to provide good lighting. No wiring is required, and the solar panel converts sunlight into electricity to charge the rechargeable battery during the day.

Another type are the rope lights and solar string lights with a long line of light bulbs much like a string of Christmas lights. A built in light sensor is attached to the end of the string, as well as an automatic on/off switch. The small solar panel is then staked into the ground nearby where it is virtually hidden from view.

Hanging chime style lights are becoming very trendy if you like the sound of the chimes as the wind blows. These lights usually hang just like a normal wind chime, but they have a light bulb hanging amongst the chimes, as well as the hidden solar panel.

Finally, there is the newer style of solar lighting that can be mounted flush into the surface of your deck, deck stairs, or railing posts. These are typically a little more work to install, but can be very attractive. The pricing is getting better, although you should pay a little more to buy the high quality lights since these will often be placed in high traffic areas.

Obviously you need some sunlight every once in a while to recharge the solar panels, but assuming most people get some sunshine these deck lights are very economical. They are generally much easier to install than hard wired lighting, and very economical today.