Best Solar Lights In 2023 – What’s New Changed

updated 1/15/2023- – Updated with 2023 models,  ( updated 1/15/22 with 2022 models.   updated 2021-7-8- Updated with new models  )

Best Solar Lights In 2023 – What’s New & Changed

What Are Solar Lights?

Solar lighting

The use of solar lighting has gained traction over the past several years.is broadly categorized into two; Indoor and outdoor. The outdoor solar lights are more prominent for apparent reasons. Outdoor solar lights are common today partly because they are easy to install. Furthermore, they are almost maintenance-free. High electricity costs is a non-issue for homes and establishments that rely on solar lighting. The most common residential solar lights include wall-mounted, security, pathway light sets, and freestanding lamp posts.

Solar lighting is unique because it uses solar cells to convert sunlight energy into electricity. Since electricity is mainly required at night, the electric energy from the sun is usually stored in batteries up to the evening. The most widely used batteries are sealed lead acid, nickel cadmium, and lead acid batteries. Fortunately, solar lighting systems work perfectly well in most parts of the US.

LED solar lights

As the world advocates for more renewable energy, lighting fixture manufacturers have also been busy. The new trend in the market is the inception and use of. Just like standard solar energy, solar LED lights are incredibly efficient. LED solar lights also integrate battery technology and are totally off-grid.

Solar light benefits include;

Easy installation

Battery backup for rainy and cloudy weather conditions

Minimum maintenance

Absence of recurrent electricity bills

No metering, trenching, and cabling required

Away with power outages

Biggest Issue of Solar Lights

Developing solar lighting systems has come with its share of challenges. Manufacturers are working around the clock to address short lighting time, the fact that sometimes solar lights stay on during the day, induction function failure, and flickering. However, the main issue with solar lights is that there is no monitoring organization such as UL and ETL as there is with wired lights. As a result, manufacturers exaggerate lumen numbers. Some of them label their products with highly fraudulent lumen figures or battery sizes that are not correct.  

This unfortunate turn of events explains the presence of poor quality products in the market today.  We cannot stress enough that unless they are a disposable one year purchase, you need to buy from a reputable brand and seller. 

Design Guidelines

Specific elements make up a solar lighting system. These elements significantly influence the functionality of these systems. They include;

(i) Brand

As aforementioned, some brands are labeling their products with incorrect lumen numbers. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that you do a background check on the available brands in the market. Fortunately, there are several reputable brands in the market today, some of which will be mentioned later in this article. 

(ii) Battery

Batteries store electric energy for use at night or when the light is insufficient. Therefore, the battery is one of the most important components of solar lights. For solar light batteries, vital aspects include:

The physical profile of the battery (Quality).

The overall cost per watt.

The average charging cycle (Number of cycles).   This one is big.   Even Tesla, the king of battery quality admits there batteries are limited to 3000 cycles before losing most of its capacity.   That means that it can power and drain daily for about 9 years before needing replacement.   Assuming you dont charge and drain it every night you can probably get 10-14 years, but thats Tesla.   For small solar lights the range is way less.   For cheap ones its a 1/4 of that or about 2-3 years.   For better ones, it can be 50-75% of that or 6-12 years.

Always remember that all batteries are not equal. The common types are nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), Lithium-ion (Li-Ion), and Lithium polymer.  

(iii) Color Temperature

kelvin selectable tunable models

The color temperature that emanates from a lighting system can vary and the correct answer is what YOU want. Most will be the very white daylight color but decide what you want, Warm colors are an option. . The color temperature within this visible spectrum (usually referred to as warm light) is pretty natural to our eyes hence the recommendation. However, it is crucial to note that LEDs’ color options varies greatly. As a result, manufacturers produce fixtures in lots of colors. Look for a 5000K or 6000K and stay close to it or choose one of the newerto choose after install.

(iv) Wattage and Lumen

Watts is all about the energy consumed, while the lumen is the level of brightness given. Wattage and lumen requirements vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and fixture to fixture. Note that a higher wattage does not necessarily guarantee higher lumen output or more light. Each solar light fixture has a standard wattage range which depends on its applications. The color of the light may also influence the wattages and lighting requirements of solar lights.

(v) Size

A solar light design that is not appropriate might lead to improper light spread, malfunction, poor aesthetics, and shortened components life. And this explains why reputable manufacturers recommend solar lighting design and size depending on the application. The move allows users to get the size of all the components right. 

(vi) Aesthetics

For those familiar with solar lighting systems, it is a no-brainer that the lack of aesthetic appeal of solar light panels is one of its significant drawbacks. However, this should not be an excuse to install unattractive or ugly solar lights on your property. There are a few more appealing options in the market today.  

(vii) Remote and programming

Is it too complicated?   Does it do enough.  Take a trip through how you might use it.

Types and Applications Of Solar Lights

The various types of solar lights are as follows;

General Flood Lightssolar flood light fixtures.

Solar flood lights are used to illuminate floods and certain areas. The level of brightness, Solar LED flood light type, as well as durability of light, are essential elements ofThe most common applications include; the backyard, around the house, the front door, the garden, driveways, parking lots, and streets.

Parking Lot Lightssolar LED parking lot lightsSee what the best solar parking lot lights are.

One of the most effective ways to illuminate parking areas without using regular energy or utility power is with. The solar parking lot lights are a byproduct of a system that incurs no electricity costs for the duration of the system. The solar LED parking lot lights are installed in several commercial and industrial buildings and offer security, sustainability, and an eco-friendly image for the company.

Path Lights

Solar path lights are the ideal choice to light the road home if you are seeking LED lights for a route. These solar lights and stake lights are great for driveways, flowerbeds, and paths.

Spot Lights

Spot lights are ideal for installation on high areas or walls. They are purposed to light up more expansive outdoor areas. When looking for the brightest solar spot light, you must consider the lumen measure.

Wall Lightssolar wall lights

These lights are great for outdoor spaces. Furthermore,can be beneficial in emergencies. Brightness is one of the most crucial factors when acquiring these lights.

Solar Sign Lights

solar sign lights

Signs that are far from power make for a good candidate for. Not perfect, but an easy way to get your business some attention. Also ideal for AirBnB and VRBO street signs to make sure you get found.

What To Consider When Buying;

The existence of a wide array of solar lighting systems in the market is attributed to their popularity. Here are two important aspects to consider before buying one;

(i) Trusted Brand

The shift to renewable energy has clearly demonstrated that it can be more effective than fossil fuels. As a result, manufacturers also strive to tap into the growing renewable energy market. This scenario explains the increasing solar light brands in the market. And since there is no proper regulation to monitor their production, poor solar lighting products are filling the market. Therefore, it is up to the user to ensure they purchase reputable products from a trustworthy manufacturer.  

(ii) Cycle Life of Battery

The lifeline of any solar lighting product is the battery. The cycle life is among the most important aspects of solar lighting systems batteries. Cycle life describes the charging and discharging cycle of a battery, usually on a daily basis. It is crucial to note that cycle life determines the lifespan of a solar battery. 

The Best Solar Lights Available Today

Below are three examples of the best solar light products in the market in 2022.

(i) Everan Series LED Solar Parking Lot Lights

solar street lighting

The Everan Series LED parking lot lights use solar energy instead of conventional utility power. This particular lighting system’s popularity can be attributed to the cost savings that result from not needing to trench normal electric cables for installation and giving no electricity bill for the duration of the system. Designed to mount like regular parking lot lights on a slip fit, it can be wall mounted or on a pole for

What we like – true commercial grade battery ensures this will work for the next decade plus.    A big step up from residential, the lumen count is real.   That alone should make it a contender.

(ii) Cobalt Series LED Flood Lights

If you are looking for a reliable solar light brand, then look no further! Cobalt series LED flood lights are super bright. These lights are easy to install and adjust. They utilize a premium super-size 8000mah battery that, in addition to staying long, also lasts for years. They can also be remotely controlled. The manufacturers of cobalt series LED flood lights guarantee users of quality and warranty for their products.

what we like;  The two pieces give it ultra utility, it can be installed just about anywhere.  The LEDs are individually lensed, we’ll spare the tech talk, but that’s a much more advanced and better way to build a light.    The indicator lights are a step above anything else and the remote give you some controls without making your head spin.  It also it a good looking flood, which never hurts,.

(iii) Carina Series LED Flood Lights

Carina series LED flood lights are among the hottest solar lamps in the market since they guarantee actual bright light of over 6000 lumens. The lights employ multiple modes of operation. In addition to adjustability and ease of installation, they can also be controlled remotely. They also come with long-life batteries.

 

(iv) Donati Series LED Solar Parking Lots Lights

With better batteries, an upgraded controller, brand-name Seoul 5050 LEDs (not inflated lumens), and now infinite settings through the optional remote, Donati II improves the true commercial performance of the Donati I. The sole genuine commercial solar lamp available.

References

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/outdoor-solar-lighting

https://solarmagazine.com/solar-lights/

How to Choose Solar Lights for Your Home

https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-solar-lights

https://www.ecomena.org/advantages-of-solar-lighting/