Solar for outdoor lighting?

Dougryan · May 25, 2017

Hi,
I started thinking about using some entry level solar equipment to power landscape/outdoor lighting around the house. Harbor Freight sells a set of three 15w solar panels with a converter/battery charger unit. Prices vary depending on sales and coupons etc... But, of course, batteries not included. So figure about $150 for the solar panels and charger and another $100 for a deep cycle battery.

Then I could run wiring (12v DC) just like I would for conventional low voltage landscape lighting, but would simply run everything from the battery that would get recharged each day.

Is it worth it?

Home Depot currently has a kit that includes 8 lights for $130 and the transformer is $70. $200.

Assuming I would buy a similar light kit (including wire) for my solar set up, that would be $130 for the lights plus $250 for the solar and battery... $380.

I just don't think I'd save that much on my electric bill to justify the extra $180.

Any experiences? Thoughts?

Thanks,
Doug

n3ckf · May 25, 2017

the main reason to use solar outdoor lights is to put them places you dont have easy access to wire to. The benefit of not using electricity is pretty minimal (lights dont use that much to start with) (try dividing the power of your lights by your cost of power and see how many thousand hours you'd have to leave them on to pay for your solar panel and you'll see what i mean). I have solar for my house but mostly use wired lights.

CajunRider · May 25, 2017

I use individual solar lights. There is no fuss in installation and they are cheap to replace. The saving is on the installation and wiring. In many places the lights are several hundred feet to a quarter mile from my house. The saving in wiring and maintenance is substantial. The saving in electricity in very little.