Topic: Garden Lighting

[duh]

I'd like to add some lighting to the garden but I'm not sure what I want or how to achieve it.  Any ideas?  What have you done and how did you go about it?

[Tina]

I don't want anything that will suck up electricity and bump up my bill. I do have some flood lighting that I can manually turn on to see at night. But mostly to light up safe walking and working areas. For anything else I use cheap solar lights. Very low cost.

[duh]

I bought one 1 Lumiere and one 3 Lumiere light solar.  Can't really see much difference except in price.  I'm thinking I'll buy enough to light up the walkway.  Do you know how long they last?

[Tina]

My dollar store ones last from 2-4 years. If I get the slightly more expensive ones that use regular sized batteries, I can replace spent batteries with new rechargeable ones and get a longer life out of them.
I am not sure how freezing or snowy weather affect them because that is not my environment.  They could be pretty useless then.
I have been using different forms of solar lights for a few years. Solar string lights lasted a couple of years before needing battery changes, and so did rope lights. But those need to be strung out of critter reach because they chewed them up. That was disappointing.

[bestofour]

I bought some globe shaped solar lights on a rod that sticks in the ground last summer at WalMart for $12.00 and they're still going strong.

[duh]

I that these take 3 AA batteries and there are screws so I should be able to replace them.  So that's good.  I'm happy with that.  I think I'll buy a set of 10 for 10 bucks on payday.  Happy, happy, thank you for the good information.

[duh]

I have to remember to look outside before the sun comes up to see if the solar lights are working.  About 3 of them were out this morning.  It was to wet to go out and get them in to change there batteries but I plan to do that this weekend too.  It's looking like it will become a very busy weekend.

[Tina]

You probably do not need to change those batteries. Some solar lights last longer than others. And about half of mine are out by sunup. But working again as the sun sets.

[duh]

I'll have to remember to check that this evening.  Thanks for the heads up.

[bestofour]

Are they working?  Mine are working out there tonight and I've never changed the batteries.

[duh]

My 3 watt lights aren't getting enough light in their current location so I'll have to decide where I can put them where there is more light during the day. 

[bestofour]

I'm going to get some solar lights to line the end of our driveway.  That area gets full sun during the day so hopefully they will work.  Johnny needs a landing strip.

[Tina]

We all do better with a landing strip.

[bestofour]

hahahahaha.  We've tried sticking those reflector things to the mailbox but they won't stay.