#1 Solar Flame Garden Spikes
This light emits a realistic-looking flame effect. It has a 1W wattage and 150 lumens. It is made of black plastic and has an IP rating of IP65. IP ratings show the level of protection against solid particles e.g. dust, flies, mosquitoes or moths.
IP65 is a popular level of protection for outdoor lighting that will be exposed to all types of weather, and it offers higher protection than IP44.
It is ideally placed on the edges of your driveway or borders, where it illuminates the surrounding area, acting as a deterrent and enabling you to see if there are any intruders.
#2 Solar Garden Spotlight-Cool White/RGB
This light has an option of RGB, which means red, green, and blue light, and is auto-scrolling, which means it switches automatically through the various colours. Or there’s the option of cool, white light. It has 280 lumens and doesn’t have a remote control.
Options for placing these lights could include your pool area if you like coloured lights there, or set to cool white light, you could place it at intervals along the walls of your house, producing a wonderful, glowing effect. Also, the increased visibility will show up anything amiss immediately.
#3 LED Solar Fairy Lights
Available in 10 or 20 m lengths and RGB or cool white.
When installing light strings outdoors we recommended that you use a steel cable to support the weight of the lights.
Attach the light string to the steel cable with cable ties at intervals and thread the wires through eyelet bolts, which are screwed to the trees or posts where you want to suspend your fairy lights. These lights would look good around a patio or hanging from trees. They are mainly decorative but should still help deter burglars.
#4 Solar Garden Spotlight-12 Watt
This light has a black body and a clear shade lens made of glass. It has an IP rating of 44 for solar and 65 for its body.
The light colour temperature is 6000k, which is a cool colour and ‘day white’. This means it is similar to daylight to the human eye. With 650 lumens, it’s the equivalent of 650 candles.
Suggested installation areas are: at entrances, pools, driveways or along walls. It should provide a bright enough light to serve as a deterrent to criminals, and provide visibility to you and your security company if you have one.
#5 12W LED Outdoor Bollard
This bollard is LED and is die-cast in aluminium and opal polycarbonate. It has a rating of IP44 and a 12W LED is included. The colour temperature is 4000K.
This means a bright white and cool-toned colour light. It has 1000 lumens, which is equal to the light from 1000 candles and approximately the light of a 75W incandescent light bulb.
Bollards are used to designate a path or mark a seating area. Effective lighting should also act as a deterrent to trespassers and let you see if anyone enters the property. Lights also enhance your property, illuminating pathways and entrances, highlighting features and adding value.
#6 Copper Solar Garden Light – 12 Pack
These are made of plastic with a modern design. These garden solar lights are solar-powered, weather-proof and durable and turn on automatically at dusk. They do not require wiring and can be installed anywhere that gets some sun.
Ideally used to edge driveways or borders. As with all garden solar lights, they are not dependent on your electricity supply and will work regardless of blackouts, thus providing you with that security, even when your whole neighbourhood is in darkness.
#7 LED Solar Rock Light
This light has a grey, rock-shaped body made from composite resin. The lens is clear plastic and the lamp type includes 3 integrated 0.06W LEDs.
The light switches on automatically when it gets dark, but it also has an on-and-off switch. It doesn’t need wiring and includes a rechargeable battery.
This light blends into your garden and would look good lined around a pool, for example, or flower beds, distributing light to the area so you can always see what’s going on, including lurkers, a real plus for your security.
#8 LED Deck Light – Solar LED Deck Light (Stainless Steel)
This light comes in a 2 or 3-LED option. This light emits a cool white light. The 2 LED has a 600mA battery and the 3 LED has a 1200mA battery.
These garden solar lights are ground or deck lights that are good for enhancing pathways, gardens or decks, where they’ll also increase your security and deter criminals.
#9 10W Aluminium LED Bollard IP65
This bollard includes a 10W LED. The colour temperature is 6000K and it has 700 lumens. The CRI ( colour rendering index) is 70. This measures a light’s ability to render the colours of things compared to natural light.
Usually, a CRI of 80-90 is considered good, so I recommend you buy more than one. Again, bollards are good for showing pathways and outdoor eating areas and providing you with that extra security by illuminating these areas. Because they are garden solar lights they will work independently of load-shedding, and keep the lights on.
#10 Rechargeable Solar Shepherd Light
This attractive black lantern has a white LED light. It has energy-saving LEDs, is solar-
powered and switches on automatically at dusk. The modern design is durable and weather-
proof. It’s easy to assemble, looks great and you can install it almost anywhere, but is ideal for the edge of driveways or borders. These solar garden lights will add to your security by acting as a deterrent to intruders.
How to position lights
you have a range of options, depending on the effect you are aiming for, here are some suggestions:
- To create a highlight – position it near the base of the feature you want to highlight. Spotlights are ideal for this.
- To make a silhouette – position the solar garden lights behind a feature, and towards a nearby wall.
- To shadow – install light near the base of the feature, near a wall.
- Try creating a wash – position lights at an indirect angle to a wall or shrub.
- Uplighting – this is like a wash but more direct.
- For security, we suggest spotlights and the brightest garden solar lights possible, especially at entrances. You can position spotlights at intervals along the base of a wall to make a wonderful glow.
How garden solar lights work
Solar lights have 4 components: a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel, the control electronics, a battery and a light fixture.
Solar panels use light from the sun and convert it to electrical power, which is used or stored in the battery. Garden solar lights can still charge on when it’s cloudy, even for several days.
What is LED?
LED stands for light-emitting diode. This is a semiconductor diode which will glow when supplied with voltage. Cool right?
Why we recommend garden solar lights
With the current load-shedding set to continue for another year or two, wise consumers are looking at ways of living with the challenge. These lights offer a great way to keep your home and garden safer and more welcoming without having to depend on the grid.