Decorative Solar yard lighting

[Capt Worley PE]

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for solar powered LED yard lights. I have a ton of them.

I'm looking at solar Christmas tree lights. We do an outside tree every year and I think it'd be a lot better than running extension cords through the window and across the walkway to the street.

Might even put some in the trees for more festivity.

 

[snickerd3]

I bought some solar xmas lights for this coming xhristmas...they are stars to hang from the tree limbs. I'm too cheap to run and pay for outside lights...if I liked these i was going to invest more in the after xmas sales on them

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

I will probably have to invest in solar Xmas lighting. The outlet on the front porch that I use for most of my wiring is on the same circuit as the lights in the kitchen, and last year I found the limit of how many lights I can have on at the same time (3 separate occations tripping the breaker). If I want to add more, I'll be stuck either using another outlet, not allowing the family to use the lights in the kitchen, or going solar. Since I'm lazy and my wife would get pissed if she cant use the lights, I'll most likely going solar...

 

[knight1fox3]

IMO, the solar LED variety just aren't bright enough for my taste.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I bought some solar xmas lights for this coming xhristmas...they are stars to hang from the tree limbs. I'm too cheap to run and pay for outside lights...if I liked these i was going to invest more in the after xmas sales on them

I haven't seen, or maybe I didn't notice, any at the stores last Christmas. I recently go a string of solar dragonfly lights and they looked cool, so I wondered if they made Christmas lights. Checked the web, and lo and behold: http://www.solarchristmaslights.com/search.aspx?find=new+ray&gclid=CMO00OeMsrgCFWho7AodkEsAHA

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

IMO, the solar LED variety just aren't bright enough for my taste.

But you can string together hundreds of feet of them without overloading your household circuits, unlike those damn traditional lights...

 

[snickerd3]

I bought some solar xmas lights for this coming xhristmas...they are stars to hang from the tree limbs. I'm too cheap to run and pay for outside lights...if I liked these i was going to invest more in the after xmas sales on them

I haven't seen, or maybe I didn't notice, any at the stores last Christmas. I recently go a string of solar dragonfly lights and they looked cool, so I wondered if they made Christmas lights. Checked the web, and lo and behold: http://www.solarchristmaslights.com/search.aspx?find=new+ray&gclid=CMO00OeMsrgCFWho7AodkEsAHA

you must not shop at target...they had an entire 12 ft section of the xmas aisle dedicated to solar christmas lighting

 

[goodal]

IMO, the solar LED variety just aren't bright enough for my taste.

+1

I installed a 600W transformer on a timer and photocell with about 400' of wire and 25 lights to light my new abode.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I bought some solar xmas lights for this coming xhristmas...they are stars to hang from the tree limbs. I'm too cheap to run and pay for outside lights...if I liked these i was going to invest more in the after xmas sales on them

I haven't seen, or maybe I didn't notice, any at the stores last Christmas. I recently go a string of solar dragonfly lights and they looked cool, so I wondered if they made Christmas lights. Checked the web, and lo and behold: http://www.solarchristmaslights.com/search.aspx?find=new+ray&gclid=CMO00OeMsrgCFWho7AodkEsAHA


you must not shop at target...they had an entire 12 ft section of the xmas aisle dedicated to solar christmas lighting

No, Target's too far of a drive.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I bought some solar xmas lights for this coming xhristmas...they are stars to hang from the tree limbs. I'm too cheap to run and pay for outside lights...if I liked these i was going to invest more in the after xmas sales on them

I haven't seen, or maybe I didn't notice, any at the stores last Christmas. I recently go a string of solar dragonfly lights and they looked cool, so I wondered if they made Christmas lights. Checked the web, and lo and behold: http://www.solarchristmaslights.com/search.aspx?find=new+ray&gclid=CMO00OeMsrgCFWho7AodkEsAHA

Just ordered a 200 white light string. Oughta be perfect for the tree.

 

[Supe]

Any recommended brands for solar yard stakes? May put some new pathways in the backyard, and they'd be nice for lighting.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Mrs Dex bought a few at Target a couple weeks ago for $1 each. Of the 10 she bought, we've already broken 2, but the remaining ones seem to work fine.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I bought a ton of the 97 cent ones at Wally World last year. They're still doing well.

 

[snickerd3]

we have a combo of the cheap $1 wally world deals and a nice $30 set..they work about the same it is more about the looks during the day

 

[Capt Worley PE]

OK, here's a question for you EE's or anyone else who has thoughts/insights: I got a 200 light solar powered strand of white Christmas lights to see if they were bright enough to use on the Christmas tree this year. They weren't.

If I get a strand with less lights, will the lights be brighter, or will they just last longer? The solar panel/controller is the same for 50, 100, and 200 light strings.

 

[mudpuppy]

A small string will make the battery last longer but they probably won't be any brighter. LEDs can only handle a little bit of current, so there typically is a high resistance in series with each LED. Reducing the number of LEDs, then, isn't going to increase the voltage all that much. Besides, the i-v characteristic of diodes is basically on or off, not like the linear voltage-current relationship of incandesents.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I was just wondering because I have a 20 strand changing color dragonfly set that is awesomely bright. Maybe I need to explore other manufacturers, as the dragonfly set came from another manufacturer..

 

[csb]

 

[knight1fox3]

Saw these at Menards over the weekend:

Might pick up a set to see how they are. $20 for an 18ft string.

 

[csb]

Heh heh..."Pick up a set at Menards." heh heh