Solar lights add a magical touch to your garden design or patio lighting scheme, and you get all the energy you need for free.

Solar lights are very popular options for all kinds of garden design, or deck and patio lighting purposes. Because they work on a low voltage system, solar lights radiate a soft, ambient light, which is perfect for outdoor settings, and they’re safe enough to use even around the pool and under water features. Best of all, they use energy radiated from the sun, which is free and limitless. No matter what kind of garden design or patio lighting ideas you have in mind, there are fixtures and accessories which will match your vision perfectly.

Installing solar lights.

Anyone with a few basic skills can install their own solar light system. Because the lights work on low voltage, and there is no mains power connection, the system is exceptionally safe. And because there are no cables to bury in the garden, it’s very quick, easy and flexible.

You need to set up a solar panel to collect the energy radiated from the sun. Obviously, choosing the best position for the panel is very important. You want maximum sun exposure, but on the other hand, you may not want to panel itself to become a visual focal point in the garden or around the patio. The other components in the system you need to set up are a nickel cadmium battery to store the energy, a controller board, a photoresistor to tell the system when it’s dark enough outside to turn the lights on, and the lighting fixture itself, which incorporates an LED light source.

There are a number of options for securing the lighting fixtures and the panels in position. Some ground fixtures have a rod attached to the bottom, which is placed in a shallow hole in the garden. For a more secure foundation, you may wish to set the fixture in concrete. Wall or tree mounted fixtures will obviously require a few carpentry skill to install. Good suppliers will offer you plenty of advice on the best installation methods.