Solar path lights

[canesisters]

I know there have been threads about this before, but I can't seem to find them..

I'm about ready to put in some lights between the house, the coop, and the barn. I've tried the 'mighty lights' and I love them for what they are, but I want something that can hold a charge over night. Is there such a thing?? It doesn't have to be lit all night - as a matter of fact, I'd prefer it to be motion-sensing and only light when someone is walking past it.

For most of the year, I'm out in the yard with a flashlight first thing in the morning going to the coop to open the door and to the barn to feed Eva and the cats. What I want to do is put a couple of motion detector, solar lights on the trees along the path between the house and the chicken's pen. One ON the coop building. Then another one (flood light type) on the corner of the pen. The barn already has a motion detector flood light at the door that comes on when I get about 10yds past the coop.

Do any of you use a solar light that will still light in the morning? Have you been using them for any length of time? I've put several out at various points along the path and have had them fade out to dull little glows by morning. OR, had them work great for a month or so and then not so much.

I don't want the kind that stick in the ground - the dogs pee on them and then they are trash.

Any suggestions??

 

[catjac1975]

I saw a 30 % off coupon for gardeners supply-I have looked at these for years but, don't know how good they are.
http://www.gardeners.com/search?q=s... lights&srule=price-high-to-low&sz=24&start=0

 

[ducks4you]

Absolutely! It's like anything else, do your homework, but look for the highest lumens you can find. They will also be the most expensive solar lights, too. I pretty much use the cheapo "fairy lights", often for 50 cents/each on sale (like the Patriotic ones after July 4th), but I've had some for over 5 years now. The solar batteries are lasting longer and they were lighting this morning when I got up at 4AM to drive my DD to the airport for a conference trip. About 8-9 years ago, when I first started buying them, they would be dark on a winter morning.
There are many kinds, including motion detector solarlights.
I would suggest buying the cheapo ones to put at the edge of your sidewalk and places to mark your way. I have one at the bottom of each fence post that has a gate to help me find my way. Buy the better ones for where you really need some light. I think you will find that they are a good $investment...unlike chickens!!!!

 

[Nyboy]

I spent $80 each from home depot, like you worked a month.

 

[canesisters]

hummmm

Maybe what I ought to be looking into is some of those motion detector light bulbs.
I could run an outdoor extension cord from the house to a drop light in the tree... then to the next tree.. then to the coop....???

 

[ducks4you]

I really recommend that you buy solar. You can move them later, if you like, but I am NOT happy with the outdoor extension cord that keeps my chicken's water non iced in the winter. I really would like to properly run a line for that. THAT takes time, effort and cash. The solar lights take a warm day to push into the soil and then you slip the switch or pull the tab and two years later you change the battery.

 

[thistlebloom]

Cane, I can totally recommend Mr. Beams lights.
They aren't solar, they operate on batteries but they are motion detecting. I've had the path lights along the sidewalk for three years now and have just had to replace the batteries in one of the units. The others are still going. They get buried in snow, but I just dig the snow out around them and it doesn't phase them a bit. Larka did pull one off it's post mount and play with it, but except for a bit of ragged chew marks it works and looks fine. They are just super dependable.

I learned about them from a property manager at one of my jobs. He was mounting some spotlight ones on the trees along the driveway where power was not accessible.

 

[ducks4you]

I would like someone to compare these with comparable solar lights, which use a rechargeable battery.

 

[thistlebloom]

I don't know why you couldn't put rechargeable batteries in them...
I don't have a battery charger unit so don't buy those type of batteries.

 

[ninnymary]

I have 2 of those on a stick like the ones in Gardeners Supply. They look cute and that's about it. At night they glow but not enough to shed good light. I have them for decorative purposes so they work for me. But I would not recommend them for light. I've had mine for about a year.

Mary