Solar lights for driveway??

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changes

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Hi,

I have quite a long driveway and am at the electrical stage of my build now. I am wondering if solar lights would be adequate to illuminate my driveway or would the traditional electrical lights be required.
I am not be looking for powerful lighting... just enough to provide a guide along the driveway.

Has anyone any experience of these??

Thanks
 
I have used some cheap solar lights in the garden they work quite well if they are not shaded but in winter they do not light well and sometimes just flicker The cheap ones have a lifespan in my experience of about 2 years.
 
The technology must be fairly good... below is a excerpt from a donegal newspaper:


[First solar public lighting to be switched on in Donegal Dec 16, 11:31 am

The first ever solar powered public lighting scheme in the Country is due to be switched on in Donegal this week.

The pilot scheme includes 15 solar panel lights on the N56 at Meenacuing in Gweedore and lighting on a section of the N13 Derry to Letterkenny route.

Welcoming the announcement Donegal Senator Pearse Doherty says there are many benefits associated with such a scheme.]
 
I bought some solar lights for my garden and they are useless. Slight glow which certainly wouldn't light the way up a path. Also now that it is winter, the glow is even fainter.

If I was you I would definitely go for the electrical wired ones.
 
Hi Scotsgirl

I'm kinda hopin someone will convince me the solar ones are good!! My gut feeling is I will have to dig up the drive and lay the cables for electric lights.

I hear of solar lights that claim to provide 8 hours of light per day and cost about €80? they may be rubbish though?
 
Hi changes,

I think that was around the price I spent on mine. I got 4 in the set. My friends laughed when they saw them as the light was so poor. I personally wouldn't have a clue about different brands/prices or if they are all basically the same.

My neighbour redid his garden and put electrical lights along the flower bed which look very nice. They are quite a soft glow.

What surface were you hoping to put your lights on?
 
I will probably tar the drive in a few years.

When I look outside on a day like today I wonder how on earth there could be enough solar energy to power these solar lights??
 
Exactly :) On dark wet days it just barely glows.

Do you not have a raised bed along the side you could put electrical lights into, and then you just have to bury the cables deep into the earth? Much easier. And you could get ones that aren't really bright but have enough of a glow to light up your driveway.
 
You'd be surprised how much light gets through the clouds even on a nasty day like today.

I'm happy with my solar lights along my driveway. They're cheaper than buying and running than electrical.
 
All depends on whether you want enough light for walking up the driveway or just a guide for cars. You will need electric lights for walking, but if its just in the car, the solar will do the job.
 
Hi smashbox,

I'd be interested to hear how you are getting on with your lights. Do they work well in winter? are they relatively bright and Do they stay light all night?
I only really need them to work as a guide for the driveway and have a reasonable glow off them

Thanks
 
My partner and I bought them in a DIY store. At first we bought one pack of four to try them, placing them one side of the driveway. After being pleased with how they worked, we now have 8 each side, 16 in total.

Even in Winter, light shines through the clouds (Thats what its even recommended to wear SPF in Winter). Even on the most gloomy days, the solar lights begin glowing as the darkness begins to fall.

My partner leaves the house at 7am, and they are still glowing at that stage.

They definatly guide people up to my house. My neighbours also have them around their garden flowers and they're great there too (They actually have multicoloured ones)

I think its a cheaper version of the electric lights, and well worth a try.
 
The ones I have are called Torino.

I did a quick google search and this is their description :

Torino is the ultimate solar garden light for brightness, length of run time and durability, and features the two of the all new 20,000 MCD bulbs – the brightest LED’s ever fitted to a solar garden light – (we think!).

It also uses the new “Infinity Maxi Plus” solar panel to ensure that nightly run times still achieve our bench mark of up to 8 hours. Torino is one of the brightest lights is its class and will give a 2.5m diameter of light – great where only the brightest light will do.
Technical Description:
  • Installs in seconds – no assembly
  • Infinity Maxi Plus Solar cell
  • 2 x AA rechargeable batteries – approx life 2 years – standard replacement part
  • 2 white super bright 20,000 MCD LED’s
  • Shatter proof glass lens for beauty and optical clarity
  • Manual On / Off switch gives total control
  • Switches On automatically at dusk if On setting is selected
  • Up to 8 hours run time per night
  • Aluminium ground spike enables easy installation even in hard packed ground
  • Grade 314, marine stainless steel for long term beauty and durability
  • Supplied with detailed user instructions
Hope this helps.
 
Excellent Smashbox

Appreciate that, it would be great to have nice lighting on the driveway without having to pay for electricity to run them all night.

Cheers
 
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