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Solar Christmas Lights ” Brighten Your Holiday without Energy Costs

July 23rd, 2009 No comments

Solar Christmas lights are one of the most popular Christmas decorations nowadays, due to their cost efficiency and attractiveness. These types of lights will allow the homeowner to save up to 100 W per each string of Christmas lights. Solar Christmas lights add magic to any Christmas, since they do not have to be turned on or off. The lights will automatically turn on with the onset of the evening.

One of the advantages of solar Christmas lights is that they eliminate the need of a power outlet. You can decorate any tree in your garden, no matter how far away it is from the house. Decorating your Christmas trees this way is much safer, easier and more cost-effective.

Solar Christmas lights come with little solar panels, which easily stick into the ground, as well as, they can be placed on a branch. Solar panels include solar cells (usually 4 cells), a rechargeable battery and a light sensor. Solar cells convert the sunlight into electricity, and on a sunny day the sun will give enough energy to completely recharge the battery.

The most sound are solar Christmas lights with specific polycrystalline solar cells, which charge well even on an overcast day, as well as, they emit brighter light.

It is actually quite simple to calculate how much sun you need for your lights to stay on throughout the whole evening and the night. Each hour of sunshine will allow the lights to shine for an hour in the evening.

Solar Christmas lights come in different shapes, such as round, teardrop and oval shapes. The lights also come in different colors, such as the yellow, red, green and blue. You can also find a specific type of light, which you would prefer to see on Christmas, starting with a soft light and up to a very bright light.

Many gardeners keep their solar Christmas lights in their gardens even after the Christmas holidays are over. For example, if you have an arch in your garden, you can decorate it with these lights, adding to your garden’s ambiance. You can also make use of these lights for birthdays, anniversaries, porch lighting, and pathway lighting.

Not everybody lives in an area with constant sunshine. It is better to opt for the solar Christmas lights, which are operated with a rechargeable AA size battery. If the day was rainy or snowy, the homeowners can recharge the battery themselves with a regular battery charger.

You can have as many strings of solar Christmas lights as you want on the trees, and you will never have to worry about running the cords across your yard, never have to worry about turning the lights on and off, and most important, you will never have to worry about paying hundreds of dollars for electricity!

It might be a good idea to watch your yard for at least two or three days before placing your solar lights. The most important thing to note is that the area, where you want to place your solar Christmas lights, does not get a shadow cast. Another important thing to remember is that solar Christmas lights operate best when their solar panel is in direct sun throughout the day.

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The Importance Of Landscape Lighting

May 31st, 2009 No comments

Outdoor lighting is a functional addition to your yard, but it can also add beauty, too. Outdoor lighting will add security to your property, and be esthetically pleasing as well. If you choose the right kinds of outdoor lighting, your home will look more inviting for visitors. Plus, you can increase the safety of your garden features by lighting stairs, decks, and patios. Line your pathways with a beautiful string of lights, or make your pool glow with landscape lighting. Properly placed lights will emphasize the beauty of your garden, spotlighting its most impressive features. Gazebos, fountains, or other garden structures might get lost in the darkness, but when illuminated, you can enjoy them at dusk as well as midday.

Flood lights can be used to draw attention to interesting areas of your garden. Recessed lighting is the perfect way to spotlight small areas or specific plants. When choosing lighting for your yard, consider both electric and solar lights. Electric lighting involves wires buried underground, but solar lights do not shine as brightly as electric lights. Consider the effect you want, as well as where you will be placing them, before choosing a type of outdoor lighting.

When you decide to use landscape lighting in your yard, make sure that they are installed correctly. If you aim the lights in the wrong direction, you will not highlight the areas you want to highlight with your lights. If you are lining pathways, your lighting will look odd unless the lights are evenly spaced along the path. Keep in mind that your garden will look different in the darkness, so check out your lighting placement in the dark first before you finalize your lights positions. There should be the same number of lights on both sides of a path or other structure so that it is symmetrical. If you are using the kind of landscape lights that come on a post which sticks in the ground, all of your low voltage lights should be the same height. Otherwise, your lighting will look haphazard and not put together.

Landscape lighting is a beautiful way to highlight areas of your yard. Besides using lighting as a safety feature, light the areas that youd like to use after dark. Youve worked too hard on your yard for it to disappear into the darkness at nightfall. Once you install landscape lighting, you can sit on your patio or deck and enjoy your garden after dusk.

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