Would solar garden lamps generate enough light?

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Kind of a simplistic question I know but I gotta start somewhere. This month's utility increases followed by wage cuts gave me a strong motivation to conserve wherever possible. A full solar setup would be sweet but I haven't got the money for that right now so I started thinking about those solar powered garden lamps that have been around for years. I live in a basement apartment so all my windows are at ground level, I was wondering if I plant a few of those lamps outside would they generate enough ambient light to let me do without interior lights? Somehow I haven't actually seen one of these things in action before so I don't know how bright they get or how long they last. If they lasted from dusk til I go to bed that'd be good, better still if they were still going when I got up in the morning, it all helps. I'd appreciate any advice.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Would solar garden lamps generate enough light?

    For the price of garden solar lights that won't give much light at all you can pay for grid electric for more than a year to power CFL lighting. If your looking to save money, solar is NOT the place to look in your case
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Would solar garden lamps generate enough light?

    Aside from what SG said,

    I have never seen an outdoor solar light that wasn't a P.O.S , especially the batteries.

    Won't give you enough useable light to make it make any sense as an inside light. (Think 1 led flashlight)

    Tony
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  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: Would solar garden lamps generate enough light?

    Another vote for the comments from the previous two members.

    I DID use the solar yard lights for "patio lighting", putting three dozen of them on the pergola over the patio with the yellow light coming through the spaces between the boards. They worked well for that and it was nice having the patio lighting "on" every evening.

    So.. for your question:

    The lights WILL work IF there's a lot of them directly overhead AND they can get a full charge every day.

    Putting them outside your ground level windows won't do anything for you.

    Phil
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