Solar Shed Lights
Looking to provide some light to your shed but don’t want the hassle, expense, and complication involved with using a hard-wired mains solution? A solar-powered shed light could be the answer to all of your prayers.
We’re going to give you an overview of how they work before advising you what we believe the five best options currently on the market are. Read on to make enormous long-term cost savings while providing reliable lighting for your outdoor space.
What Is Solar Shed Light?
A solar-shed light is the perfect lighting solution for those who need to illuminate to their shed or outhouse without having to connect everything up to the mains. As these small spaces are often dark and starved of natural light they require better lighting to get even the simplest of things done.
Sun-powered shed systems come complete with a panel for absorbing sunlight, wiring and, lighting units to provide the perfect all-in-one solution that you can install straight out of the box for maximum convenience. You can either choose to put them in place yourself or enlist the help of a local electrician. Usually, it’s easy enough for a DIY install thanks to their light weight and easy to understand designs and instructions.
The main benefit of choosing these products is that once they’re in place you don’t have to pay any electricity charges as they are self-sufficient. The only additional costs after the initial outlay involve maintaining your chosen product as and when necessary.
How Does Solar Shed Light Work?
These lighting options operate using photon rays being beamed to Earth from the sun. These rays (known as photon rays) strike something known as a photovoltaic cell that absorbs them and converts the energy. These special cells are built into the conductor housing for all solar shed light sources. Once they’ve absorbed the rays, inbuilt inverters then split atoms from electrons and the resulting energy can then be harnessed as usable electricity.
The only real catch is that your cell panel ideally needs to be facing south so that it can maximize its exposure to the sun. Provided this is the case you’ll be set for a lifetime of self-sustained shed lighting. No mains wiring, cheap upfront costs, and high efficiency without emissions will all be yours.
How to Choose Solar Light for Sheds?
In this section, we’re going to tell you exactly what you need to look out for when selecting the best sun-powered lighting option for your shed or outhouse. Your final purchase decision should be based on your individual circumstances and requirements. Carefully considering the following key areas will allow you to effectively compare the features and qualities of different options so that you can find the best product to suit your individual needs.
Durability
Your chosen product is going to spend all of its life outside. The lighting unit itself will be protected due to being installed into the ceiling or roof of your shed’s interior, but the cell conductor is going to be placed outside at all times and exposed to everything the elements can throw at it. This means that your product needs to be able to withstand every kind of weather and any potential interference from outdoor sources. Look out for the highest-grade plastic and metal builds.
Lumen output
Lumens are how we measure the brightness of a light. The higher the lumen count the brighter the light is going to be at our chosen location. While it’s impossible to provide an exact figure without knowing your exact needs, in general you should choose something with between 50 – 150 lumens for optimal output.
Light/Unit type
Despite the technology that powers these lights all being mostly the same, the actual lighting unit type can vary from one product to another. Some require wall mounting whereas others hang freely from ceiling beams. You should also consider that some products come with the solar cell array inbuilt into the lighting unit (these options are mainly for exterior use only), whereas others come with a wire that separates the two. Choose the option that’ll work best for your situation.
Size
How big are the lighting units you plan to use? Are they going to fit effectively into your desired location? As with anything, measure up before making a purchase to avoid any potential disappointment. There’s no such thing as being too careful.
Shed size
Your shed size (and what you want to use it for) determines how many lights, or how much light you’ll need. Make sure that you’ve got enough lighting units to cater to your needs. Some sheds for instance will only require one light, others may require several especially if you’re using the space for serious DIY.
Battery life
How long is your light going to run for on a full charge? A reliable system of solar lighting for shed use will take about 6 – 8 hours to charge and will function for roughly the same time too. These times can of course vary depending on your chosen model and its build quality.
Warranty
Does your product come with an included warranty? This is an important area to consider as you’ll be making use of this item for a long time to come. Warranties can ensure that you’re never out of pocket if an item doesn’t deliver as promised. Try to find a product that comes with a good one.
Brands
Looking for a highly reputable brand can be a great way to ensure that you’re getting a top-spec product that is already being used with great satisfaction by other individuals all over the world. The following manufacturers are all currently creating some of the best sources of solar light for sheds: Sun Power, TOMSHINE, Kyson, Otdair, Designers Edge, LITOM, Bemexred, Tomshine. Any product sourced from any of the above manufacturers is likely to yield total satisfaction.
Top 5 Best Solar Shed Lights
We’re now going to provide you with a rundown of what we feel are the five best solar shed light products available on the market right now. Once you’ve reached the end of our list, you’ll definitely have found an option that’ll work effectively for you.
5. Afoskce Solar Light Bulb Outdoor 130LM Portable Solar Powered Led Bulb
For those in need of a simple, cheap, and highly effective shed lighting product this is absolutely going to be a great option for you. With an incredibly bright output and a no-hassle build, you’ll be able to install this system straight out of the box with ease.
A simple white hanging bulb is included that gives an impressive 130 lumens worth of output to ensure that you can light up even the darkest of shed spaces, and the cell panel is easy to mount in any location of your choice for maximum sun access.
You can either rely on purely solar, or a combination of solar and USB power for maximum practicality, and the bulb can even be clipped into place for a no-hassle installation. Add in the immensely cheap price tag and you’ve got a no-brainer lighting solution on your hands here.
Pros
- Amazing value with a cheap price tag and excellent brightness output
- Its simple design will work well with most interior spaces
- Its clip-on bulb is really easy to work with
- Easy to install straight out of the box
Cons
- Not the most durable of options
- No style alternatives
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4. Nature Power 21030 Hanging Solar Powered LED Shed Light with Remote Control
This lighting unit offers one of the coolest designs on the market in conjunction with a high level of practicality due to an included key chain remote that you can carry with you wherever you go. This means no more searching for lost remotes! You don’t need any electrical access to make the install and the bulb housing has a standout, classy appearance compared to many of the typical designs available on the market. It’s definitely a choice for the style-conscious.
The two brightness settings offer customization to suit any level of brightness needed, and both the cell and light units have an incredibly durable build quality that will stand the test of time. The active use time on a full charge is also highly respectable, making for a fairly bulletproof product all round.
Pros
- Classy design makes for a great choice for the style-conscious
- Easy to install
- Cell unit is adjustable to ensure maximum sun exposure
- The 100-lumen output is incredibly bright
Cons
- More expensive than other options
- Bulb chain isn’t particularly robust and may be susceptible to damage
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3. Kyson Solar Powered Led Shed Light with On Off Switch and Pull Cord
This lighting option from Kyson offers a respectable level of brightness for small interior spaces, housing the bulb inside a hard-wearing cage that will withstand most of the wear and tear it will be exposed to in an outhouse setting. Simplicity and versatility are at the core of the product design, with a lengthy cable, making installation easy, and an option to be able to wall mount your wiring to reduce any clutter. The remote control functionality is a welcome addition, as is its rotatable cell array for maximum sun exposure.
If there are any downsides, they’d firstly be the cost as this item is far more expensive than some of the others out there, and secondly, the design might be a little invasive if you’re going for a certain look on the inside of your outhouse. Other than that, it’s all positive.
Pros
- Very durable cage housing
- Highly versatile cell array that can be rotated
- Practical as wiring can be wall mounted
- Easy to install
Cons
- More expensive than other options
- Its style might not suit all situations
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2. Designers Edge L-949 Rechargeable Solar Shed Lights
This long-lasting (it has a total lifespan of over 100,000 hours) and durable wall-mounted shed light offers a super bright series of solar-powered LED bulbs in conjunction with a cable long enough to be able to meet most people’s requirements during installation.
You can switch between 2 levels of brightness to accommodate all visibility levels, and the durable housing will be able to withstand most weather conditions, meaning you can make long-term savings safe in the knowledge that your light will be there for as long as you need it to be. It’s an easy-to-install unit straight out of the box and it comes included with a pull string for activation. This is an uncomplicated product that provides great value for the money.
Pros
- A long lifespan of over 100,000 hours
- Durable build quality can tolerate exposure to wear and tear
- 10 LED bulbs offer an excellent level of brightness
- Wall mountable for totally secure installation
Cons
- Won’t suit your needs if you need a free-hanging light
- Pull string activation mechanism may be susceptible to failure over time
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1. LOZAYI Outdoor Solar Lights
This excellent wall mounted shed lighting system provides an impressive amount of illumination alongside some serious weather resistance to make a highly effective all-round option that’s likely to satisfy anyone’s needs. The included remote control makes it really easy to use, as does the super minimal design that means you won’t be fumbling around with loads of excess wiring during the install.
The rotatable cell housing means you can maximize sun access too, regardless of the install location. With a cheap price tag and an included 12-month warranty. This really is one of the best options on the solar shed lighting market. The only downside is that the light is free hanging so it won’t be suitable for those who want a wall-mounted unit.
Pros
- Great price with great value to match
- Rotatable cell housing maximizes sun access
- The included warranty offers fantastic peace of mind
- Very durable build housing
Cons
- Not wall mountable for those who require that option
- Only comes in one style variety
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Types of Solar Powered Shed Lights
We’ll now provide a quick overview of the two main types of shed lighting available in this category to assist in your decision-making process.
Hanging lighting
Hanging systems include a cell array that needs to be mounted on an outdoor surface in order to collect photon rays and transfer the energy they produce through a wire and into the light. The light in question is placed in a housing that hangs freely from an inside beam or a roof.
Wall mounted lighting
These units function in an almost identical fashion to hanging lighting in that they come equipped with a photovoltaic cell array that needs to be mounted onto an external location. The only difference here is that the bulb housing must be fixed onto an inside wall, as opposed to being hung.
Pros and Cons of Solar Powered Shed Lights
Before you decide which sun fueled shed lighting unit is going to be best for you, let’s quickly revise the reasons for and against making use of this technology:
Pros
- It leads to massive energy and cost savings over time
- It’s easier to install than mains powered lighting
- It produces zero emissions
- It’s cheaper than mains powered lighting
- It requires minimal maintenance after an install
- It’s usually more versatile than mains powered lighting
- With additions like remote controls, it can be more convenient to use than mains lighting
- There are usually a wider variety of styles available with solar shed lighting
Cons
- Not usually as durable and hard-wearing as mains lighting
- Typically not as bright as mains lighting
- Can be unreliable during reduced periods of daylight hours
- Build quality sometimes isn’t as high as fixed lighting options
Overall, the above pros and cons summarize the main reasons for and against making use of solar-powered shed lighting.
Conclusion
We hope that you now feel confident enough to make an effective choice when it comes to selecting the right sun-powered lighting option for your shed or outhouse. After performing endless hours of research, we’re wholly confident that we’ve provided you with the best possible information and products to be able to fulfill the illumination requirements of your shed with total satisfaction. Regardless of what you use it for.
If you want long term cost-savings, high efficiency, and a wide variety of styles at an affordable price with an easy installation process to boot. Solar based shed lighting is definitely going to be for you.
