Solar Powered Products

To add the finishing touch to fence posts, deck corner posts, gateway posts and other such spots, many people use a solar post cap light. They come in many different styles, to match your outdoor motif and personality. A row of these lights, on a long stretch of fenceline, looks great every night as dusk settles. And as solar deck rail lights, they also add a lot to the atmosphere of your back yard.

The light given off by these post cap lights is an ambient light, not suitable for tasks. If you need brighter lights, you may have to look into solar powered yard lights, which can be much more radiant. For most garden lighting, these are enough considering the low cost for electricity.

They use the power of the sun to recharge and therefore cost nothing to operate. In most ways these post cap lights are identical to solar powered garden lights, except they are mounted on top of a post rather than a peg or rod in the ground. The led lights are powered at night by 2 rechargeable AA batteries, which can last 8 to 10 hours.  The small solar panel on the top of the light recharges the batteries all day, to be ready by nightfall again.

If it becomes necessary to replace the batteries, make sure rechargeables are used, since regular batteries might wreck the solar powered post cap light. A lifespan of up to 10 years is possible for the light, but the batteries may not last more than 3. I have owned several solar lights for more than 2 years, and they are still working on their first set of batteries.  Fortunately, they are easy to remove and replace when it becomes necessary..

For installation, manufacturers may recommend an exterior grade construction adhesive for attaching your new solar post cap lights to the post. Make sure you read all the instructions should you install these yourself.

One great decorative idea is to use these solar deck rail lights on the corners and stairs of your deck. Inbetween the lights, regular decorative post caps can be used to accentuate the effect. This is a very cost effective, energy efficient way to add the the look of a deck or outdoor area.