Best Solar Powered Motion Security Light - Zacs Garden

Best Solar Powered Motion Security Light

SOLAR POWERED MOTION SENSOR LIGHTS are available in a range of sizes, shapes, lumen ratings, and more. In order to know which of them are right for your needs, there are a number of things you need to take into consideration. Such as how large the area you are trying to light, how long you need the lights to stay on once they have been activated, how long you need the batteries to last.

So, let's take a good look at what you need to know if you want to avoid the mistakes I made and get the right lights the first time around.

What Advantages Are There to Using Solar Powered Motion Lights

There are several very important benefits to switching over to using solar powered motion lights, including:

  • They are very affordable
  • Readily available
  • Solar lights are very eco-friendly
  • They use LED lights for added light and low battery usage
  • They do not use any electricity
  • They are easier to install (and don't require a professional in some cases)
Man fitting wired security light to home

In many cases, you don't require a professional to install a solar motion security light, unlike the security lights than run off of mains power.

What Should You Look for In Solar Motion Lights?

As with most products you plan to buy for your yard, there are several things you should look for when shopping for solar powered outdoor motion sensor lights.

Their Placement

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solar power motion sensor light, you need to be very aware of the location you plan to put each light. The location you choose is very important to how well the light you choose is going to work. If the solar panels can't get enough sunlight, the batteries will never reach full charge and your light won't function properly.

The Weather

While you are looking for locations, you also need to keep your local weather conditions in mind. If you live in an area where it tends to rain or snow a lot, there are a number of different solar powered lights designed to meet these challenges.

Intensity

Next up is deciding how bright you need for the lights to be. While you might need low-level lights for along the sidewalks or on the deck. While brighter lights may be needed at the front and back doors and outside of your shed to help scare away would be thieves, along with a large selection of stray animals.

Adjustability

Depending on location, you may need to buy lights that are adjustable as this will let you aim the lights to where the work to your best advantage. Be sure you buy lights that will let you lock them in place and stay there once you secure them.

Which Are Better LEDs or Incandescent Bulbs?

For years, there has been a myth going around that LED lights are far too expensive in consideration with their counterpart the incandescent bulb. Of course, if you are only looking at this from a short-term investment, then they might seem more expensive.

There are two very good reasons why LED lights make more sense in the long run. First, they use far less electricity than any other type of bulb currently on the market.  The saddest thing of all is that an incandescent bulb only uses 10% of the electricity it consumes to produce light, the rest is wasted as heat.

The other reason is that the typical LED bulb is expected to have a lifespan of somewhere between 20,000 and 50,000 hours. The average lifespan of an incandescent bulb is only between 4,000 and 10,0000 hours. When you look at numbers like this, the average LED bulb lasts five times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Comparing Wattage to Lumens

While both terms are used to rate alight bulb, they have completely different meaning. Wattage is the amount of electricity or power used to illuminate the bulb. The term Lumens is used to measure the amount of light the bulb actually produces. An easy way to look at this is the more wattage, the more electricity is used, the more Lumens, the more light the bulb produces.

The Motion Sensor

The next thing on your list to consider is the range of the motion sensor. Some are variable, some have set coverage. The sensor itself is responsible for turning your light on when it senses motion. If the sensitivity is too low, the light may not turn on when needed. If you buy one with a sensor that is overly sensitive, everything that moves in your backyard is going to turn the light on at the risk of driving you and your neighbors nuts.

5 of Our Picks for the Best Solar Powered Motion Sensor Light

I know how hard it can be to buy the right solar powered motion sensor light. There are so many of them to choose from, finding the right one can be a bit overwhelming and (like me) you could end up spending a lot of money just to end up with lights that don't really get the job done. So, what I have done, is to put together a list of five of the best lights I found along with their good and bad points.

URPOWER Solar Lights 8 LED Wireless, Waterproof Motion Sensor Outdoor Light

These simple to install and use solar powered lights that will last for up to 12 hours on a full charge. They are perfect for pathways, driveways, patio, your shed, even covering your vegetable garden. The sensor covers an arc of 120 degrees and a distance of up to 12 feet (3 meters). The lights are set to turn back off 30 seconds after the motion stops.

ProsCons
Uses 8 LED for max light/max battery lifeSome units delivered with defects
WeatherproofLens will yellow over time
Virtually instantaneous response to movementNo documentation included

Litom Solar Lights Outdoor, Wireless 24 LED Motion Sensor Solar Lights with Wide Lighting Area

This solar light features 24 LED spread out to provide you with up to 270 degrees of light. The sensors have a range of between 10 and 26 feet depending on where it is located. For best results, be sure to mount the light where it will receive direct sunlight. Unlike many motion sensor lights, you can also set this one to come on in medium light or dim light sensor mode as well. Offering you more adjustability to suit your needs.

ProsCons
Wide range of coverage – up to 270 degreesTakes a long time to fully charge
Offers three different modes of operationHas reliability issues
Has a long warrantyMode switch hard to use

Magictec 45 LED Wireless Solar Motion Security Light

For those wanting a lot of light, the 45 LEDs in this solar powered light might be just what you are looking for. It is one of the brightest lights in this category. It is IP65 weatherproof rating. It features a full-on mode, low light mode, and motion detector only model. Detection range is up to 30 feet. It will run in the full light mode for up to 8 to 10 hours. In motion sensor mode, it will stay on full brightness for 15 seconds and then turn off.

ProsCons
IP65 double sealed, weatherproofExpensive in comparison to others
BrightNo installation or operation instructions
Offers three different modesMotion sensors have problems

MicroSolar SL1 Solar Security Light

This solar security light features a massive 126 LEDs producing 1000 Lumens. The light can be adjusted in two directions toprovide better coverage. The sensor is fully adjustable allowing you to choose between 3 and 600 seconds of delay time before the light comes on. The solar cell comes with a 16-foot cable that lets you install the panel virtually anywhere to catch the full sun. There is also an optional 16- extension cable for those hard to reach areas.

ProsCons
Adjustable on two axesSome quality issues
Motion Sensor range 7 to 12 metersWater gets into the sensor
Long-life lithium batteryLess than stellar customer service

Solar Lights Motion Sensor Outdoor Solar Spotlight

It just doesn't seem possible that a solar-powered light could be this bright when only rated at 800Lumenss. But thanks to special optics the light is far brighter, making it even more eco-friendly. The light can be swiveled through a full 360-degrees as can the solar panel to help you catch maximum sunlight. The light housing is IP65 weatherproof rated. The kit comes with ground stakes and wall mounts for maximum usability.

Other Options

The only other viable option is to go with a wired light that is connected to your household wiring. So with this in mind, here is a security light you might want to consider if you have 110V power out to your shed.

Hyperikon LED Security Light, Black, 30W (125W Equivalent) Outdoor Motion Sensor

This LED floodlight offers long-life, high-performance, and low-cost operation in a very simple no-frills fixture. Manufacture Hyperikon makes use of Helios, their latest LED technology to provide true light for any circumstance. While perfect for home use, this unit meets commercial and industrial quality standards.

ProsCons
No batteries to die in the middle of the nightWill add to your electric bill
Exceptionally brightSubject to damage from water leaks
Three lights in one unit for better coverageWall mount only

Conclusion

As you can see there are many different lights to choose from. Be sure you take into consideration your needs, the amount of space you need to light, and whether or not you need to have solar lights that cost nothing to operate or electric lights that may be brighter but cost money to keep running.

I hope that the above information helps you find the right lights for your yard and garden.

If you have enjoyed learning about solar powered motion sensor lights. If so, please let me know. If there is any other information you would like to see here, please contact me here.

Thank you for reading this guide to solar powered motion sensor lights, I hope you found it useful.

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