The Best Solar Gutter Lights

Solar-powered lights are one of the simplest ways to save money on electricity bills. No need for electrical wiring, or time-consuming installation. With a simple mounting process, solar gutter lights will illuminate your outdoors in an eco-friendly manner. There are various alternatives available in the market, but solar gutter lights are more practical and convenient when it comes to night lighting.

It doesn¡¯t have to be difficult to find reliable solar gutter lighting systems that can be installed outdoors for both illumination and security. Today, we¡¯ll take a look at what are the advantages of owning solar gutter lights and what features some of the brands have to offer.

How Do Solar Gutter Lights Work?
Called ¡®gutter lighting¡¯ for the fact that these lights are intended to either attach directly onto your building¡¯s guttering, or be positioned at the same height, these outdoor solar lights actually function much the same as any other solar light. Of course, if this is your first introduction to solar technology, that will mean little to you. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here to teach you exactly how solar gutter lights work.

First, the casing. You¡¯ll find that the design of the lights on this list can vary quite a lot. Some of these solar lights look like the heads of streetlamps, whilst others have a much smaller body, and are designed not to stick out from the house, but rather hug it. Regardless, the casing serves the same function. It houses a battery ¨C in which electricity generates by the solar panel will be stored ¨C one or several high-powered LED bulbs behind a glass or plastic window, and, of course, a solar panel. The solar panel will be exposed to the elements, and built into the flat top part of the casing, so that it¡¯s pointing right up at the sky (and thus toward the sun).

The lights and battery. The battery inside solar gutter lights will most likely be a high-capacity Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery, since these are most compatible and efficient with solar technology. The battery is designed to be recharged by the solar panel during daylight hours, so that when the lights come on at night, it can send its stored electricity to them to keep them powered and bright throughout the dark hours. The lights themselves are bright LEDs of varying luminosity. Depending on the function they¡¯re to serve (aesthetic or utility/security) they will either cast a warm orange glow, or a bright yellow or white. With gutter lights, they tend to be of the latter variety, since gutter lighting is mostly used for security and safety purposes.

And finally, the solar panel itself. The most crucial aspect of any solar light is the solar panel, since its thanks to this element that the lights are powered. Requiring no additional, exterior power source or wiring, a solar light takes all the energy it needs directly from the sun. It does so thanks to the innovative technology behind the solar panel. A solar panel is comprised of many smaller solar cells, which themselves are made of polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon film. This silicon reacts chemically and physically when exposed to sunlight, when sunlight pushes electrons from one layer of film to another. This process (called the ¡®photovoltaic effect¡¯), generates volts of electricity every time it happens, and it happens repeatedly for as long as the panel is exposed to sunlight. This electricity is stored in the light¡¯s battery for later use.

Some solar gutter lights will be bare bones, whilst others will come with additional features such as motion sensing, light sensing (for automatic ON/OFF operation), remote controls, and different light settings. All solar gutter lights will take the day to recharge their batteries, and will use this charge at night to power themselves.

Pros and Cons of Solar Gutter Lights
We as Semprius want you, the consumer, to be as factually and accurately informed as is possible. That¡¯s why we think it¡¯s important you know about not only the advantages to solar gutter lights, but the few drawbacks too. Let¡¯s look at the pros and cons of solar gutter lighting.

Pros:

Versatility. Whilst these lights might look great from an aesthetic point of view, looking great is not their only function. Solar gutter lights, designed to run the literal perimeter of your house, are fantastic as security and safety lights, warding off potential trespassers while simultaneously keeping your driveway safely lit.
Free electricity. Of course, we can¡¯t forget one of the most obvious appeals of solar energy: free electricity! Without any need to wire these lights into your house¡¯s electrics, you¡¯ll never pay a cent for the electricity they use to power themselves. It¡¯s all free and totally renewable.
Green energy. Sunlight is a limitless, intensely powerful resource which it¡¯s a wonder we didn¡¯t start harnessing earlier. As the world strives to move toward a greener, healthier future, you¡¯re just being savvy getting on board the eco-friendly train early in the game.
Longevity. Solar panels need to be waterproof and weatherproof, so too do the lights and light casings which house them. As such, you can be pretty confident that your solar gutter lights will last you for a long time (in many cases several years), before they need any sort of maintenance.
Emergency lighting. Unlike the rest of the lighting in your home, solar lighting won¡¯t fail in the event of a blackout. You may just be the only house in the neighbourhood who¡¯s still kept safe and secure with your solar gutter lighting when the grid cuts out.
Affordable. At around just $10-$15 per unit, you can ring your house in solar lighting for an inarguably agreeable sum. What¡¯s more, when you take into account the savings you¡¯ll make on your energy bills every month, these solar gutter lights become even more cost effective!
Easy installation. Ready to mount to your wall or guttering right out of the box, these lights only need a day¡¯s full charge to start working automatically. No wiring, no setting-up, no hassle!
Cons:

Sunlight dependent. This goes for all solar-powered products, and whilst we¡¯re sure you¡¯ve already taken it into consideration, it¡¯s worth making note of. Consistent exposure to direct sunlight is required if you want your solar gutter lights to achieve their full potential, and shine bright throughout the night. During low light or overcast days, your solar panels won¡¯t be able to generate enough electricity to fully recharge the lights¡¯ batteries, and therefore you will experience variable brightness and quality of lighting that night.
Small motion sensor radius. This doesn¡¯t affect all of the lights on this list, but it is one of the more common customer complaints. Unfortunately, some solar gutter lights, whilst equipped with motion sensors, may be too far from the ground when attached to your guttering to work efficiently as motion sensing lights.