A Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Outdoor Solar Lights

If you own, operate, or otherwise maintain a commercial or industrial building, you know lighting is an important factor. Lights serve several essential purposes, such as highlighting noteworthy features, guiding people around the parking lot, or illuminating walkways. Many industries are shifting toward solar lighting for their outdoor needs.

Not only are solar lights good for the environment, but they’re long lasting, low maintenance, and can save you hundreds of dollars per year on your utility bills. Because there are so many factors to keep in mind, Induction Lighting Fixtures is here with a complete guide to choosing the right outdoor solar lights. We’re going to discuss some of the different lighting types, factors to consider, maintenance tips, and other valuable information to make the process easier for you.

Varieties of Outdoor Lighting

One of the first things to consider when choosing outdoor lighting is what type of fixtures you need. Lights for a parking lot are very different in style and structure compared to those that help light up a walkway. Here are just a few of the most common lighting options and how they can best serve your commercial or industrial property.

Post Top Lights

As the name suggests, post top lights are at the top of tall poles or posts. Many common examples of post top lights are streetlights along the sidewalk or those that illuminate the highway. Commercial post top lights are most common in parking lots or other open areas with a lot of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.

Traditionally, post top lights have the light at the top, with cables that connect to a battery down at the base. The easy access to the battery makes them low-maintenance options that are easy to manage. Business owners should have a plan in place to clean off the panels so that dust and other obstructions don’t minimize the effectiveness of the solar panels.

Floodlights

Floodlights serve the distinct purpose of illuminating large stretches of open land. You may see them at sports arenas, college campuses, or open construction sites. Floodlights typically have a very far-reaching and wide light distribution pattern, which makes it easier to see with minimal fixtures.

Spotlights

Spotlights are ideal for aiming light at a very specific focal point where you want to draw attention. You can have giant spotlights that aim at a monument or statue in a courtyard or smaller spotlights that aim at your building’s sign. Because you typically want to have spotlights on after the sun goes down, installing solar spotlights with dusk/dawn sensors on them makes them easy to manage and beneficial for your business and overall aesthetics.

Wall Pack Lights

Wall pack lights are self-contained units that attach to walls and typically aim down or up, depending on the style. While most aim downward, some businesses will use upward-facing wall pack lights to guide eyes to signs on the wall or illuminate windows. Wall pack lights serve to help highlight walls and help direct foot traffic to doors.

One of the primary functions of wall pack lights is to keep the perimeter of a building well lit, which provides an extra layer of safety. Potential thieves and burglars avoid well-lit areas, and those walking feel safer with the additional lighting. A potential issue with solar-powered wall pack lighting is that you want them along every side of your building, and certain walls may not get as much sunlight as others, so you may need to consider other methods to charge your lights without direct sunlight.

Path Lights

Path lights are small fixtures that help guide foot traffic and keep people from accidentally stepping off the path. They may aim light down toward the ground or aim a small light pattern upward from the ground. Path lights may also be strips of light that go at the base of stairs to reduce tripping hazards.

Do Solar Lights Require Batteries?

Yes, solar lighting fixtures require batteries in order for businesses to get the most use out of them. Many solar fixtures come with a built-in battery that can hold enough power for the light to remain on throughout the evening. What helps make solar-powered lights so low-maintenance is that the sunlight charges the battery throughout the day so that your light can work throughout the night.

How Long Do Solar Lights Last?

With proper care, you can get years of use out of a solar-powered light fixture. The length of the lamp may vary depending on what type of bulb it has, but an LED fixture can last upwards of 10 years without needing replacing. Batteries may last anywhere from 2 to 5 years, so you can expect to swap out the battery at least twice before you need to replace the lamp.

You can get the most out of your solar fixtures by taking care of them, cleaning them, and avoiding common mistakes. For example, having artificial light aimed at your fixture’s solar panels at night while the lamps are running may cause the cells to weaken and significantly reduce their charging power and overall lifespan.

Which Solar Lights Do I Need?

Part of the complete guide to choosing the right outdoor solar lights is knowing the layout of your property and what light types benefit the safety of your customers, employees, and other people who may stop by. For example, you should have post top lights in your parking lot.

Wall pack lights are necessary for the perimeter of your building, and you should install them every 10 to 50 feet, depending on the size of your structure. If your property has potential tripping hazards like stairs or curbs, we suggest solar-powered path lights to avoid unfortunate accidents.

You always want to ensure you’re buying your all-in-one solar LED lights from a trusted, reputable source. Induction Lighting Fixtures has a wide range of high-quality fixtures for commercial and industrial properties. Our company has been helping businesses find professional, sustainable lighting since 2012, and we want to help you too. To learn more about our lighting options, browse our extensive online catalog or contact a member of our team anytime for specific questions, comments, or concerns.