Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Which Option Best Suits Your Yard

FACTS CHECKED BY  Bob Smith

We all love being outside during the summer months. But think about having exterior lighting as you enjoy the outdoors allure. They add ambiance to your outdoor space, save energy costs, and provide additional security in emergencies. You can opt for solar or wired outdoor lighting for your yard. So, how does solar compare to wired lighting systems? And what should you look out for before deciding on your perfect lighting design? Find out from this solar vs. wired landscape lighting guide.

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Comparison Between Solar and Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting

Professional electrician standing on the ladder and changing the outdoor lamp.

Professional electrician standing on the ladder and changing the outdoor lamp.

Are you thinking of heightening the safety of your yard, especially at night? Then you need to install outdoor lighting. There are two distinctive ground-based light categories: solar vs. low-voltage landscape lighting. Let’s look at the key differences between the two.

Low-voltage LED Landscape LightsSolar Powered Landscape Lights
It uses a transformer and a 120-volt household outlet.It uses the sun as its power source.
It is an all-weather choice that is reliable even in inclement conditions.Although it is an all-weather alternative, cloudy or rainy weather may result in less energy.
It has a limited number of positioning options and needs installation for power.It is simple to install and versatile.
Usually have incredibly reasonable prices for stunning, expertly installed fixtures.Most garden centers have it, or you can have a pro install it. However, the options can be inexpensive or easily breakable plastic.

Solar-Powered Landscape Lighting

Outdoor Lights at Quay Egyptian resort of Hurghada at night.

Outdoor Lights at Quay Egyptian resort of Hurghada at night.

Regarding the lights and materials that you need, the solar landscape lighting system is less expensive. You can easily install it yourself (DIY), and the system is also eco-friendly.

How They Operate

Illuminated Garden by LED Lighting.

Illuminated Garden by LED Lighting.

Here is a schematic elaboration of how solar landscape lights function.

  1. First, the lighting fixture receives solar energy. Solar lighting captures the sun’s energy using photovoltaic cells, producing an electrical current that passes through the pane.
  2. Next, the battery receives this energy via wires from solar cells and transforms it into chemical energy awaiting usage. Notably, the solar panel’s capacity to capture energy decreases as the sun gets lower.
  3. Later, the solar light’s controller activates the batteries within the solar panel when the photocell detects little or no light.
  4. Then, the battery uses the stored energy to turn on a LED light. The light remains on until the photoresistor immediately senses significant quantities of sunlight.

LED Bulbs for solar lights

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Outdoor LED Lighting.

Outdoor LED Lighting.

The LED is a diode that enables electrons to move back and forth, generating visible electromagnetic energy throughout the night. LED technology is suitable for solar lighting systems since it produces light approximately 90% more effectively than fluorescent lights.

Besides, LED bulbs don’t burn out over time as regular light bulbs; they only get dimmer. However, they often last far longer than a standard bulb.

Here is an analysis of solar power lights’ pros and cons.

Pros

  • Solar landscape lighting is convenient because it can have various styles to fit any budget.
  • It saves on cost since there is no need for an electrical outlet.
  • It is also more eco-friendly than electric landscape lights
  • Lastly, it has a less strenuous installation process.

Cons

  • It has significantly low light output in comparison to electrical alternatives.
  • Also, it has minimal customization and heavily relies on battery life.
  • Thirdly, cloudy weather results in shorter light periods.
  • Moreover, the control of light color is poor. Also, changing batteries may be necessary often, which is quite a hassle.
  • Lastly, panels and exposed wiring from solar panels can be untidy. Zone or timing controls are also absent.

Wired Landscape Lights

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Installing outdoor ground spotlights. 

Installing outdoor ground spotlights. 

Now that we’ve seen how solar-powered lights work let’s compare them with wired landscape lights. 

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: How They Operate

  1. The lights connect to the transformer using wires. Usually, the transformer converts household electricity from 120 volts to 12 volts. Therefore, when selecting a transformer, you must choose one with greater power than the total amount of wattage your fixtures will consume.
  2. Next, the transformer activates the lights using switches, timers, or photocells.
  3. Also, each light fixture has wiring from the transformer extending along the ground. You may cover this wire with soil or bury it three inches beneath the surface.
  4. Typically, it would be best if you spaced light fixtures 10 feet apart from each other and the transformer. Besides, the flexibility of wired landscape lighting allows you to combine whatever fixture type you choose using the same transformer line.
  5. You may reduce your power expenditures by connecting a photocell transformer so that the lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn.
  6. Lastly, the photocells, timers, and switches control the lights’ duration. 

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Photocells for switching wired lights

Solar vs. Wired Landscape Lighting: Solar-powered lamp on green grass background.

Solar-powered lamp on green grass background.

You can also use a timer or a switch to turn the lights on and off at the desired times. Also, using the available light, photocells use the sun’s setting light to activate the system. 

Always take note of the bulb’s wattage on every line to not exceed the transformer’s capacity. Otherwise, your lights can seem dim or stop working entirely. 

Lastly, all landscape lights’ brightness depends on the wiring’s thickness. Thus, use thicker wires to produce higher power to attain steady lighting.

Let’s now look at the pros and cons of wired landscape lights.

Pros

  • They are generally sturdy and high-quality fixtures.
  • Secondly, they feature a cheaper initial outlay than solar lighting.
  • They have multiple custom effects and designs. It is far more flexible and adaptable to your needs and preferences. 
  • You can remote control their color, brightness, and on/off timing. With this ability, you can upgrade your lighting system with a Wi-Fi zone control to use your smartphone to manage your outdoor lights.
  • The lighting system maintains its brightness during the duration that the bulb is in use.
  • They are fantastic for security and are reliable irrespective of the weather.

Cons

  • They are highly costly, especially during installation.
  • Their wiring makes maintenance more difficult.
  • Lastly, they need sophisticated installation skills and special tools. Hence, you require a professional to fix them. 

Summary

There’s no denying that outdoor lighting adds value to our homes. It also saves us money by eliminating the need for additional security during the night. But before you invest hundreds of dollars into either choice, consider their respective pros and cons. Also, consider the size of your yard and how much time you want to spend maintaining the installation before making a choice. 

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