YoIt’s that time of year again! The Christmas season has approached so it is the right time to plan your house decorations by using creative ideas. As Christmas is just around the corner, most of you must be wondering about this year’s unique outdoor decoration ideas and the idea of Christmas decoration is incomplete without pathway lights. However, the pathway lights sometimes become difficult to use when there is no power source available outdoor. We have, therefore, presented an ideal eco-friendly solution in the form of solar Christmas pathway lights. The solar-powered Christmas lights are environment-friendly, convenient to install and relocate, energy-efficient, and easy to use. If you want to get a flaw-less outdoor decoration this Christmas then try using solar pathway lighting options.
In contrast to traditional pathway lights, solar lights are affordable in the long run and eventually pay off their initial cost within a short period. These days, the market is flooded with different solar Christmas pathway lights with a wide range of design, bulb type, and lumen intensity options. With so much variety, the question arises where one can find the best solar pathway lights? The answer is Walmart, Amazon, and HomeDepot. Here, we have shortlisted for you some best picks from Amazon along with some important aspects which you need to consider before buying one.
Advantages of solar Christmas pathway lights
Following are some advantages of solar-powered Christmas lights over conventional grid-powered lights.
Ease-of-use: With solar lights, there is no need to worry about the lighting going out.
Safety: As the solar pathway lights are wireless so there is no safety risk involved. This is a great advantage over traditional lights where long extension wires travel through your entire garden or background.
Quality: Solar-powered LED Christmas lights to have a 10-times longer service life than conventionally-powered lights. The reason being the absence of filaments which usually break or burn off.
Environment-friendly: There is no environmental pollution threat associated with the use of these lights as they do not cause emissions.
Easy installation: With solar-powered lights, there is no hassle of connecting wires. You can easily use them to decorate places where traditional Christmas lights cannot reach.
Cost-free energy: You Cost-effective Christmas decorations can be planned with these pathway lights. No more worries about utility bills!
Things to consider before buying solar Christmas pathway lights?
Following as some structural and functional parameters which you should consider before selecting the best solar pathway light for your outdoor Christmas decorations.
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Type of bulb
For solar pathway lights, two types of bulbs are commonly found in the market i.e. Incandescent and LED bulbs. If you have to make a choice between these two, always go for LEDs as they have high energy efficiency and powerful lighting.
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Strand and bulb size
Solar pathway lights with different strand and bulb sizes are available. It is preferred to select lights with longer strands and smaller bulb sizes. Longers strand lights are cost-effective as the decoration needs can be fulfilled with a single unit. Similarly, lights with smaller multiple bulbs are more aesthetically pleasing from a decoration point of view.
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Charging time
Charging time is an important factor to consider when buying solar Christmas lights as days are shorter in the winter season. This means that there is less sun exposure so quick charging systems are preferable.
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Run time
It is referred to as the amount of time the solar light can function once it’s completely charged. Make sure to select the solar light string which has a run time of a minimum of 7-8 hours.
Four types of solar panels are used to power Christmas pathway light including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous silicon, and concentrated PV panels. Among these, monocrystalline and concentrated PV panels are more durable and efficient. Select PV cells that provide maximum wattage in minimum power.
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Weatherproof
As Christmas pathway lights are used in outdoor decorations, it is important to consider the weather resistance potential of the selected product. Select products with properly sealed casing to ensure maximum safety against rainwater penetration and damage from frost.
Best solar Christmas pathway lights- Top 5 picks
To ease your selection process, we have compiled the top-rated solar-powered Christmas pathway lights on one page. Following are some best products along with their key features, pros, and cons, which you can easily buy from Amazon.
1. Brightech Solar String Lights
It is a 20 ft long string of water-resistant decorative lights that can act as a canopy over your porch, lawn, or balcony and creates an elegant party ambiance. Brightech Solar String Light has a vintage appearance so it is ideal to create an old-school classic Christmas festive set-up.
Key features
- Can resist wind speed of up to 50MPH, rain, frost, and snow
- Can resist high tempertures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit
- 20 feet long string consisting of 12 retro bulbs
- Powerful white brightness of 3000K
- Charging and operation time of 6 hours
Pros:
- Weatherproof and shatterproof
- Detachable solar panels
- Panels have the potential to capture indirect sunlight
Cons:
- Battery life is not very impressive
2. Sunlitec Solar String Lights
Sunlitec Solar lights comprise a strand of weather-proof bulb-shaped lights. They can easily fit into a retro environment and are ideal for illuminating pathways in winter evenings. Furthermore, you can use these lights for indoor decorations due to their delicate build. In this light, a set of 25 LED bulb balls are used to produce soft warm white light.
Key features
- Consists of 4 different lighting modes
- Charging time of 8 hours
- Can last for 5-6 hours with one charging cycle
- 8200mm long string
- Produces 2500K warm white light
Pros:
- Supports USB charging
- Rainwater resistance
Cons:
- Short string length and thus, difficult to use in larger area decorations
3. MagicPro Solar Lights
These are cordless solar strand lights that consist of 15 LED water-resistant and shatterproof bulbs. It has the potential to tolerate extreme weather conditions and come with long service life and high durability. It is an ideal option for illuminating outdoor spaces and entrance pathways. MagicPro light comes with a decent length strand. Moreover, the bulbs are present at a wider distance from one another, allowing easy decoration of spatial areas.
Key features
- Run-time of up to 8 hours with one complete charging cycle
- IPX5 waterproof bulb casing
- Require 6-8 to charge completely
Pros:
- Provides 4 different lighting modes i.e. steady, slow flash, quick flash, and pulsating illumination
- Attractive strand length of 44.6 feet
Cons:
- The manufacturers do not provide a product warranty
4. Amir Solar String Lights
These are elegant decoration string lights comprising of 100 high-power tiny-sized LED bulbs. It provides a streamlined lighting array instead of a focussed spot brightness with a 360-degree wide view angle. It is perfect for Christmas decorations both indoor and outdoor. Moreover, the string of the light is composed of thin copper wire to allow easy winding and installation.
Key features
- Consists of 100 super-bright LEDs on a 33 ft long string.
- Provides steady 360-degree viewing angle
- Consists of a bobbin winder to avoid coiling mess
- Supports two lighting modes i.e. Steady and Flashing
Pros:
- Ease of installation
- IP65 weatherproof casing
- As the copper string is very thin, it becomes almost invisible in the dark so the decoration looks aesthetically pleasing
Cons:
- Average battery life
5. Lalapao Solar String Lights
Lalapao solar string lights offer a wide range of color schemes to select from along with high-performance 8 functional modes. These are equipped with high wattage solar panels which are very efficient. These are aesthetically elegant string lights for decorating pathways, outdoor spaces, and lawns. Moreover, they are also ideal for indoor decorations.
Key features
- Operation time of 10 hours with 8 hours of charging time.
- Features 8 different lighting modes along with two switch buttons
- 400 high-power LED bulbs
- Produces soft white light
Pros:
- IP65 water-proof bulb casing
- Comes with a reasonable string length of 72 feet
Cons:
- Manufacturers do not offer a warranty
Final verdict
Solar Christmas pathway lights provide amazing eco-friendly, energy-saving illumination and decoration options. In the article, we have shortlisted for you the major advantages of these lights along with the best five options available in the market. Despite all these aspects, at the end of the day transiting towards a low-carbon Christmas lighting option is not something you will do for your interest. It is a decision that will be totally in the benefit of the environment surrounding you. It is now our responsibility to play our little role in making the environment as much as CO2-free as possible. Therefore, let’s plan to celebrate a low-carbon Christmas this year.
