Backyard lighting

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These are hit or miss (seems more misses though).  Cheaply made, not bright enough, durability is always an issue.  Make sure you buy them from someplace with a good return policy, sometimes Costco clears them out, I'll check for you later when I'm there.
 
I second PS's Costco recommendation because of their return policy.

More often than not, for some reason the solar charger burns out on these lights and they don't light up anymore. I've seen it happen on a few occasions. And don't expect enough ambient light to illuminate your backyard... it's mostly for accent "lighting".
 
Thanks guys!

Yeah it's not for illuminating my backyard but more for accenting it at night.  I might just give up on these and install some fixed lighting in the back... It's pretty dark in the backyard besides the glowing bbq island.  :(
 
Don't get me wrong... I totally recommend them over wired lighting because of the convenience of placing them wherever you want and not having to worry about putting the lights on a timer or electricity costs (although they are low voltage) because they are light (or lack of) activated.

Just make sure you either buy ones that are relatively cheap to replace or that have a good return policy/warranty.

Why is your BBQ glowing? You're not grilling radioactive veggies from Tustin Legacy base soil are you?*

*I'm kidding... this was just a "test".
 
Oh no, no radioactive veggy growing in my part of Irvine  :P

The BBQ island has lights built in that turn on when it gets dark.  With it being so dark outside, it makes the island seem like a hovering UFO. 

I guess I'll just look into the ones at Costco since the return policy is pretty decent  ;)

Thanks again for the heads up
 
Check Bed Bath & Beyond. I shopped around before I bought mine. BB&B actually sells them for $2.99 each. It's much cheaper than the ones from Costco or Home Depot but it is smaller. Since I just wanted it for accent lighting, not illumination, they worked fine for me. I think it's worth it because it's very cheap to replace.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=131810



EDIT: FYI, I used it to line the long drive way, which looks nice. If I had used bigger lights, it would've looked weird.
 
Sorry Homer, been getting home late, haven't had a chance to take the pic. Tripod is needed because it'd be too dim without flash for point and shoot. My pomegranate tree is bearing fruits left and right, don't know what to do......

Anyway, haven't forgotten about this. Will get to it soon.
 
Bad pictures but I was in a hurry.....

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UCLA Bruin...thanks for the pics.  I think you got them from BB&B right?  How long are they exposed to sunlight and how long do they last at night?  Looks good! 
 
The new type they have out now use LEDs so longevity shouldn't be much of an issue. I hear that some people forget to clean the solar panels and so without keeping them clean, they start to falter. Just wipe them clean now and then so that they can receive the sun's rays. I'm glad this thread is here. I was just about to go buy some but the selection was too huge, so I put it off until I could think about it more. I plan to line them up my walkway and all along the back yard. My kids are begging me to buy the ones that change colors (multiple LEDs inside) but I prefer white. They are also too expensive and not worth it. Maybe I'll throw in one or two just in the back to keep them happy.
 
Post some pictures if and when you install then Socal78.  I'm really leaning on purchasing some soon as well as my wife loves them.
 
homer_simpson said:
Thank you!! They look good :) where did you get yours from?
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Not a problem. Sorry it took me forever to come up with the pics. Got them from Bed Bath and Beyong for $2.99 each. Very affordable considering how much the competitors are sold for at Target or Home Depot.

irvinehomeowner said:
How long have you had those?

I noticed that they tend to stop working after a few years.
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I've only had those for a few months and did have to replace some. I put some in the way of the sprinklers and that didn't work too well.

bearman81 said:
UCLA Bruin...thanks for the pics.  I think you got them from BB&B right?  How long are they exposed to sunlight and how long do they last at night?  Looks good!
Click to expand...

Yes, Bed Bath and Beyond. That's a good question. Some parts of my drive way don't get too much sun. But for the parts that do, I see them last till 11pm-midnight. I've been coming home around 1am-2am recently, they were all off by that time.

+1 on what Socal78 said too, it'd be a good idea to keep the solar panel clean from water spots or bird droppings. I see birds conduct meetings on them on the weekends.





Small battery - doesn't last till the morning but that's ok.
Small single LED - less light output, which is a plus for me. I didn't want to light up the house, just for decoration purpose.
Small housing - compact form, small overall size, which I liked a lot better than the bigger ones that go for a lot more $.
Probably not as reliable as the more expensive ones, but I think that is justified with its low price.

I'll probably be picking up a few more at BB&B this weekend, see you guys there!
 
If sprinklers break them... what's gonna happen when it rains (I know it only rains like 2 days a year... but still)?

And where I plan to put them... they're gonna get sprinkler'ed on.
 
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