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Solar Lights - Wooden Fence

Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:02 am
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:02 am
I am looking all over for lights that don't look weird, but are effective to cast a downward light on my yard all along my fence. Any of y'all have any luck with some of the amazon brands, or should I look elsewhere?
Posted by Korkstand
Member since Nov 2003
28991 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:15 am to
I doubt you'll be happy with any solar lights. If possible I would run some landscape wire and maybe put up some RGB LEDs.
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:29 am to
I have never run electrical of any kind, really. I suppose I do have an ideal setup with my fence because I really wouldn't have to bury any of the line behind it or between my fence and neighbor's fence. I'd only have to bury leading to power source.

Do they all run to an outlet source? or do you have to tap into some other line running into your house?
Posted by tigahbruh
Louisiana
Member since Jun 2014
2858 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:29 am to
I purchased some of those from HD and Lowes a few years back for my former house- the store brand variety.
They stopped working within the year. Probably worth it to go up in quality (and price) or better yet, go battery powered or wired.

Passed my old house the other day. Nonfunctional solar lights still there
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:32 am to
I've had some fair luck with solar lights I got from lowe's but not all of them

I do think the largest line of my fence is too shaded to pick up enough sun. Landscape wire and doing it the real way may be in my future.
Posted by LordSnow
Your Mom's House
Member since May 2011
5796 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:34 am to
Posted by Weekend Warrior79
Member since Aug 2014
18946 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:40 am to
quote:

Do they all run to an outlet source? or do you have to tap into some other line running into your house?

Depends on skill set or what you're willing to hire someone to do. Majority of the powered ones I've looked at require an outlet plug. You could probably have an outlet added to the exterior of your house where you plan to start the string, and either drop a 2' PVC in the ground to run the wire from the house to the fence, or go straight to the fence assuming you are going to start where the house meets the fence and there are no gates in the way
Posted by Korkstand
Member since Nov 2003
28991 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:41 am to
It's going to be low voltage landscape wire, a lot of which is rated for direct burial. This wire runs to a transformer, and the transformer typically plugs into a standard outlet. So if you have an exterior outlet relatively near the fence, and if you're up for it, I'd definitely go this route. Almost all solar lights are going to be dim and they will probably be inconsistent brightness, and you're pretty much limited to dusk till dawn lighting (or more likely dusk till dead batteries). Wired lights can be as bright or dim as you want, and you can get a transformer/controller that works with Alexa or whatever.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
6549 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 11:46 am to
Can you give examples of what looks weird? That's going to be a matter of opinion.

They don't look the greatest, but I dotted a few solar motion downlights to my fence in a few spots that helps if I'm out trying to round up the dogs for the night.
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 12:46 pm to
By weird I meant design of the light housing. I don't want it to look futuristic and like it doesn't belong on a fence. Black or brown housing, and rustic looking would be ideal.

Don't want them looking like a UFO or modern art.
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
16854 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 1:12 pm to
I have solar motion lights on the outside of my fence that have been awesome for 5 years and counting. Granted, they aren't "always on" at night so the charge doesn't drain.

But if you're looking for solar security lights, these are great:

LINK
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
6549 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 1:23 pm to
quote:

I have solar motion lights on the outside of my fence that have been awesome for 5 years and counting. Granted, they aren't "always on" at night so the charge doesn't drain.

But if you're looking for solar security lights, these are great:



Those are pretty much what I have.
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 1:52 pm to
Those are definitely similar to the ones I had my eyes on.

The ones I had my eyes on

I dig that they have warm light option, but now the other dudes have me really considering doing it with wire since half my fence is out of direct sunlight due to tree coverage in summer. I am now less concerned with wiring it and figuring the electrical side. I just gotta see how and where I will have to put it into my breaker box and how I'm gonna bury it.

Thanks for the solar suggestion!
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
16854 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:09 pm to
Wired options are far better if you need bright lights that stay on and last longer. Ones I posted are purely motion and go off after like 20 seconds or something.


I have wired landscaping lights that I paid some to connect to an outside breaker where a previous owner had connected a hot tub. Took the eletrician 15 minutes and then I connected more lights and buried the landscape wire.
Posted by Korkstand
Member since Nov 2003
28991 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:09 pm to
If you just need them to be functional and only light on motion then you can probably find some solar ones that are bright when needed. If you want them to be decorative or serve as all-night "security" of sorts then I'd go wired.

Make sure you read the 1 and 2 star reviews on Amazon before making a purchase.
Posted by Loup
Ferriday
Member since Apr 2019
14117 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:24 pm to
I've had these for two years and they've worked well. It helps me figure out where my black dog is hiding at night.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071HW515B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Posted by Auburntiger
BTR area
Member since Mar 2005
14139 posts
Posted on 5/12/22 at 2:48 pm to
I have had these up for about 2 years now. I have been pleased. A few of them I have had to change the batteries

Maggift Solar Lights
Posted by RedlandsTiger
Greenwell Springs, LA
Member since Jan 2008
3048 posts
Posted on 5/13/22 at 5:22 am to
You probably think these are weird, but I have them and like them. But they are definitely LINK not security lights.
Posted by m2pro
Member since Nov 2008
29193 posts
Posted on 5/13/22 at 3:24 pm to
Nah, those are at least festive. Probably not my style, but definitely they don't qualify as weird shaped or modern art

I think what I'm going to try is a mixture of solar types. I did find some solar powered ones that have a solar base that can extend a fair distance from end of the string. This will cover my shaded area, and then single units similar to the ones you linked for my high sun areas.
Posted by Yewkindewit
Near Birmingham, Alabama
Member since Apr 2012
21038 posts
Posted on 5/14/22 at 10:13 am to
I’ve used the driveway mushroom shaped solar lights that you poke in the ground and mount them up on the fence with the U-shaped electrical conduit connectors. Nuzzle it up against the light fixture tube.

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