Tips on Buying Solar-Powered Flood Lights

Materials

• Solar-powered floodlights should be made out of high-quality materials. Good materials include cast aluminum housing or high-quality plastics. The housing of the light must be waterproof and rustproof to keep the light from being damaged by the weather.

Remote Solar Panels

• Sometimes you need to place a floodlight in an area that does not receive a large amount of direct sunlight. Look for solar-powered floodlights that have remote solar panels. These panels may be located a short distance away to gain better access to sunlight. While this requires the use of a hidden or buried cable, it still allows the floodlight to utilize the power of the sun.

LED

• The floodlight's bulbs should be LEDs. An LED light bulb provides a large amount of bright, white light but uses very little power, allowing the floodlight to last longer than a traditional halogen or fluorescent light bulb. The solar-powered floodlight may have multiple LEDs. If there are too few LED lights in the floodlight, its beam of light may be too narrow for your needs.

Mounting Hardware

• If you are planning on mounting the floodlights, verify that the mounting equipment is included with the light. Many manufacturers include hardware for different mounting arrangements. If a floodlight does not come with mounting hardware, determine how easy it will be to mount the floodlight before purchasing it.