Lighting difficult

Emerion

We have no neighbours and no street lighting, so it’s dark here and we could really do with some outside lighting. Mains lights are tricky because our walls are 3 feet thick and exceptionally hard to drill through. We’ve tried push-in solar lamps, which were a waste of money as they all stopped working within a year. Are there better quality solar lamps around? I don’t trust online reviews because most people seem to review within days, and never update to say it’s still working - or not. We mainly want to light the steps up to the house a bit. 

TheVanguard

We bought these 4 of these 6.5 years ago (just checked purchase date on Amazon) and still all going strong!

the plastic has yellowed a bit, but they have been out in the garden for some time! 

PowerBee® Ltd Saturn Solar Garden Lights for all year round, Ideal for Pathways/Lawns, Parties & More. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001TXSGQC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_hMQYFb851VK84?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Emerion

thanks, they look promising 

Obelixx

We also have no street lights and very thick walls.  There is an outside light on 3 of the doors but the one we use most for coming and going with shopping, dogs with muddy paws and our own muddy paws after gardening had no light.   It faces south so we've fixed up a solar powered light with a movement detector and that has been working well for 2 years now.    

I'll try and check the model tomorrow in daylight but we bought it on the 'net.

Emerion

Thanks @Obelixx, that sounds promising.
The Powerbee ones recommended by @TheVanguard are cheaper direct from Powerbee for 1-4 lights, at the moment. Amazon are cheaper for packs of 6. 

Obelixx

OK @Emerion.  It's a SOLAR PIR STRAHLER DUO POWER.  German manufacture, not Chinese.   We have the solar panel, about A5 size in its frame, attached to a handy drainpipe facing full south and then the light fitting is attached above the doorway.  It has two adjustable spots and a sensor.   Works very well for us.

Emerion

Thanks for that @Obelixx. It sounds like we want one of those for the door and some of the Powerbees for some steps, which are not close to the door.  

K67

The only problem with solar is the sun or rather the lack of it during winter. If they have a removable chargeable battery you can recharge indoors but they are a bit of a fiddle to replace.
Low voltage led lights have a very thin wire is there anywhere you could get that into the house say through a door or window frame or air brick then you can plug the transformer  into a power socket along with a timer.

Obelixx

Depends what it's needed for.  We just need to be able to see not to trip over the step to that door when we're coming in and out and getting the dogs back in after their bedtime potty run.   The double spots make it very bright.  The solar panel is wired round the pipe, not screwed in a fixed position, so is easy to orient according to the sun's zenith thru the year. 

Emerion

Just updating this thread to say that I took the advice of  @TheVanguard last year, and bought the Power bees. They are really good, if anyone is looking for solar lights at the moment. Even in mid winter, one lasts all night, and the other until very late evening ( due to how much sun they each get). They are still going strong, even with our epic west-Wales horizontal driving rain, and there have been no more “almost face-first into the flower bed” incidents on the steps to the door. 

Ergates

Good to know. We do have some outside lighting, but I also use one of those LED headlamp torches when I need to go out into the garden at night. Very handy for avoiding treading on things!