I am getting too stiff in the neck, to turn around, and back out of my drive. I normally use my mirrors, which works well, but at night I don't have any reference, to go by. I want to put up a row or two of those spiked lights,( to run over) so I can know where I am backing. I am posting in hopes of getting a reference from somebody, that has owned these lights, as to quality lights, and not cheap junk. I would like to buy them just once.
- Thread starter RalphWD45
- Start date
I had them along the drive at the farm house. They worked alright if there is not too much background light. Meaning a pole light or street light. They are not very bright so an outside light source kind of over whelms them. If your home is in a more rural setting then they will work fine.
The ones I put there cost around a $100 for two sets of four. They had a round plastic top that is about 5-6 inches in diameter. This is where they collect sunlight. As for the brand, I do not remember it. They came from Menards and where their middle of the road cost wise.
The drive at the farm faces south-east so the lights worked well. The drive here faces north so the set I tried here does not work very well. I think there is too much shade.
The ones I put there cost around a $100 for two sets of four. They had a round plastic top that is about 5-6 inches in diameter. This is where they collect sunlight. As for the brand, I do not remember it. They came from Menards and where their middle of the road cost wise.
The drive at the farm faces south-east so the lights worked well. The drive here faces north so the set I tried here does not work very well. I think there is too much shade.
TDFHave you thought of just putting red or orange reflectors along your driveway? Never have to worry about batteries. I put reflectors at each end of my culvert at the end of my driveway so in the winter when the ground is covered with snow I know where the ends of my culvert are. Makes it easy also when I blade the snow off the driveway. I have since put 4x4 posts there and mounted a reflector to each side of the post. Six reflectors all together, two for when we're driving out then one on each side that can be seen when driving by from the road. Each post has 3 reflectors on it. Works great the red really shows up in the white snow.
RickieBlue
Member
Walmart has small solar lights for 97 cents each..cheap enough to throw away after 2 years. My wife likes solar lights and our yard looks like a landing strip some years..LOL
Suggest you will not be happy with them. Short life. Won't stay on all night -run out of power especially if day light is limited. Plus the LED doesn't put out much light- makes a birthday candle look bright. Suggest you will be far happier with low voltage wired system. Even red reflector driveway markers would probably make you happier.
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
The quality of solar lights has improved since LED's are coming of age. Still you'll get what you pay for. The spiked in ones are only going to be temporary.
If you want to DIY, I'd go on Ebay, start with the "highest + shipping price" filter and work down to where you're comfortable. The regular pole style light are going to be the more permanent solution.
The other route would be to have them installed with a warranty.
If you want to DIY, I'd go on Ebay, start with the "highest + shipping price" filter and work down to where you're comfortable. The regular pole style light are going to be the more permanent solution.
The other route would be to have them installed with a warranty.
GeneMO
Well-known Member
- Location
- Pilot Grove, Mo.
Get some type of a weatherproof battery box. Sit it beside a pole, then on the pole put up about a $40 solar trickle charger or battery maintainter. I got one from Grainger that was in that price range. Then get some good, 12volt, LED lights. You could go to a Truck Stop and buy red, green, blue, white, some truckers almost cover their truck with them.
They dont draw much current. A good 12V battery would last a long, long time just powering LED lights. The solar charger will keep the battery up.
I have about 8 of the little spike kind of sidewalk lights. They work about half of the time. They dont get enough charge in the summer cause of the shade, and in the winter I think the cold fritzes them out. And they dont put out much light.
Ours are cheapies, so maybe some more expensive ones would do better.
Gene
They dont draw much current. A good 12V battery would last a long, long time just powering LED lights. The solar charger will keep the battery up.
I have about 8 of the little spike kind of sidewalk lights. They work about half of the time. They dont get enough charge in the summer cause of the shade, and in the winter I think the cold fritzes them out. And they dont put out much light.
Ours are cheapies, so maybe some more expensive ones would do better.
Gene
I picked up a few cheap solar lamps at a dollar store (dollar tree?) about 3 yrs ago and placed them on fenceposts located under maple trees and not enough sun to run very long in summer. Picked up 3 from wally world at $2.50 4 yrs ago and they still working but again run outa power halfway thru night. This spring grabbed a few of the under $1 lamps from wally world this spring and really not happy with them.
My suggestion is if wanting to light up driveway is, as another suggested, low voltage lighting that are mounted up a bit on poles. If just wanting to be easier to know where you are backing up is, again like others said, use reflectors. Not a lot of money and super easy to install (and reinstall once you back over them LOL)
My suggestion is if wanting to light up driveway is, as another suggested, low voltage lighting that are mounted up a bit on poles. If just wanting to be easier to know where you are backing up is, again like others said, use reflectors. Not a lot of money and super easy to install (and reinstall once you back over them LOL)
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
I got some a few years ago, and they work OK. They run on a AA battery, pull them out and recharge them now and then. Or replace them with a higher mAH-rating battery, I think the walmart ones come with an under-1000 mAH battery.
Walmart cheapened them up, they used to have a cone-shaped reflector in the bottom of the lens. Not anymore. Without it, the light pattern is pretty poor. I haven't bought any since I got the last one they had with a reflector last year.
Walmart cheapened them up, they used to have a cone-shaped reflector in the bottom of the lens. Not anymore. Without it, the light pattern is pretty poor. I haven't bought any since I got the last one they had with a reflector last year.
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