Solar Light Butterfly at night

Here are some of the solar lights at work at night.  The driveway to this house can be awfully dark but the lights really do make it look attractive.  They are particularly beautiful when the colors change to constantly give a different glow.

Solar Led garden lights at night

Solar spot and garden lights at night

Let me explain what if our government started using it’s building roof tops to put some solar panels on?  What if all the highway lights were not only solar powered but had the capability to sell back the extra power?  How much would these and other small changes help the government to pay less for electricity and be able to put it where people need it more like on health care for instance?

If all light bulbs were converted to Led bulbs what would this do to reduce expenses?  If you want to know more about the differences in light bulbs click here.

There is a phrase that says “If you will watch the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves”, I know our system is out of control but little changes can add up to quite a bit.

Solar Mirror Flashlight

Okay I know that there are some gadgets that are just for fun.  They have some practical use but they are more for fun than much else.  There are some very useful solar gadgets that have recently come out.

I never really thought of a lighted mirror as being useful to me since the only place I had ever seen one used is on the base when they were checking for explosives under cars.

Then as I studied the light more it hit me that not only could this be useful to me it is probably a great tool to keep around.  There are hard spots to see on engines, behind appliances, in boats and so many mechanical uses.

It can also have some medical uses for diabetics that have to check their feet.

So now that I have started you thinking can you tell me what you would use it for?

Solar Powered Water Fountain Pump

I have gotten a lot of questions on choosing a solar  fountain pump.

Here are some things to consider when planning your project.

1. What is this pump going to be used in?  Are you putting in a pond?  Will the pump be going through a statue?

2. How high will the water need to be lifted to do what you would like?  Remember to measure from the point at which the pump will draw the water to the outlet.

3. Do I want the water fountain to run during the day only or would I like it to run at night?

This is a great start and there are more issues to consider so we will do  a little more later.  In the mean time leave your comments or questions and I will get back to you.

Well here goes:  LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. It is a small light that emits very little heat and bright light so it is very energy efficient.  The lights are small so even though one is very bright usually more are needed to make enough light to be effective.

You will see them in traffic lights (the ones that have a lot of little dots), they are in car taillights, in garden solar lights and now they are being sold in stores for household use.

They use very little electricity.  They are about 98% more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.  Anything that can improve my electric bills I like!

Do you use these lights in your home?

Solar address light

Solar Water Pump with Lights

Memorial Day is fast approaching and it is a great holiday to hold a backyard barbeque and catch up with your family and friends.

As the host of the party you have some preparation work to do.  The yard work needs to be done, the grill cleaned and ready and so on.

If the party is being held in the late afternoon or evening the yard will probably need some lighting to ensure that your guests don’t trip and land in the flower bed you just planted.

Putting in staked solar ground lights will help by keeping people on the pathways, since they act as a guide during the day, of course at night they light the path.

If you are limited on space you may want to attach lights to buildings and poles.  Solar lights make this easy since they don’t require wires being dug into the ground and you can put them anywhere the sun shines, you can light up areas that previously were a problem to light.

If you are planning to decorate don’t forget the backyard pond.  Solar pumps can aerate the water for the plants and fish, and moving water is less attractive for insect breeding.

Have a great time on this Memorial Day and remember all our service men and women former and present and say “Thank You.”