How to Install Solar-Powered Spotlights

When installing a solar spotlight, position the photovoltaic cell so it can receive the most sunlight.


Solar electricity may be the green-energy solution of the future, but it was discovered by the French physicist Edmund Bequerel nearly two centuries ago. In 1839, he found that some materials generate minute amounts of electricity when exposed to sunlight, but it wasn't until 1954 that Bell Laboratories developed the first photovoltaic prototype for consumer use. The energy crisis of the 1970s further stoked interest in solar-powered products, a trend that continues today as our need for alternate-energy sources increases. Solar-powered spotlights, for example, are energy-efficient tools to illuminate your home or garden.

How Solar Lights Work

Solar spotlights are powered by photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight to electricity on the atomic level. Each cell contains a thin, flat semiconductor panel with a positive charge on one side and negative on the other. Sunlight causes the semiconductor’s atoms to blow apart, releasing electrons; the electrons are recaptured as electric current between the positive and negative charges. The electricity then travels through a cable to power the spotlight. Solar energy is also stored in the interior battery for use at night or on cloudy days.

Uses for Solar Spotlights

Solar spotlights are particularly useful in illuminating outdoor spaces where traditional extension cords or bundles of wiring aren’t practical, such as in formal gardens, large open lawns or residential entrances. Newer models offer light emitting diodes (LEDs), which illuminate more effectively and efficiently than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. Whether you choose to light a wide area from above or train the beam from ground level on an individual object, such as garden statuary, you can easily install individual spotlights without hiring a professional contractor.

Placement Considerations

The foremost concern with installing solar spotlights is ensuring that enough sunlight reaches the photovoltaic cell. Spotlights today usually feature a long power cable between the cell and the actual light, so you can place the cell in a sunny spot that receives about eight hours of light a day, and position the spotlight where you want it. For ground-level lighting, stake the cell in the ground so the cell faces the brightest sun, and then stake the light in the ground a few feet away from the object you wish to illuminate. Train the beam upward to focus on the object. Mounting solar spotlights over entrances, garage doors or decks involves screwing the light's baseplate into the vertical wall or post over the area you want to brighten, then angling the light's beam downwards. With these types, the solar cell may be attached to the light's hood or via a power cable; in both cases, the cell still needs to receive sufficient sunlight for operation.

Operation and Maintenance

With proper installation, your solar spotlights will work year round, even during winter’s shorter days. Occasional maintenance is all solar spotlights need — whether it's mounted at ground level or above a doorway, check every so often to make sure the photovoltaic cell isn’t covered by leaves, bird droppings or dirt. High-end models also feature a watertight casing and glass solar cells that resist cracking during temperature fluctuations, so lighting components last longer.

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