Solar lights charge from the sun during the day and switch on by themselves at dusk, with no cabling and no electricity bill. In South Africa they have one more big advantage: they keep working through load-shedding. Solar outdoor lights now cover wall lights, garden lights, flood lights and street lights. OutdoorLighting.co.za is a free quote service. You fill in one form and we pass it to independent local suppliers and installers, who quote you directly. We do not sell, stock or install anything ourselves, and there is no fee or obligation.
How solar outdoor lights work
Every solar light has four parts: a panel, a battery, an LED head and a controller that senses dusk. The battery matters most:
- LiFePO4 lithium: the best option, typically lasting several years and many charge cycles
- Li-ion: common in mid-range lights, good capacity but less heat-tolerant
- NiMH: found in cheap stake lights, low capacity and short life, but easy to replace
The panel must be big enough to fill the battery on a short day, and the LED should be efficient so that stored energy lasts. A light is only as good as its weakest part, so a large panel with a tiny battery still goes dark early.
Sun hours, sizing and load-shedding
Much of South Africa gets around 5 to 6 peak sun hours a day, more in the Northern Cape and less on the coast in winter. A light's panel and battery must store enough on a short winter day to run through the night. Good suppliers size them for autonomy, meaning a night or two of cloudy weather. Because solar lights are self-contained, load-shedding does not affect them, which is why many owners use them for security lights.
Motion modes and solar lights with motion sensors
Most solar lights with motion sensor offer modes: dim then bright on movement, off then bright, or constant all night. Dim-then-bright saves battery and still deters intruders. Constant mode on a small battery may run out before dawn in winter. Choose the mode for the job: driveway and wall lights suit motion modes, path lights constant low output. Better lights let you set the mode, brightness and time with a remote rather than a hidden switch. Solar lights wall-mounted near a door often combine a low glow with a bright burst when someone approaches.
Quality differences and where to start
Cheap solar lights often overstate wattage, so compare lumens, battery capacity in Wh and panel watts, not the headline watts. A claimed 300 W solar flood light with a palm-sized panel cannot deliver that output for long. Look for IP65 sealing, UV-stable housings and a warranty. Read more on solar garden lights, solar flood lights and solar street lights.
Waterproof outdoor solar lights should also cope with Highveld hail, so check that the panel has a tempered glass face rather than thin plastic.
What to include in your request
- Say what you want to light and how big the area is
- Note how much direct sun the spot gets
- Choose constant light or motion sensor mode
- Ask for battery type, capacity and panel watts
- Ask about warranty and replacement batteries
Solar Lights for different properties
- Homes: solar wall lights at the doors, path lights and a sensor flood light on the driveway
- Estates and complexes: solar lights on perimeter walls, guard houses and paths, keeping estates lit in load-shedding
- Farms and smallholdings: solar flood and pole lights on sheds, kraals, gates and long farm roads
- Shops and offices: solar lights for parking, signage and perimeter security that ignore load-shedding
- Industrial sites: solar flood lights on yards, fences and remote gates without trenching
- Lodges, guesthouses and venues: solar path and garden lights for lodge walkways and off-grid bush camps
- Municipalities, schools and clubs: solar street and park lights for informal settlements, taxi ranks and parks
Frequently asked questions
Does OutdoorLighting.co.za sell solar lights?
Do solar lights work in winter?
Where should a solar panel face?
What do solar lights cost?
Solar Lights by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester