Solar Lights in the Winter – What you Need to Know

If you are wondering if you can use solar lights in the winter, the short answer is yes. In winter months there are less available sun hours, and this can influence the operation of solar lighting. You might have some concerns about how your solar panels will function during the winter, but we will help by letting you know how you can ensure that your solar lighting is winter proof. Here are some of the ways you can ensure your solar lighting at optimum capacity:

1. Place them in full sun. While this may sound obvious, try to place your solar panels in areas that are not shaded. There should be no shadows covering the panels either. If you find that there are shadows over your panels, you may need to move them to ensure they receive adequate sunlight to operate.

2. Clean them regularly. During winter months, you will need to clean your panels to ensure that they are not covered in grime, dirt or residue that will prevent them from being efficient or even worse, block out the sunlight that they need to absorb.

3. Place them at a sixty-degree angle. Most solar panels need to be place at a thirty-degree angle, but during the winter months they should be placed at sixty degrees to ensure they catch the most possible sunlight. Once winter is over you can return your solar panels to the thirty-degree angle default position to ensure that they continue to operate to full capacity.

4. Ensure that the panels face to the east or the west. You want to ensure that you get the maximum amount of sunlight that you can during the winter by ensuring that your panels face to the east or the west and completely capture most of the sunlight from the winter sky.

5. If you have decorative lighting, you should bring it indoors during the inclement weather. This severe weather can ruin these smaller, delicate lighting systems and they should not be exposed to it.

6. Do you live in an area where there is regular snowfall? Snow that collects on solar panels will block sunlight and render your panels inoperable. Placing your panels at an angle of at least forty-five degrees will ensure that the snow cannot collect on the panels and will, instead, slide off. As the sun hits the panels, it will accelerate melt and the snow will slide away. If you are planning to install your solar light array close to the ground, it should be high enough off the ground to ensure that the snow does not impede the panel or prevent it from operating correctly.

Solar lighting and energy are best when it is completely functional. If you are planning to install your solar energy system, and you can do it during a time when the sun is at it is strongest so that you know the full capacity of your solar energy system. You can then make adjustments that are necessary to keep the system functioning to full and best capacity as the sun moves around the horizon through various seasons. Your solar energy system needs many things including:

• Access to the best full sunlight available

• The right angle

• Proper array layout

• Adjustability 

If you have been thinking about setting up a solar energy system, there is no better time than now. You can get the system set up and installed without the need for a professional electrical contractor. Once this has been done, you can then start to enjoy the money saving benefits of not accessing the electrical grid for your power or lighting needs. Your access to solar lighting will ensure that you do not have interruptions during regular power outages that affect most other people. 

Solar energy is becoming more mainstream in that it is much more accessible and affordable for people. It used to be beyond the reach of many but now the components to build these systems are lower cost to build. After you have installed your system and start to enjoy the many benefits, you will see that it is something that everyone should consider. These systems save money and time and are an easy to complete improvement for any home. You do not need specific skills or licensing to install a solar energy system, just an ability to follow directions. Many people have heard of solar energy systems and want to install them, they just have not taken the necessary steps. Ensuring that they system operates to full capacity during winter months is one of the many things that you must consider.

 

 

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