For those who care about the environment and love their home decor too, solar-powered lighting could provide them with the sustainable solution that they want. Since most of the devices operating on solar energy are meant to last, you shouldn’t worry about paying a little extra when compared to your normal lighting devices. These eco-friendly lights not only look good, in addition, they also add to the overall ambiance of your home. Remember, no matter how beautiful your home decor is, lighting is the most important part of it. During morning hours, the best and the most eco-friendly option is to utilize natural light as efficiently as possible. However, you can’t do the same during the night. Nevertheless, if you have solar light pipes or any other device mentioned in the article, you don’t have to worry.
Solar light pipes
The solar light tubes are the greenest way to conserve electricity and is well efficient to complete all the need of a basic size house lighting system. These tubes are designed in such a way that it collects the sunlight that is focused over a single point and then it deflects that sunlight in natural or artificial way. These are also known as sun pipes, sun scopes, solar light pipes or day light pipes. These light pipes are adjustable and one can control the leakage of requirement of light in each room.
Here is the list of some solar light pipes:
1. Solar light pipe in Washington DC
This solar light pipe is installed in the international law office of the Morgan Lewis. The building was heightened by extra two floors to make the distribution of light equal in the 12 storey building. The tube that is installed in the office is created by the lighting designers James Carpenter and Davidson Norris. This tube is almost 36 meters long and it rises above 4.5 above the atrium roof that has the diameter of 175 cm to collect the light above the roof. This pipe contains glass prisms that are held in the steel frames. The outer side of this pipe is made of tensioned synthetic fiber. This pipe is held by radial rods and this pipe can project light in both natural and artificial ways.
2. Solar tube skylights
These solar tube skylights are one the finest versions in the solar tube range. This Solar tube skylight contains the raybender technology and light intercepting transfer device that provides the light at any time. This tube stores the unused light and then reflects it in time needed. This solar tube sky light comes in three different sizes and one can choose it according to the requirement and size of the place to be illuminated.
3. Sundolier robot pumps sunlight indoors for powerful day lighting
As suggested by name the company sundolier will put a solar robot over you house roof that will pump the sunlight in your place naturally without any problem. According to the manufacturers these solar robots can illuminate up to 2500 sq ft of area. The tube uses Sun Chandelier to reflect the solar light down to the place of illumination and almost with no drawbacks or loss.
4. Velux sun light pipe tgf 21 inch
This Velux Sun light pipes TGF model is designed for the shaky roofs. The installation of this Sun light pipe is quick and easy. This Sun light pipe is made of steel and contains mirror that are held by the rings that makes it a neat and clean sun light reflector. This upper part of the pipe is fixed parallel to the roof of the home that adds to the beauty. The tube has no hot spots at all so the light remains even at the time of distribution. This sunlight pipe is weather tight so it can bear any temperature and climate. This pipe is also hurricane resistant because of its flexible fiber and thus if your area is hurricane prone then this sun light pipe is the best for your home illumination.
5. Apollo solar light pipe:
This beautiful solar light pipe is one of the best solar light pipes and is patented by the Orion. In this light pipe the solar energy is focused over a damn that reflects it through the light pipe that is sealed so that there will be no light loss. The light through this pipe is equally distributed in the different areas to be illuminated. This light also supports many other Orion created product that can add to its compatibility to provide you light at any time of the day. You can also control the light in different rooms or areas. This Apollo solar light pipe is best in its range as it contains two patents and contains one of the best technologies to harvest the sunlight.
6. Sun pipe:
Sun Pipe is one of the simplest forms of solar tubes that can provide daylight in any location of the home. There are three different types of applications of this Sun Pipe that is Flat Roof Flashing, Pitched Roof Compact Flashing and Vertical flashing. This pipe contains translucent mirrors that add to its energy and are easily adjustable. This sun pipe can also provide light in the overcast weather and even to the lower parts of the home.
Some other sustainable lights similar to solar light pipes
1. IKEA’s Solar Power Lamps
Sweden based company IKEA, which excels in home decors has introduced to us âSolvindenâ, the solar powered lamps. You can choose the lamps from four different colours- black, white, lime green, and teal. The âSolvindenâ incorporates three AA rechargeable batteries of 1.2 V and an LED bulb that can glow well with this power. The batteries take around 9-12 hrs for getting fully charged and can be illuminated for four hours. The batteries have to be renewed every two years. The lamp shade is strong enough to be placed outside and also can decorate your garden as well.
2. Firewinder
This eco-friendly lighting system called firewinder is powered by wind instead of traditional solar energy. The helical device is shaped as a corkscrew. The 14 LEDs embedded in it, glows when it experiences the wind blowing. The 65 cm long device is made out of lightweight recyclable materials. It can add to the beauty of the garden just when the wind sways.
3. Solar Garden Lights
These lightning systems do not require any extra energy source to power them. The Solar Garden Lights just require sun exposure to charge up the batteries already installed in them. No extra wiring is required as these systems do not make use of any electricity. The Solar Garden Lights are available in various forms like solar path lights, solar pole lamps, solar floating pond lights etc.
4. Solar Powered Magic Globe Light
The Solar Powered Magic Globe light can be placed on any kind of surface and can even be suspended to float in water. The most interesting feature of this globe is that it is solar powered and the PV panel is hidden at the globeâs base, that recharges the Ni-MH batteries. Ion being fully charged the LEDs can glow for 12 hours. The RGB LEDs used to emit light illuminate with a single colour or with vivid colors. The lights add to the beauty of the garden as the lighten up emitting rainbow colors in the night.
5. Patio Umbrella
The Solar Powered Lighted Patio Umbrella is meant for people who love to spend their time under the sun. During the day it works like an umbrella providing you shelter while soaking up the sunâs energy through the extremely efficient solar panel built onto the top of the umbrella. This recharges the Ni-Mh battery that illuminates the 24 LEDs for 8 hours at night. The umbrella is made up of durable polyester which is both UV and water resistant. The patio umbrella base made of powder coated aluminum is therefore strong and corrosion proof.
6. Flower Light
Solar Powered LED flower light, collects the solar energy during the day in the solar panels and recharges internal 600mA NI-CD storage battery to illuminate the three LEDs placed in each of the three flower shaped heads. The flower light can glow for eight hours.
7. Hexagon Plastic Solar Garden Light
These Hexagon Plastic Solar Garden Lights are the cheapest of all solar lighting systems in the market. For under $10 a unit you get an efficient lighting system without increasing your electricity bills and of course these garden lights will come with beautiful designs to add to the beauty of your garden. These ligh6ting systems are easy to install and because they only require solar energy to illuminate the garden at night, there is no need for any sort of wiring or electric outlets.
8. Wild Grass Solar Garden Lights
The Wild Grass LED Lights priced for $22.95 are the beautiful and environment friendly lighting features for your garden. When installed in your garden, the 0.2 watt PV panel takes 8 hours of sunlight and charges a rechargeable NiMH battery 500mAh. The three LED bulbs planted each in the 3 sprigs of fiber optic lights can automatically illuminate a calm and pleasing green light for 6 hours at night. The grass sprigs can be bended according to your wish and can be positioned in your garden wherever you want it.
9. Solar Sun Jar Light
Solar lights add a green beauty to your garden. You can create the sustainable solar light jars yourself for your garden, pool, porch etc. All you require is a glass jar, solar garden light and AA sized rechargeable batteries. The solar panels will harvest the sunlight during the day and will charge the batteries to illuminate the solar jar. You can further decorate the solar jar to make it look more beautiful.
10. Leaf Lantern
This beautiful and sustainable lighting source named as Leaf Lantern has been designed by Sam Li. It can be used as a whole light unit or can split into individual parts to be used as a candle. Inspired by the bio mimicry of leaves, each portion of the device soak up the sun light during the day but do not make use of batteries. The stored solar energy can charge you electronic gadgets. You just have to place the gadget on the charged inductive plate to boost it up with green energy.
