Lanterns Powered by Solar Electricity

Before electricity, we lived by lantern light. And today when we leave electricity behind to go camping or say, to climb up to the creepy attic, we often live by lantern once again. In the age of solar-powered gadgetry, lanterns are even more appealing. They are wireless, safe, reliable and can be used anywhere easily and efficiently.

You can find solar-powered lanterns all over the place these days, from online stores to department store shelves. Newer solar lanterns use low-wattage LED light because they require less power to run and subsequently last longer on a single charge. Several models do use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Camping lanterns vary in price depending on the quality of casing (usually plastic), size of the solar panel and the amount of light they can emit. Lanterns run on average between $20 and $100 each.

With the advent of solar technology, lanterns have also found valuable use on or around decks and patios, as well as hanging from trees along pathways or from RV canopies. These lanterns tend to be of a shoji design. The term shoji refers to Asian screens consisting of a lattice frame covered with white paper that often fold up like an accordion.

Solar lantern designers have taken that design and transferred it to outdoor lighting for the home. Their most common manifestation is a lightweight nylon orb with a solar panel at its top and a small LED bulb within a collapsible frame. Look here for an example. The lanterns come with a thin stainless steel handle for hanging from hooks or tree branches. They usually need about 4-6 hours of sunlight to charge and are equipped with small sensors to turn on automatically when the sun goes down. Many designs have flat bottoms as well, so they may be used on tabletops.

Common screen colors include orange, pink, blue, amber and white. Many white shoji lanterns have off-white, even multicolor LEDs in them. This type of solar lantern is also widely available from many online and real-world outlets and run roughly $15 to $50, depending on size and intricacy of design.

Of course, shoji style does not encapsulate all solar lanterns for home use. Metal and frosted glass frames do exist as well, which may be hung or used as centerpieces. There are also products manufactured to mimic the ornamental oil lamps of old. It is solely a matter of taste, and as technology for solar electricity develops, so will the quality and quantity of solar lanterns.

Solar Garden Lights / Solar Tubular Lights / Solar Power Driveway Lights / Solar Deck and Patio Lights / Solar Floodlights / Solar Pathway Lights / Solar Power Lanterns / Solar Power Pavers