Has anyone had good luck with solar powered landscape lighting? If so, do you mind sharing what has worked, either the brand or the model?
So are there any units that have the longevity to last years?
In my opinion, this is like trying to find a unicorn. Just the nature of solar cell technology and price points people are willing to spend for such things mean that none will last for a long enough time to be a great deal. Installing low voltage landscape lighting on the other hand, has gotten much easier and there are solutions for just about every problem you run into in a typical lawn. The fixture itself will last your lifetime and all you have to worry about is changing the LED lightbulb every handful of years or longer.
Thank you for the suggestion, I have done low voltage for short runs near the house and willingly would do so on short runs near the house and in soil that was easy to work.
In my original post I decided to omit details for 2 reasons, they did not seem entirely necessary and I do not have a solid plan (I'm trying to figure out what options are out there before I spend too much time deciding where exactly to place lights).
But, since it might bring some clarity ... If I had a good option I would consider adding some lighting not just near the house, but toward the end of the driveway and outback. There are two problems: 1) Distances of multiple hundreds of feet and voltage drop. and 2) The soil is a rocky PIA to dig in.
Even at line voltage (120v) some of the "would be nice" areas of the property would likely have a materials cost in the hundreds of dollars just in wiring for power supply (depending on amperage and tolerable voltage drop). And then multiple hundreds of feet of cable to properly route (buried in rocky clay based soil).
So, in light of that I guess my price point might not be the same as what most people are willing to spend for a few lights around the deck.
I am not sure exactly how to phrase what I am looking for in terms of information. My best attempt is I am looking to find out what a durable and reliable stand alone solar light costs, if such a thing is even manufactured. At which point I can decide if it is worth it to me to using as part of my plan or not; I am not certain I know exactly where the dollar cut off is between worth it and not lighting that area.