Solar-powered lights are incandescent lights designed to produce radiation in the infrared spectrum, generating more heat than visible light. Some solar lights feature a red filter that cuts down on the visible light even more. These lamps in various designs are in use in many settings. Since the bulbs used in solar lights get very hot, they have some design considerations. Plastic parts are not a part of the construction of these lamps because they could melt.
Solar-powered lights primarily use sunlight, but they may have alternative power sources, such as backup batteries. These solar-powered lights are not only good for the environment as they use a renewable source of energy, but they also reduce the cost of heating. Solar panels these days can power just about anything. People often use these lamps for heating the living spaces of animals like chickens and dogs. We will look at the best solar chicken coop lights in this article.
When buying solar lights, you’ll soon realize that there are many options when it comes to the size of these lamps. Most of the solar lights use LED lights. You can find different styles of light fixtures that you can screw into place with the help of an electrical cord. This electrical cord connects with a solar panel strip, which also installs outside the house.
There are also standalone solar lights. In such lamps, the top of the light has a solar panel that catches the sunlight, and the light below illuminates whatever is beneath it. You must install these types of lights outdoors under direct sunlight. Many solar lights look like spotlights that you can hang from the ceiling or a bar. This way, the user can direct the light on a specific spot.
You may also come across solar-powered lights that detect motion. These lights prove energy efficient as the bulb goes off and on when the animal moves out of the light’s detection range. However, it may not be the best choice because they can turn off at night when the animals are resting, and the lamp doesn’t detect any motion.
There is no doubt that solar-powered lights are a fantastic invention, but one problem remains. What to do when there is no sun? Some solar-powered lights offer a backup battery. Some days when the weather is overcast, the panel cannot collect enough energy to run the light for the night. The battery option is good because the lamp will use it instead when the meager amount of solar power collected by the panel cannot light up the lamp.
Some people may even use light bulbs to charge solar panels. It will be a slow and lengthy process, but you can do it if you don’t have any other choice. You must know that you cannot use every light bulb for this purpose as there are many types of light bulbs. Your best option will be an LED light. LED lights are efficient at converting electricity to light. They convert 80% of the electricity they use to light and the rest of the 20% to heat.
Too much direct heat can damage solar panel components. More efficient lights that produce less heat are good for charging solar panels. Use bulbs of higher wattage as they produce a higher charge. Keep a decent distance between the light bulb and the panel when you’re charging. This is especially important in small devices such as flashlights and small solar lights.
Some solar-powered lights come with remote controls. They allow you to turn them on by pressing a button from far. This feature is useful when you don’t want the light to be always running and wasting power. It will be good if you find out how far you can use the remote from. Some remotes let you turn the lamp on/off in the barn while standing in your window.
Some solar lights have a construction consisting of IP65 waterproof material. This is especially important if you plan to use the lights outdoors. Consider light and durable solar lights if you are going to move them around with seasonal changes. You can find wireless solar-powered lights online. They reduce the chances of trip hazard since there won’t be many wires and cables. You also won’t be wondering about your animal chewing on the power cord.
You can find solar lights in various styles with many features. But if you prefer to make one by yourself, you can easily do so if you have the required material. It is a bit technical, but it is nothing an enthusiastic DIY maker won’t be able to do. For making a DIY solar-powered light, you’ll need an LED light, a solar panel, a solar inverter charger, a 12-volt battery, and a power grid.
The solar panel will convert the sun energy into a direct current. Still, since the appliances can’t use electricity in this form, we use a solar inverter that transforms direct current into alternating current. The battery is for storing the electricity so that you can use it at night. The power grid is where you’ll plug in your light. You can easily find all of these components online.
Chicken need 14 hours of daylight for full egg production. When the days are short in winters, chickens cannot receive enough light and hence stop laying eggs. If you’d rather have your chicken keep laying eggs, then you should illuminate their coop properly. You can extend the hours of daylight by using artificial means.
The bright LED light can continue stimulating your chickens’ egg-laying ability so that you don’t run short of them. However, you have to use it as a supplement to the sun. You can’t just turn it off and on suddenly; it will disturb the chickens. It is best to use the light at pre-dawn morning hours.
Most solar lights need direct sunlight to charge appliances properly. It depends on the quality of the panel, but overcast conditions will make it difficult for them to work. Portability is vital in these conditions. You can lift and place light and small panels where there is more sunlight. Solar lights are reliant on sunlight. If you have cloudy conditions in your area a lot, then you can consider a hybrid model. These types of solar lights charge with sunlight and standard electricity via a USB cable.
Many solar lights meant for chicken coops have detached solar panels. They often come with long cable cords. You can install the panel outside in the sun and set the light inside the coop. Some solar lights also come with the panel attached to their top. You undoubtedly have to install those types of lights outside in direct sunlight.
Solar-powered appliances and energy-efficient devices are a bit expensive, but they have various benefits in the long run. The initial cost of such devices, including solar-powered lights, is offset by the amount of money you’ll be able to save with bills.
Sunlight is a renewable source of energy. Converting it to electricity has no harmful impact on the environment. Also, sunlight will not run out, unlike coal, oil, and natural gas that are non-renewable. Solar panels don’t require much maintenance; they last for at least 30 years.
Here are our top selections for the best solar chicken coop lights.
This stylish solar light will make a small chicken coop look nice and cozy with its cage and warm glow. Kyson is a respected brand, and its lights are one of the best in the solar category.
This solar lamp has a vintage design with a black hardwired cage surrounding the bulb. The cage doesn’t just look good on its own, but it also casts a beautiful shadow against the ceiling. The 7.8 X 6 inches cage also gives some degree of protection to the bulb. Inside the cage is a tungsten bulb designed to withstand high temperatures. This bulb will last you for a long time.
This versatile solar lamp comes with a switch on/off button, a pull rope with a length of 9.1 inches, and a remote control. You can either use the button if it’s within reach of your hand or the pull rope. Additionally, you can also control the light with the remote control that works from a distance of five meters.
The brightness of the lamp is 30-40 lumens, which can brighten up a decent size space. The light color is 2700K warm white. The size of the amorphous silicon solar panel is 4.9 X 4.9 inches. The base of the panel used to perch it somewhere for charging has a length of 3.5 inches. This lamp is highly portable, with its 1 kg weight.
This lamp comes with all the necessary stuff that you might need to light up the lamp. The package includes a tungsten bulb, a rechargeable 3.7V lithium-ion battery, a 4.5V solar panel, one remote control, a battery for the remote, a few steel nails, and other components for the assembly of the lamp in the package.
When you first get the lamp, don’t turn it on. Instead, charge it fully under the sun for more than one day. When the charging is complete, turn the switch on, and you can either use the pull cord or the remote control. The working time of this lamp is at least eight hours.
This lamp only uses a 3V low voltage bulb specifically designed to work with solar power. It doesn’t accept standard bulbs.
You can use these lights to lighten up the small to medium-sized living space of your chicken coop, dog house, or sheep barn. You can also use them for lighting up your gazebo, corridor, or balcony.
These lamps have a pendant-style and use a shade that surrounds it from above. The shade doesn’t allow the light to scatter away and concentrates it in a specified area. The size of the fixture is 5.9 X 1.8 (W X H). This pendant light has an extension cable of 16.5 feet. The 5.5V solar panel also comes with a mounting bracket that makes mounting it anywhere easier.
The whole lamp with wire is waterproof with IP65 certification, which makes it appropriate for outdoor usage. The brightness of the bulb equals a 50W incandescent light. The luminous flux of the bulb is 100 lumens, and the color temperature is 6500K.
There are on/off switch buttons on the lamp. It also comes with a remote control; however, you need to direct it at the head of the lamp for it to work. The installation of this lamp is very easy since it comes with steel screws and other necessary components. All you need to do is find a hanging spot for the lamp and a spot for the solar panel with plentiful sunlight.
The package includes one solar pendant lamp, a solar panel, a 16-foot extension cable, a set of screws, cable ties, a mounting bracket, and an instruction manual. It comes with 3.7V rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that you can also replace. The light lasts for a while longer this way.
When you first take out the light, you need to charge it for at least eight hours. Once it charges fully, it continuously works for 18 hours. You can set this lamp to turn on at dusk and off at dawn automatically. It starts charging automatically if it’s turned on. Also, by pressing the 2H, 6H, and 1H buttons, you can turn the lights on for 2, 6, and +1 hours. This lamp has three brightness modes: 100%, 75%, and 50% brightness. You can adjust it from the remote.
The lights will only turn on if it’s dark where the solar panel rests. You need to clean the panel for regular sunlight charging.
These solar-powered LED floodlights will brighten up large chicken coops. They are best for illuminating your balconies, porches, front gardens, and animal houses. Additionally, these floodlights are perfect for large chicken coops.
These solar lights have a typical floodlight design with a size of 4.7 X 4.9 inches. The mounting base allows you to adjust the light up to 350 degrees. The color of the 30 LED light is 550 – 6000 K with a luminous flux of 250 lumens. The solar panel of 6.4 X 6.4 inches size also comes with a mounting base, which allows you to adjust the panel at a wide angle of 350 degrees.
This light doesn’t have any installation limitations, and you can easily adjust it in the sun for charging. The cable cord has a length of 9.2 feet, so it is long enough for the panel to be outside and the light indoors. The light consists of ABS plastic. The solar panel is IP65 waterproof, so you can install it outside without worrying about bad weather and rain. The panel has two built-in lithium-ion batteries for storing energy.
It comes with one solar panel with built-in lithium-ion batteries, one 30 LED light body, one remote control, two AAA batteries for the remote, two mounting stands, and four steel screws for assembly.
The assembly of this product is not hard. You need to put the LED light and the panel on the mounting base and then tighten them in place with the screws. When you first receive the light, charge it for at least five hours. The charging time for this light is seven hours. When it fully charges, you can use it for 18 hours straight. You can also adjust the time for 2 hours, 6 hours, and one additional hour.
Moreover, it has three levels of brightness. You can adjust the brightness to 75%, 50%, or use it in its full capacity. There is a separate button for low brightness. The solar panel has an on/off button, and it also starts charging automatically when the sun comes out.
You should direct the remote control at the back of the solar panel to work. You can charge the light even when it is off.
This solar LED light is a bit pricier than the ones we have been mentioning until now. It is an intensely bright floodlight that is appropriate for large chicken coops.
This LED floodlight has a rectangular shape and also has IP65 certification; hence, it is waterproof. As a result, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. This light is tough with its aluminum and thick glass construction. It has side mounts for installation.
The cable that connects the panel to the light has a length of 12 feet, which gives you the flexibility of putting the light anywhere. The size of the 4.5W solar panel is 7 X 9.6 inches. The panel uses four grade-A lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that last for a very long time.
The package includes an LED floodlight, a solar panel, a 12-foot cable cord, four built-in lithium-ion batteries, a remote control, batteries for the remote, and two built-in side mounts.
This solar light charges in 4 to 5 hours and lasts for 8 hours. It has three outdoor modes and four indoor modes, which allow you to use it in various conditions. You can reduce and increase the brightness of the light with the help of the remote. You can also switch the light on/off with the remote.
Additionally, you can adjust the time for 3 and 5 hours if you don’t want it to run for the whole night. This light indicates the power level of the battery with lights. If the lights are red and green, then it means that the battery has 80% life. When the green light turns yellow, then 80 to 40% power remains. When the light turns red, battery power is less than 40%.
This light comes with a one-year warranty. You should not use this light in temperatures above 45 degrees and below 0 degrees. This may cause the battery to degrade.
These affordable lights are very suitable for those small chicken coops. It will make your coop look cozy and inviting with its warm glow. You can also use it to light up small rooms, barns, or sheds.
This solar light uses a single 165-lumen LED bulb that hangs with the help of a carabiner. The make of the bulb is plastic except for the bulb itself. The size of the bulb is 5.4 X 2 inches, with a life span of 5,000 hours. It is very portable because of its small size. The output power of the bulb is 1.5 watts.
This light is perfect in emergencies. The 2.2 X 4.4 inches solar panel has a sticky back; hence, you can glue it to any surface. This light uses a 9.8 feet cable. The bulb’s light is white, with a color temperature of 4000K. This bulb can illuminate a 3 X 3-meter area well. The battery is within the light, and you can also charge the bulb with a power bank or any other USB device.
The package includes one solar LED light bulb, one solar panel, one built-in rechargeable battery, and a three-meter cable cord.
This light doesn’t require much assembly. You simply have to find an appropriate place for the panel and plug the bulb to charge. The panel has a strong adhesive that can stick to any surface. Once the light fully charges, it can work for 6 to 8 hours. There is an indicator light in the bulb that turns blue when the charge is full. This bulb has two preset levels of brightness with dimming, strobe, and SOS mode.
The adhesive is strong but for one-time use. Think well about where you want to place it because you cannot move it later.
Light is not just necessary for lighting up the living space of your chickens. It also stimulates their egg-laying ability. Solar power is a revolutionary invention that is eco-friendly and saves your money in the long run. This article has enlisted different styles and types of solar lights for large and small chicken coops.
If we had to pick one, we would choose the Bemexred Solar Lights. They have a stylish design and are suitable for small to medium-size chicken coops. Also, they are highly adjustable, and you can control them with a remote. They charge very quickly and work for at least 18 hours when fully charged. There is not much effort required in the installation, and they are also very durable and efficient.
Besides that, all products on this list are good options; we hope you find the ideal one for your chicken coop.
