Another Use for Solar Lights

[sunshinecruiserTN]

Now isn't this one great idea !!


I have a friend who used her Solar Lights inside the house at night when the electric power went off during a hurricane. She stuck them in jars and bottles and said they gave off plenty of 'free light' in each room. She put them outside in the daytime and brought them back inside at night for several days while the power was off. They are safe to use and cheaper than batteries. She recommended we bring a Solar Light into our own house one night to test it for ourselves.

Due to a thunderstorm, we lost power for about 5 hours one night. We were scrambling around in the darkness, looking for matches, candles, and flashlights. Then we looked outside and noticed our Solar Lights shining brightly all around the patio, stairs & dock. My wife walked outside and brought several of the solar lights inside. We stuck the Solar Light pipes into plastic drink bottles and they made the nicest, brightest, safest, lighting you could imagine. We put one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen and in the living room.

There many types of Solar Lights available. We bought quite a few and put them all around our yard. They look nice and do not attract flying bugs like the outdoor lights around our doorway. The lights we have fit into 20-oz. water bottles and also fit into most larger 2 liter bottles. If you need a weight in the plastic bottle to keep them from tipping over, put in a few of the colorful flat marbles they put in aquariums and vases. You can also use sand, aquarium gravel, or whatever you have available.

The Solar Lights we have are perfect inside our home. They burn all night when needed and next day we take them back outside where they recharge and are ready for use again when needed. Solar Lights are the perfect light solution for power outages. I had never thought of it before seeing what my friend did, and now you know about this idea too.

[VickieP]

Great idea!

[Dawn309]

That is a great idea. I have been thinking about putting a few solar lights around our campsites when we get on the road. They are not overly bright, but will provide light to take dogs out for final potty of the night. I don't think they would be bright enough to disturb other people. Has anyone used these at a CG?

[BarbaraRose]

I have solar lights with my camping gear. I put them outside my tent door so if I have to use the bathroom after dark, I can see where my tent is when I come back. They look nice too!

[chalet05]

I have been thinking of getting them for the winter Arizona site. Have seen several have them and I don't think they would disturb anyone.

[Dawn309]

Sold! I will get a couple to take with us. Slap on head! Working on clearing out the house, but keep thinking of things I need for MH and don't have. I am giving my knitting machine to my sister so I won't be taking that after all. No more often than I use that machine, I could not justify it. Also thinking of leaving one of my sewing machines. I have not used it for years. Have been keeping it for a back up, but don't need redundancy in MH. The reality is sinking in and I am looking at things with fresh eyes. If I have 2 of something, only need to take one. If it's something I only use every year or two, I don't need it either. I am going to really be brutal about my clothes. I keep telling myself will mostly be in jeans or shorts. Don't need dress slacks or suits! Don't even get me started on my shoes. Every now and then, I think I can wear wedges with shorts and jeans. Someone slap me up side the head!!

[oregonrambler1]

What a fantastic idea! this would work great when boondocking cause we always need 2 nightlights in the RV for safety (Mary's when she has to ...) I'm putting this item on our shopping list now. I think Walmart has little garden ones for about $4.00. The ones we have in the yard are too big and clunky and two of them sit atop decorative log stands so that wouldn't work.

@Dawn .. I envy you! Sometimes I look at our 'stuff' and wish I could just let it go. (a knitting machine would have to be a 'save' though ) All you ladies who are making lifestyle changes right now are giving me the urge to purge -cabinets, closets and sheds.

[WickedLady]

I have solar lights with on/off switches for saving the batteries. They can also be charged from an electric outlet. I take them with me when camping and have them in my house in case of power outages.

[avalen]

have lots of solar lights around our place and son brings some in the house often. They do work well for little accent light.
Had never thought of putting them in an old pop bottle but I sure like that idea.

[BarbaraRose]

Dawn, you can always store your machines with someone and then if you decide you want one with you later on for a project, you can always come back and pick it up and use it for awhile, maybe trade one machine for another each year or so, for different projects.

[Dawn309]

Barbie, that is an idea too. I may check into that to see which of the kids would let me do that if I decide to go that direction

[retiredhappy]

When I fulltimed I loved having solar lights around my campsite. Couldn't put them in the ground (usually way too hard) so bought some empty quart paint cans and painted them. When I arrived at a campsite for workamping I would buy a bag of kitty litter and fill the cans and insert solar lights. Voila - lights that wouldn't tip over. When ready to leave just dump the kitty litter and store the empty, lightweight cans.

[Dawn309]

Karen,

Great idea. I bought 4 solar lights yesterday and I have a bag of kitty litter. Now just need to find something to put them in. Don't have any empty paint cans, but I bet there is something I can use in the garage. I didn't think about not being able to get them in the ground.

[cpatinjones]

Great ideas Carolyn and Karen!

[Readytogo]

I actually did that last time power went out. When I stuck my head out the door to see if everyone else's was out to, I saw them and got the bright idea! At the cg I go to at the lake everyone down at the other end has out them all along the shore. Looks really neat from out in the boat, plus helps us find our way back!