Landscape lighting - hard-wired electrical vs solar-powered?

Electrical line is already available so what are pros and cons other than ease of installation for solar-powered? This is for a walkway from our driveway to front steps. Also, how about low-voltage vs normal voltage?

Public Comments

1. Solar power is better.
2. Solar power lights are a joke. Trust me. I've owned them in the past. Complete garbage. Go for the hard-wired ones. Shouldn't even be a question.
3. Go Electrical!! Solar is very flawed, sometimes they don't light if it has been cloudy all day, and they do not light very much. Solar is really just decorative, not very practical. Not to mention they break easily and you will be replacing the batteries constantly. If you need to actually LIGHT the walkway, you have to go electrical. The only downside might be installation and price. You have to run the line to each light and bury them. And they are considerably more expensive. Additionally you have to get a timer that could be pricey if you plan to have a lot of lights.
4. Why not both? If you're up to the extra expense. Just use a switch.
5. Solar is less expensive both in buying the equipment and electrical (duh). But it won't light up your yard more than just the small spots where you are putting the lights. This can give a nice effect on a dark evening but don't plan a dinner by it. Solar is also much easier to play with, you can put up the lights, try them for a while and then move them if you don't like it. Also the rechargeable batteries do die out every year to two and need to be replaced (some units will allow you to do this and some make you buy a new unit) Hardwired is brighter and lasts the whole night long. There are (currently) more options as far as style of fixtures and lighting (colors, spot lighting, etc). It's a tough choice but a nicely lit yard does add a lot to the look of a house. Good Luck. JCB
6. solar power disadvantages...Need to replace the batteries as they do wear out. The lites do not stay on all night as the batteries loose the charge quickly
7. Solar-powered are great if you buy good ones. They do stay on all night and they do give enough light to a walkway. Don't get the cheap ones. Electric ones are a pain because you always have to watch out for the cords, unless you put them under ground.
8. To answer your question properly, one would need to know why you are wanting landscape lights & the location of those lights. Most people only want a decorative effect & therefore don't need full-blown hard-wired lights. Good quality solars will be fine for them.
9. depends on how bright you want the lights, and how sunny the area is for solar. Solar lights are much much dimmer than what most think and you need full sun to charge them up every day. I have both. If you have electrical available use that and put in either low voltage or devices that you can change a bulb wattage if you dont like the way it looks at first. every situation is differant.
10. I have solar and they stay on all night long and I have never replaced batteries