Many people are surprised to learn we light our entire pool area with only solar LED landscape lights. The sun powers a soft evening glow with no wiring, no plugs, and no noticeable change to our electric bill. Today I’ll share the three solar products we use in case you want to brighten your outdoor space the same way.
We do have a porch light and in-pool lights that use conventional electricity, but we rarely turn them on — they’re bright and a bit harsh for the relaxed atmosphere we prefer. Instead, our everyday evening ambiance comes from solar-powered LEDs that provide a cozy, star-friendly glow.
I used to assume solar landscape lights were an inferior substitute for wired lighting — at our previous home we installed wired landscape lights ourselves and found it straightforward. But after using solar lights here, we’ve become big fans. Here’s why.
Why We Love Using Solar Lights
One initial motivation was avoiding the hassle of wiring. We installed solar lights as a temporary solution, but quickly realized they offer so many advantages:
- Easy to install: No wiring needed. Find a sunny spot, and you’re done.
- Placement flexibility: You aren’t limited by cables or outlets — place them wherever they’ll get sun.
- Affordable: Most options are budget-friendly and don’t increase your electric bill.
- Set-and-forget: Many models run from dusk to dawn automatically, so you don’t need timers or switches.
- Eco-friendly: They use renewable energy, which is always a plus.
We even filmed a short time-lapse showing how the pool area shifts from day to night with zero effort. On cloudy days the lights don’t last as long, but they’ve surprised us by running later than expected on many overcast evenings. If there are several gloomy days in a row, they may only glow faintly or not at all, but in those rare cases we still have the porch and in-pool lights if needed.
When friends visit after dark we usually gather around our firepit or on the upper deck, which are lit by plug-in string lights. The pool ambiance, on the other hand, is mostly for quieter evenings — perfect for a hot tub soak where the light is enough to see safely without obscuring the stars.
The 3 Outdoor Solar LED Lights We Use
Here’s a quick overview of the specific solar lights we rely on:
- Solar Pathway Lights (4-pack)
- Solar-Powered String Fairy Lights (strand-style)
- Solar Patio Umbrella Lights (designed for umbrella ribs)
Each product has a built-in solar panel and arrives ready to use. All of ours are warm white, which creates a pleasant, welcoming cast rather than a harsh, blue-toned light.
Solar-Powered Pathway Lights
These pathway lights are a favorite. They’re attractive by day and very simple to install: switch them on, stake them into the ground where they’ll get sun, and that’s it. The solar panel sits on top of the light and at night the LEDs create a starburst pattern on the ground that looks lovely along patios, paths, or garden edges.
We have them around the house — roughly 16 in total — and they typically stay illuminated well into the night, long enough for our needs. A few placed in shaded spots under plants fade sooner, so plan placements where they’ll receive direct sunlight.
When you get these lights, switch them on under the cap and test the brightness settings — they typically offer two levels. We use the brighter setting and still find the light soft and unobtrusive.
Solar-Powered Fairy Lights
We added solar fairy lights last summer and ended up installing them under the eave and along our fence. Installation is straightforward: tack small nails into the fence, wind the copper wire around them, and place the solar panel where it gets sun. One strand is about 33 feet long, which worked perfectly for our layout.
We mounted some panels on a roof corner and others on the fence top; many mounting spots are discreet and out of sight from the ground. Because the LEDs emit minimal heat, they’re great woven through bushes or used in seasonal displays. The lights often reflect beautifully on the pool surface, and while they offer gentle illumination rather than task lighting, they add a lot of atmosphere.
Solar Patio Umbrella Lights
After we liked the fairy lights, we looked for lights designed for umbrellas. These kits spread eight short strands from a center ring — ideal for umbrellas with multiple ribs. They include zip ties to secure the wires, and the solar panel clips to the umbrella fabric so it won’t unbalance the canopy.
The umbrella lights don’t provide bright task lighting for reading, but they layer gentle light over the seating area and cast attractive reflections in the pool. We wrapped the wires around the spokes to keep them secure when opening and closing the umbrella.
Altogether, these three solar lighting types create the layered, effortless ambiance we love for evening hot tub dips and quiet nights by the pool.
Bonus: Solar Motion-Activated Flood Light
We also use motion-activated solar flood lights in darker corners like near the driveway. These aren’t for ambiance, but they’re impressively bright and useful for security and convenience. They mount easily on trees or walls and can be angled to detect motion and illuminate the desired area.
Bonus: Wireless Security Camera
While not a light, we also added a wireless video doorbell that runs on a rechargeable battery. It was easy to install and gives extra peace of mind without requiring hardwiring.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your outdoor lighting, solar lights are an affordable, low-effort way to add atmosphere and function. They’re particularly great for ambient layers around pools, pathways, fences, and umbrellas. Give them a try — you might be surprised how much difference a little warm, solar-powered glow can make.
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