Best Solar Powered Dusk to Dawn Light – Buying Guide and Reviews

What’s YOUR reason for scrolling through this page on solar dusk to dawn light options? If you need the best solar powered dusk to dawn light, you’ve come to the right place. And if you accidentally navigated here, keep reading. A solar-powered light could be just what you need. These flood light products can be the investment you need for a variety of scenarios!

Home of office renovations? Security light required? Trying to save energy with solar and LED use? The lighting applications are endless for these solar lights that switch on at dusk and off at dawn, so you may find an easy solution to your everyday lighting problem below. We’ve compiled insightful details about solar powered dusk to dawn lights so you can shop like an expert. Our list of solar-powered light models for dusk and dawn use, showcase the best on the 2020 market.

Let’s help you make the best solar-powered light purchase this year. 

The Basics on Dusk to Dawn Lights

Dusk to dawn solar lights deserve their own niche in the light industry because they’re unique. Combined with LED light they make for floodlights and lamp solutions. The dusk to dawn lights switch on once the sun sets, creating low light conditions. In the morning, once the sun is up, the light turns off by itself.

This unique set of lights can turn on and off, not by you setting a timer, but thanks to modern technology enabling them to detect light:

• PIR: A passive infrared sensor will pick up when the appropriate low light conditions take place.
• LDR: Light-dependent resistors can determine how much light is present and ensure the light activates at dusk and switches off at dawn accordingly

When the season changes and the sun sets early, there’s no need for your to fiddle with settings on a timer; but you’ll still have light when you need it.

See how the best solar lighting makes life better?

• You save electricity
• No managing the lights between dusk and dawn
• Lower power use levels lower your carbon footprint

Who Needs a Dusk to Dawn Light?

As mentioned, these solar lights can be beneficial in various circumstances at home or in the commercial sector, such as:

• Let solar security lights in a parking lot or outside an office building turn on at dusk. With more visibility, it creates a safer environment for workers, clients, and consumers. 
• Home security is better when there are lights on outside after dusk, so burglars can’t hide in the shadows. These solar security lights mean you don’t have to remember to switch them on. 

The best solar lighting is for use by homeowners AND businesses. 

Why Should You Invest in Solar Powered Lights?

Now, don’t simply get a dusk to dawn light but make sure it’s a solar-powered unit. A solar panel unit further diminishes your reliance on the grid and even if your lights stay on all night you won’t have high electricity use. So, solar power is good news for your budget.

If you’re nature conscious you know it’s better to use solar power than other sources of electricity. The most important reason to invest in solar-powered light is that you won’t be dependent on a traditional power source for security. If the grid goes down for a few hours your floodlight will still shine thanks to the solar panel that collected energy. Criminals can’t boycott your security by cutting the power to your home, because you’re generating your own. 

Here Are The 10 Best Solar Powered Dusk To Dawn Lights You Can Buy In 2022:

This model ranks at the top of our list because it’s not only solar powered dusk to dawn lights but the units have motion sensors too. This gives you two more settings to pick from than simply having the solar dusk light shine all night: let the LED light become super bright when someone passes or keep it switched off until there’s motion that can be detected. It can sense this motion as far away as 26ft, even at a 120° angle.

Some users would like the solar dusk to dawn flood lights to stay on longer after the sensor is activated by motion, but that’s a personal preference and not a deal breaker.

This model uses PIR technology and the 182 LED solar lights in each unit are very energy efficient. You’ll also appreciate the IP65 rating that means it won’t easily get water damaged outside if you live in an area with high rainfall.

You receive two lights with your purchase, so you can rig up the front and backyard with one purchase. Just remember to install it higher than 5.6ft for the best results. The brand does provide screws so it’s fairly easy to install. The lithium-ion battery is also part of the kit. 

Here’s a dusk to dawn light you’ll appreciate for its longevity since the floodlight can stay on for over 18 hours if it’s fully charged by sunlight. And it charges within 6 ½ hours if there’s good sunlight. So chances of the LED light going off halfway through the night are slim.

You’re sure to get the right angle for optimum solar charging because the solar panel can adjust through 180°. This makes it easier to find a dynamic spot to install the lighting. Because you get a long connection cable—16.4ft in total—you have flexibility when it comes to picking the right spots for your solar panel and light.

This floodlight has fewer LED lights than our first reviewed product—30 in total—but it still provides a decent light. The IP65 waterproof rating and certifications with FCC, ROSH.MSDS, EC, and UN38.3 prove its value.

The dusk to dawn solar light is easy to install, but some users do wish for clearer instructions. 

If you have multiple areas you want to light up at dusk, these solar lights may be on your shortlist because you get six floodlights in the kit. We also appreciate the modern design, so they’ll add some aesthetic value to your property. At 5” x 5.2” x 2.7” it’s easy to find an open spot to mount one of these dusk to dawn lighting kits, ideally on a gutter where it gets direct sunlight.

Note that this only has an IP55 waterproof rating but they’re still good as solar security features. There are nine LED solar lights that provide you with a bright light source. This is the brand’s upgraded version, so many components have been improved upon.

This is user-friendly solar dusk to dawn lighting since the solar panel is part of the unit. Simply attach the solar light with the help of the provided clip and you’re done. No wiring necessary!

Note that it’s ideal to switch the AA batteries provided with higher quality ones. The dusk to dawn lights will work for longer when fully charged on quality batteries, rather than the lower-grade ones the brand offers. 

When you’re after a lot of light you’ll find the 208 LED lights in this dusk to dawn kit very valuable. Yes, each unit in the 2-pack has over 200 LED sources of light. The LED solar flood light unit results in 3600 lumens, enough to light up a large area. You also get coverage across 270°, thanks to the unique positioning.

The LED floodlight has all the specs you want such as the IP65 rating, making it waterproof. You get three settings: the dim lighting mode and two motion sensor settings, namely dim or strong floodlight sensor modes. The motion sensor will pick up movement 20ft or even 26ft away.

Many users report how durable these solar lights are. The solar flood light units are light, making them easy to handle during installation. Just note that the provided tape isn’t always strong enough to secure the solar lights to the wall. Rather use the screws. 

Here’s one of the best solar lighting options that are also easiest to install: simply stick them in the ground! These pathway solar lights come with sharp PVC components you can easily push into the soil in your garden. Make sure they catch direct sunlight each day and your garden will be lit up at dusk.

They’re beautiful, ideal for use in a manicured garden, but still, each light is of high quality, lasting 8 hours or even 12 hours if charged. Note that the solar panels need more than 5 hours of charging time for proper battery life; usually up to 8 hours if you want a light to last all night. They produce only 6 lumens so you’ll need a pack of eight solar lights to property light up your garden.

The steel structures make for durable lighting although tempered glass would have been better than plastic transparent sections. But with IP65 ratings these will keep for a long time. 

This brand approached the design of their motion sensor dusk to dawn light in a unique manner, giving you one product that lights up two different sections of the garden. The two floodlight panels with 20 LED lights each provide light for a substantial area, with the two solar flood lights providing 6000K.

This is another dusk to dawn model that has a motion sensor that determines how bright the floodlight will shine. In general, the dawn solar light unit will produce 10% of its brightness but triggered by movement the solar floodlights will increase to super bright lighting for a full minute; this gives you a chance to see if there are any intruders.

This is a versatile security light that allows for wall or ground mounting. You can even use solar lights when you go camping.

These dusk to dawn lights will provide 8 hours of LED light if they can charge for around 5 hours during the day. Just note that they’re not the most durable dusk to dawn solar lights on our list. 

If quality is what you’re after, this is one of the best solar powered dusk to dawn light options because it has many steel components as opposed to plastic. It’s waterproof and the dusk to dawn light design ensures the switches are protected by the unit itself since they’re positioned on the bottom. However, note that it carries an IP44 rating only. But it won’t rust so you’re making a long term security light investment.

Similar to some other floodlight models you can pick one of three settings: let it switch on at dusk or pick a setting where the motion sensors determine the brightness. Save power by keeping the light turned off unless there’s movement, or keep the solar light on dim during the night and as soon as something triggers the sensors, you’ll have a bright security light for 30 seconds, showing you what’s going. The motion sensors can detect movement within a 120° radius.

With this one you get 330 lumens, which isn’t the best-LED light on our list, but sufficient. It’s created by 21 LED lights and this dusk to dawn model requires around five hours to charge properly. 

Here you have another aesthetically pleasing dusk to dawn solar flood light: the circular-shaped dusk to dawn light is easy on the eyes.

It’s high tech as well, incorporating a motion sensor that will boost the LED brightness whenever there’s movement. This sensor will work for a 180° radius. The rest of the time there will be a dim light that won’t disturb the neighbors, but burglars will think twice about trying something on your property.

Although made of mostly plastic components the dusk to dawn light does have an IP65 rating so rain and other weather conditions won’t stop it from working properly. We also think it’s a smart design with the solar flood light being able to rotate 80°, making it easy to find a position where it gets optimum exposure to the sun’s rays.

With plastic components, know that it’s not the most durable dusk to dawn light. If you exert too much pressure on screws or other parts they may crack, so take care during installation. 

Here’s another stylish dusk to dawn lighting option if you want a minimalist approach to solar security light installation: these lights are mounted on aluminum poles, so they don’t take up much space and they look modern.

Each dusk to dawn light will provide 450 lumens thanks to 36 LED lights. And you get two units with your purchase so you can amply light up your garden or parking area.

With these lights, you have even more freedom of choice: four different settings. Do you want to have a bright or dim light during the night? Or use the motion sensor and have it increase the brightness to super bright when triggered? You can also have the light off after dusk and only on when the motion sensor is activated. Whatever makes you feel safe at night! The brand even added safety features such as short circuit protection.

You’ll have an easy installation by simply attaching the provided pillar hinges to your wall. Just note that although it has an IP65 rating, some units do let water inside the solar floodlight.

Last on our list of best solar powered dusk to dawn light options, but still vastly impressive, is the Topmante solar powered dusk to dawn lights. These attracted our attention because you get a light that provides ample brightness in a total radius of 270°. It’s a practical dusk to dawn light if you don’t have much space to mount lights: one light can solve all your problems because it lights up such a large area.

The 800 lumens rating is thanks to 30 LED lights found on three separate surfaces. There are two spotlights on the side and one center solar floodlight. You can move the spotlights around so you get light where you need it most.

The solar panel itself can rotate 360° so you have more chance of getting the sun exposure you need. Within 8 hours your solar flood light can have a full charge.

The model does have an IP65 rating and a motion sensor so it’s an all-round winner. Just note that it’s not the brightest dusk to dawn light on our list and some components such as the screws aren’t the best quality. 

Buying Information

Pick the Right Type

Don’t simply browse and pick the solar flood lights everyone is talking about. First, identify where you’ll need your new solar panel powered light; and of course where you’ll get maximum direct sunlight exposure. The solar dusk to dawn lighting market caters to many scenarios so you can buy according to your home, garden or business property’s layout.

Types of solar flood lights you can consider include:

• Lawn solar flood lights you can push into the soil or along a pathway.
• Solar lights you can position to light up steps at night so no one using the property hurts themselves at night and before dawn.
• Solar flood lights that provide a very bright light, usually appropriate for areas such as parking lots where you can’t disturb the neighbors.
• A light meant for security purposes that will increase the brightness to alert you of any intruders.
• What types of material will work in your scenario and expected weather conditions? If you get a lot of hail, tempered glass may be better than plastic. And steel is also a good investment, but it’s pricier. Plastic can be considered, especially if you live in an area where you don’t expect extreme weather conditions.
• LED light is a wise, energy-efficient source of lighting, rather than traditional globes.

So, start by listing your requirements and then start shopping for the best solar dusk to dawn lights around.

What Size will Really Work?

Bigger isn’t always better. If you simply need to shed some light on your pathway to the garage or the front porch, don’t go for a solar panel floodlight with too many lumens. The brightness may bother you or your neighbors. Measure the area you want to light up and purchase an LED solar light designed for that purpose.

Also, consider the size of the solar panel. A larger solar panel will offer more power but do you have a spot on your property where that specific size solar panel can be positioned in direct sunlight? Also, consider how it affects the aesthetics of your home so it’s not an eyesore. The smaller, modern-looking solar dusk to dawn lights carry a lot of value. 

Consider the Light Output

The important spec to look at is how much light it provides because this tells you how much light you’ll have once the lighting switches on. It’s usually measured in lumens and 1000 is a good rating for home use. It’s brighter than a normal bulb that delivers 800 lumens.

But you’ll also find solar dusk to dawn lights that can provide 3000 lumens or even more. These solar floodlights are ideal for lighting up a large area such as parking lots for a business.

Angle is Important

Next, you have to read up on all the angles you can use to your benefit:

• Can you swivel the solar panel to optimize sunlight exposure?
• Is it possible to adjust the light position so the beam is angled where you need to see clearly once it’s dark?
• At what angle will the light shine its light and how wide is the radius? 120°? 270°?

These specs of the solar dusk to dawn light you purchase must help you solve your lighting challenge.

Battery Capacity Determines Value for Money

A solar light charges during the day and then the battery must be sufficient to keep the light burning all night. So, research how many hours the solar panel and battery will need to charge. This can be 6 hours or 8 hours in most cases but even as much as 10 hours. Then consider if where you stay will provide enough hours of direct sunlight. The battery life must match the time you need the light to work at night. Do you need 10 hours or is it only dark for about eight hours each night?

Mounting Determines Efficiency & Easy of Use

You need to position the light in the perfect spot where the solar panels get enough sunlight during the day and brightens up the area at night. So, is there a place to mount the solar unit and the light where both these requirements are met?

With some lighting designs, the solar panel is part of the light’s casing and with others, the solar panel is a separate unit. The latter is helpful if you need flexibility in mounting options. You may have many trees surrounding the area where you need light at night. If the solar panel is separate you can position it somewhere else where leaves won’t block the sun’s rays.

Also, consider the mounting options for the solar panels the brand provides. Will the clamps, screws or adhesive work?

Valuable Extra Features

The following features can push up the price of your solar light, but they often make for the best investment.

Waterproofing

Solar-powered dusk to dawn lights are usually used outside. That means they will be exposed to the elements. So, make sure your new light has an impressive waterproofing rating such as IP65. This means that there’s little chance of water entering the unit after a rainstorm.

Motion Sensors

You can see from our list of dusk to dawn products that motion sensors often get included. They’re valuable because:

• You get a valuable security light because it alerts you when there are trespassers outside.
• You can save energy because it will only switch on or increase brightness when there’s movement.

Remote Control

A remote control is always handy and makes for luxury living. If you want to change the settings, a remote control is a better option than getting onto a ladder to manually adjust the switches, right?

Research Certifications

You’ll often see certifications mentioned in marketing material. These would mean that the light and solar panel passed certain quality testing. To ensure you’re making the best investment it’s wise to have some proof of durability and efficiency.

What’s Your Budget?

The price will always affect what you buy. The good news is that you don’t have to select the best or most expensive products. Some of the more affordable lights on our list could match your requirements.

Also, remember to make sure exactly what you’re paying for. Some kits include multiple lights—even six or eight—while for others you only pay for one unit. You can also double-check whether mounting components are included so you can determine if there will be additional expenses. 

Final Words

So, which of these best solar powered dusk to dawn lights caused your interest to brighten?

It’s all about buying according to what your home or commercial premises require. Is it a security concern that requires a bright floodlight or will an ornamental LED garden light do the trick? They all make life a little easier by switching on and off themselves. Just make sure you position them in direct sunlight for optimum results.