Solar Powered Address Sign - Tastefully illuminating your house number

Adding a solar powered address sign to the exterior decor of your home, or to your well-cared-for lawn is a tasteful and practical way to display your house number. Since it is powered by the sun, the solar address sign needs no electricity. This frees you to position it in any sunny spot of your choosing without digging trench lines or laying electric cables. And because these signs are made out of durable UV treated Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) these signs can withstand extreme temperature changes, and exposure to the sun. Wherever you choose to place your sign it will be able stand up to the elements.

House numbers can be difficult to see from the street at night. Illuminating house numbers with a solar address sign is an attractive, effective, inexpensive and dependable way to give direction to family, friends, or the pizza delivery boy.

As long as a solar powered address sign is in a position to receive direct sunlight it can be affixed to any surface or structure. There are a few of the latest and more expensive models that will work in partial sunlight. These are equipped with solar cells with a higher output designed to compensate for the lack of sunlight. Most models, however, will need direct sunlight.

Not only is the solar light visually appealing, but looking into its method of operation can be intriguing. The basic parts of the solar light are the solar panel or cell, batteries, source of lighting, and photocell.

Solar Panel or cell
While the sun's rays are available to the panel it absorbs this energy recharging the batteries of the solar powered address sign, for later use. For the majority of these signs, the panels are encased in the unit. There are circumstances that require the house number to be in a location that does not receive sunlight. Units are available with detachable panels, making it possible for the two components to be situated in separate locations. It's important to note that in order for the panel to receive adequate amounts of sunlight, its surface must be cleaned often.

Rechargeable batteries
Solar powered lights usually come equipped with batteries. Most units are designed to use Ni Cad (nickel-cadmium) or HiMh (nickel metal hydride) AA batteries. The batteries in the solar powered address sign should be fully charged before they are used. Begin by making sure the solar unit's light is off. Allow the unit two days in the sun before switching on the light. Other than cleaning the panels, the batteries are the only things that will require any attention from you throughout the life of the address sign. They may only need to be changed every one to two years.

Source of lighting
Because of all the features Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have to offer they are the best in lighting options for solar products. They offer brilliant lighting while using very small amounts of energy. In addition they also have extremely long life spans. You will probably never have to change the LEDs of your address sign as long as you own it, unless of course you'd like to change colors. LEDs are available in different of colors.

Photocell
The greatest convenience of the solar powered light is due to the fact that it automatically comes on after dark and goes off at daybreak. A small device called the photocell makes it possible for this to happen for your solar powered address sign. A photocell, also referred to as a light-dependent resister (LDR) is designed so that when it is reached by a sufficient amount of light it produces an electrical current activating the LEDs.

As you can see, there's more to a solar powered address light than meets the eye. It can be appreciated for all its qualities. For those found in its engineering, as well as those found in its practical benefits and in its attractive design. More on outdoor solar lights