All of this coverage of CES 2010 got me to thinking: Where were the solar powered lights at this year’s CES? There were a couple of solar rechargeable flashlights from Energizer, but I have not seen any reports of new solar lights that you can use around your house from CES 2010. So, today we’re going to enjoy a blast from the past by looking at a couple of cool solar lights that lit it up at CES 2009!
Solarbulb Lights from Miniwiz
First up are the Solarbulb lights from Miniwiz. These are pretty cool, because they screw on to any standard beverage bottle with a 28mm neck to turn it into a solar light. The solar panel is on top, while the light actually shines down into the bottle and creates cool light patterns based on the shape of the bottle you are using. Presumably, you should fill the bottle with water to make it more stable and less likely to blow over in the wind, but these could certainly serve well as solar garden lights; however, Miniwiz cautions that they are weatherproof but not water proof, so they shouldn’t be left out in heavy rain or snow. Also, it is important to note that the Solarbulbs pulsate, rather than putting out a constant level of light, as is eloquently pointed out by this one unhappy customer, who bought the Solarbulb for $28; he also says that the light sensor is a bit sensitive, so the light comes on earlier than it should. In any case, the Solarbulb will provide 5 hours of pulsating light after charging for 4 hours in direct sunlight. If the pulsation is not a problem for you, and you only need them to be on for a few hours after dark, the Solarbulb does look like it could be a pretty cool option for outdoor solar lighting.
Solar Security Light from Maxsa Innovations
Next is a very bright solar security light from Maxsa Innovations. This may not have quite the cool factor that the Miniwiz solar lights do, but, if you need a security light, it will definitely do the job. If you took a look at the video of the light in action, you know that there is no question that its’ 80 LED lights make it plenty bright. The battery will fully charge in 6 hours of sunlight, and will provide a total of 2 hours of light. You can run it as a porch light for 2 hours straight, or, if you are using it as a security light, it will come on 120 times for 1 minute each before the battery runs out of juice. The light also comes with a 15-foot cord, so that you can put the solar panel in a position that will allow it to collect a sufficient amount of sunlight. At the time that I am writing this post, I can see that someone is selling 2 of these on Ebay for $198, so that gives you an idea of how much these lights might cost you.
So, there you have it: 2 options for outdoor solar lighting for your eco friendly home. If you can get free power by going green, why pay for electricity?