While practical in allowing lighting to come closer to your front door after an overnight commute home from work, there are other potential emergency uses for solar lights that many people may not think of. Modern LED lighting has opened up a world of opportunities for energy efficient yet bright lighting in all types of solar energy applications. Some of the most popular uses for lawns and gardens are solar path lights and flood lights.
Power outages, while generally rare, can cause problems ranging from simple inconvenience to potentially dangerous situations, as humans cannot see very well in the dark, unfortunately. And while power outages don’t happen often, unless you’re prepared for a blackout situation in advance, it can be a real headache. And, if you didn’t have good batteries in stock or other emergency lighting options, maybe your fancy solar road lights can come in handy?
1 – Makeshift Lantern
Flashlights are nice and obviously you should have one or more in designated spots in your home for those situations just in case. However, what if you grab that trusty old flashlight and hit the switch only to find that the batteries are dead for so long since you last had to dust it off?
First of all, always remember to check or replace the batteries periodically to avoid that problem. If you don’t have extra batteries and are in a lights-out situation, this could be one of the emergency uses for solar lights.
Solar LED road lights are generally not that bright, so you will need to grab several of your solar road lights. These can usually be removed from your post or participation. Often times the dome or glass can also be removed to make them smaller. Next, find a large glass container, such as a large vase, jug, or jar, and fill it with as many solar path lights as you have or as many as will fit in the container.
In a pinch this could create a lantern with enough light for a living room or to carry from room to room as needed. If possible, hang the jar or container from the ceiling or ceiling fan, as doing so tends to brighten the room better than placing it on a table.
2 – Dark corridor lighting
You may already have some flashlights, oil lanterns, etc. to use around your home for certain rooms in a lights-out situation. However, in my own experience, having to go to rooms with no light, like the bathroom, requires you to carry one of those with you, which is inconvenient and leaves the room you are leaving without light for other people in your house.
Another emergency use for solar lights would be to install them in hallways, closets, bathrooms or other areas where you do not have to walk or enter as often and therefore would rather not have or have no extra flashlights etc. . Get out in those areas at all times.
3 – Night lights for children
As a parent, you may find that when the lights go out, your kids are suddenly left without that all-too-familiar nightlight in their bedroom that helps them feel safe and secure each night at bedtime. You may not have enough flashlights available, and you certainly don’t want to have flame-using lights like flashlights or candles around children when you won’t be able to monitor them. You may also want to use your batteries sparingly in flashlights in case the power outage lasts longer than anticipated.
One of my favorite emergency uses for solar lights is my kids’ night light. They work well for this because they are already designed for relatively low light and all (or most) of nighttime use. You can simply put them outside to recharge in the morning. Don’t forget it in case the power doesn’t work again the next evening!