Did you know that you could use the garden posts in your yard for solar lights? You just need to find the right lights. Solar post lights can be an efficient way to illuminate your yard during the night, be it for practical or decorative purposes.
In this article, we highlight the best solar post cap lights, and we explore the things you should look for in them.
Backyard Boss Top 5 Solar Post Cap Lights for the Summer of 2021
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Why You Can Trust Us
I've been working with solar energy products since I was a kid, fascinated with the concept of using the sun's energy to light up the world or power a speaker on our camping trips. Because of that, I've invested hundreds of hours researching solar products, testing out some on my own, and reviewing what others have to say about them.
I also use solar products at my home for lighting pathways, keeping plants happy in my indoor greenhouse, decorating for Christmas with solar string lights, and more, so I've tested many and know what to look for in a good product.
Best Basic Post Cap Lights
2-pack standard solar fence post cap lights
- Compatible with multiple post materials
- Available in black and white
- LED life up to 100,000 hours
- Casing feels cheap"
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Why We Like It: These lights from Davinci – a well-trusted brand – are available in sets of two lights, in either black and white. They are good for mounting on top of posts made from different materials, as long as they measure 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 inches. While the manufacturer claims they can be mounted on top of round posts, their square shape indicates that it's best not to experiment.
The lights have an IP44 rating and, if you read the buyer's guide we've written at the beginning of the article, you know what that means. The LEDs inside the fixtures promise us a lifespan of 100,000 hours, which is extremely generous considering the compact size of the lights.
The promised runtime on a full charge is eight hours, and they have a light sensor that automatically turns the lights on when darkness is detected. Other features of interest include a matte texture for the outer casing, 3.2 V 300 mAh lithium-ion AA rechargeable battery, and two LEDs with 15 lumens in total.
Who Should Buy It: Those who just need a good, basic fence post cap light will benefit from installing these.
Most Elegant Cap Lanterns
Elegant solar lanterns to mount on your fence posts
- Light sensors
- Absolutely beautiful
- Fits most standard posts
- Questionable light lifespan"
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Why We Like It: These beautiful lights fit most standard fence posts, making them a great choice for folks looking for some elegance.
These fixtures are available in a white and black version, each with LEDs that have an eight-lumen output. These are designed exclusively for wooden posts, so don't even try to install them on PVC or vinyl. Specifically, they are ideal for posts that measure 3.5 x 2.5 inches, and they come with a rail adapter.
You can opt between packs that contain two or four lights, depending on how many of them you need. Each of the lights measures 10.25 x 6.5 inches.
They have an integrated light sensor that turns the light on automatically when darkness is being detected. The solar panels are placed on the top side of the fixture so that they can get plenty of sunlight absorbed into the panel's cells.
Who Should Buy It: If you have some 3.5 x 3.5-inch wooden posts in your yard and would love a fancy set of solar post cap lights, these are definitely worthy of some attention.
Most Attractive and Unique Cap Lights
Beautiful stained-glass style cap lights for fence posts
- Gorgeous unique design
- Light sensor
- Easy to mount
- Not as bright as some"
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Why We Like It: This model looks like stained glass for your fence posts! The beautiful lights add color and beauty for an overall better aesthetic for your home.
The LED inside the fixture is seven-lumen-worth of bright and promises to spread light evenly in all directions. While cool-looking, we have to admit that the stained glass does trap a little bit of light, so these ones may not be as bright as other solar post cap lights.
The lamps are made with bronze plastic and have a metal frame, plus four stained glass panels on each side of the light. They come with wooden screws, so they are compatible with wooden posts that measure 3.5 x 3.5 inches.
Who Should Buy It: If you want to try some solar post cap lights with a different design, we suggest that you opt for this model. It is made with stained glass that spreads different colors as the LEDs inside illuminate the yard.
Best Long-Lasting Cap Lights
Unique, durable cap lights for fence posts available in three colors
- Bright light
- Three color options
- Works for wood, PVC or vinyl
- Only fits one size post"
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Why We Like It: We like the uniqueness and value of these lights. They're more expensive than some models but definitely higher quality than most.
The design of the light fixtures is pretty basic, but we are particularly fond of the cooper version, which looks more elegant than the others. Each of the fixtures has one LED light installed inside, which promises to last up to 100,000 hours before it requires changing.
The lights are only designed for posts that measure exactly 5 x 5 inches.
Who Should Buy It: Folks looking for high-quality, durable lights for their posts that will light up the night and ultimately be a great value.
Best Globe Cap Lights
Glowing ornamental globe cap lights for upgraded aesthetics in your yard
- Color-changing version available
- Lighting sensor
- Easy to install
- You can't choose the colors that cycle in color-changing version"
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Why We Like It: The design caught our attention – we love the simple, yet gorgeous aesthetics of these.
These globe-shaped solar lights are made with plastic and glass and come in a very unique design, which makes them perfect for homeowners who want to be different from everyone else. The lights are compatible with posts that are 4 x 4 inches or smaller, although there is no mention of what the post material should be.
You can buy a pack of two or four lights, depending on how many of them you need. The LEDs inside are available in a cool white and warm white version, but there is also a multicolored version that shifts through the different colors to create eye-catching setups in your yard.
Who Should Buy It: Anyone looking for a decorative upgrade with bright lights for their backyard can appreciate these beautiful, yet simple, cap lights.
Choosing the Right Solar Post Cap Lights
If you've never bought solar lights before, the good news is that they aren't that complicated to figure out. While they come in many different shapes and sizes, today we're going to focus on a very specific subcategory, which is lights that you can mount on top of an existing pole. So, what are the characteristics that a buyer should pay attention to?
Size
Because you are buying a product that should be mounted on top of an existing object, it's very important for these two to match in size. Basically, the light that you want to buy has to match the dimensions of the top edge of the post-it will be placed on. If the measurements are not correct, you won't be able to install the post-cap lights.
There are plenty of size variations for you to work with, but know that the most common ones are 3 x 3 to 6 x 6 inches, with 4 x 4 inches being the standard size for the majority of wooden posts found on patios and porches.
Weather resistance
Image credits: Davinci Lighting via Amazon
Whenever you buy a product that has electrical components and is designed for outdoor use, it's very important to pay attention to the waterproof factor. When it comes to choosing solar post cap lights, you will find that water, heat, or freeze resistance is even more important. Should you buy lights that aren't waterproof, the first rain or snow will destroy them.
These products come with an IP rating, which is the standard measurement of protection in products that have a certain level of resistance to dust, liquids, and the likes. IP ratings usually consist of two numbers: the first one indicated to the protection rating that a device has against solids, while the second number refers to the degree protection against liquids.
Let's look at more specific examples. When you're buying solar post cap light (or solar lights in general), you want to pay attention to the second number mentioned in the IP rating:
- If you see the number eight as being the second digit of the two, you should know that is the highest grade for a liquid IP rating, which means that the product can safely be immersed in water (up to a level and a certain duration mentioned by the manufacturer).
- If the second digit is six, that means that the solar post cap light will remain safe from high-pressure water jets coming from either direction.
- When the second digit of the IP rating is four, it means that the lights will be safe from regular water sprays coming from either direction.
Compatibility
Image credits: SunnyPark via Amazon
Aside from being compatible in size, post cap lights also need to be compatible with the posts that you want to install them on. For instance, some cap lights will only be compatible with a specific type of pole. You need to know that the poles in your yard are made out of one of three materials: PVC, wood, and vinyl.
The vast majority of solar post cap lights are designed for wooden post compatibility, as this is the most common material used to make posts in households. However, if your yard has posts made from vinyl or PVC, you need to make sure that the solar post cap lights that you're looking to buy can be installed on these particular materials. These details are generally specified on the label or the product page of the solar lights you're interested in buying.
Design
Of course, everyone wants a nice-looking yard, so every element has to fit the bigger picture. If your yard posts are round and painted in violet and you want to buy square-shaped lights that come in a brown case, it's safe to say that your yard will look like something a three-year-old would paint if he had an unlimited number of colors at hand.
There are plenty of design tips that you can follow in order to give your yard a nice look. For example, if you have wooden posts, buying solar post cap lights in brown is a good idea. If you have black posts, you want to look for black fixtures. The idea is to match the color and shape of the lights with the posts as much as you can.
Runtime
Image credits: Moonrays via Amazon
Runtime refers to how long a solar light will last when the battery is fully charged. What you want is a solar post cap light with as much runtime as possible, but be aware of the fact that you'll have to place it in a spot where it can get the most sunlight exposure throughout the day. If you place your lights in a spot that's sunny only for a limited number of hours during the day, the solar cells inside the panel won't have enough time to charge to the fullest. Ergo, your lights may go out in the middle of the night because the battery is drained.
Most solar post cap lights that are available on the market have solar panels attached directly on top of the fixture, which can be problematic if the post you're trying to mount them on doesn't get sunlight exposure throughout the entire time the sun is up.
Runtime is usually a specification that most manufacturers mention beforehand, but always be skeptical about these specs. There are changes that lights advertised to run throughout the entire night will run out of battery in about 6-8 hours.
Manufacturer Reputation
Another good thing to keep in mind as you shop is the reputation of the manufacturer. Do people seem to trust them? Do folks have a lot of complaints about the service side of the brand or do they love them? Are there complaints about warranty fulfillment or product replacement? Do there seem to be a lot of "lemon" batches going out?
Read the reviews from real-life Amazon users to learn a lot about products that you consider.
How We Picked
Each of the lights we've selected comes highly rated by real-life users on Amazon. Whether the main focus is function or beauty, each one is made by a trusted manufacturer, looks attractive, is well-made, stays lit a decent amount of time, and meets the other requirements we hold to for "good" products. We also looked for a variety of options so they don't all look and feel the same - we like versatility and are pretty sure you do, too.
Post Cap Lights Can Make a Difference
Solar post cap lights are a wonderful way to turn otherwise dull-looking posts from your yard into poles that can sustain a means of illuminating your garden. These are an energy-saving method of converting the sun's energy into light that can be used to showcase the beauty of your outdoor arrangements in the dark, but also to help you find your way through the garden once the sun goes down. Choosing a simple option like the trusted Davinci lights is a great option for most folks.