Archive for the ‘Solar Barricade Lights’ Category
Sitting in my office today I can hear the trickle of the rain behind me, and it made me think, at what point is bad weather too much for solar barricade lights? We all know they need a good amount of sunlight to get them started, but what about being too hot, or too cold?
Rain should never be an issue with a barricade light. They are designed so that they do not let water into the important components. The problem can be temperature, if it gets below zero where you plan on having them you may want to do a little bid more research and see if your lights can handle that temperature.
Battery powered or solar barricade lights?
Should I buy solar barricade lights or the typical battery powered barricade lights? This is a question I hear a lot, and the answer is not extremely simple, because it depends on your needs. If you only need your lights for a 6 months to a year, I would say stick with the battery powered.
If you want something that will be around for 3+ years, go with the solar powered barricade lights. These are designed to last but they do cost more. A typical figure is battery powered barricade lights cost half of what solar powered barricade lights, so if you just need them for a short time go with the battery powered lights.
Are Solar Barricade Lights from China?
It is very hard these days to track where products come from. A lot of times parts come from all corners of the world, are assembled in one country and then are sold in another. Solar barricade lights are not the exeception.
Most solar barricade lights have parts that come from Malaysia or China and are either assembled there or are assembled in the US. If you really want to know where your lights are coming from, you can try calling your distributor but chances are pretty good you will never get a straight answer.
Shipping info on Solar Barricade Lights
Shipping can be expensive, especially for those items that are big and bulky. Solar barricade lights are not very big, and usually weigh no more than two pounds, but the price can add up. Shipping can add up because it is not uncommon for people to order lights in quantities of 50 or more at a time.
There are many different freight carriers out there, so shopping around is always a good idea. For the best international rates, check USPS, they are typically about half the cost of UPS or Fed Ex. And always watch out for the overnight charges, they are out of this world!
Issues with Solar Barricade Lights?
There are a couple different problems or issues you can run into with solar barricade lights. Believe it or not, some people have trouble turning them on. There is usually a tool that comes with the lights that you can use to poke into a hole on the front or side of the light and you will find a button inside that hole.
Almost all solar barricade lights go from ’steady burn’ to ‘flash’ to ‘off’ each time you click the hole. Another issue can be the amount of time in the sun (if it doesn’t turn on). If it has been stored for awhile try giving it at least one full day of good sunlight before you figure it is broken.
Powers of Solar Barricade Lights
When you look on the internet and in traffic safety catalogs, you may notice there are a couple different types of solar barricade lights. There are type b solar barricade lights, and regular solar barricade lights.
Regular solar barricade lights are not powered by as many LEDs as type b solar barricade lights. Type b solar barricade lights are considered ‘hi intensity’ and produce enough light to be seen during the day as well as during the night.
Colors of Solar Barricade Lights
There are only three different lens colors for solar barricade lights that I know of. There is blue, red and yellow. Yellow is by far the most common, probably accounts for 85% of the industry sales.
Red solar barricade lights are most common in airport construction sites. Not all red solar barricade lights are FAA approved so it’s important to look into that. Blue solar barricade lights are by far the least common, they are almost impossible to find.
Solar Barricade Light Questions
There are many questions when it comes to solar barricade lights. Are they better than battery powered lights? Are they brighter? Do they last longer?
Well, to answer some of these questions, they typically have more LEDs. This means they are more efficient with the power they use and they are typically brighter. They also typically last 3+ years without changing the battery, where a battery powered barricade light takes around 2 months to run out of batteries.
How to find the best deal on solar barricade lights
If you are looking for the best prices on solar barricade lights, you have to think of a few different things. First off, realize that local stores will typically inflate the price because they know there is not many places you can find these solar barricade lights. When comparing online vs offline prices, check to see what the shipping costs are.
Some websites post really high prices but when you call then will bring them down, almost automatically. Also, a lot of websites do not post quantity discounts, you have to call to see what they can do for you. More info to come on getting a great price on your next set of lights.