Trans-Supply Blog – Road & Airport Safety At It's Best

Solar barricade lights are what you see on top of traffic barricades or traffic barrels.  You may see them on your campus, on you way to work, or in your small town.  They are a ‘greener’ alternative than battery powered barricade lights because you do not have to keep changing the batteries.

Solar barricade lights typically last 3+ years and even after that you may be able to buy replacement batteries, depending on the light.  You will notice that there are a lot more solar lights out there than there used to be, and it is because the technology has become cheaper to a point where it is economical to buy them when you weigh in how much you save from not buying batteries.

When driving past construction, I doubt the average person looks closely at the type of barricade light attached to the overwhelming amount of traffic barrels.  Because of my interest in the traffic safety industry, however, I like to see what brand and what type it is.  I am surprised to see that 70% of the time these are solar barricade lights.

I would never think they would be so popular because they are about twice the cost of battery operated barricade lights.  But, they are ‘green’ and you do not need to have batteries or worry about going out and changing the batteries.

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.

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 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!