Let us take a look at a common scenario. You have a shed in your backyard, it’s dark outside, and that shed is not wired – which means it has no light and nothing is visible! Why not get a set of solar lights you can use in your shed? Reap the benefits of free solar energy! Maybe you are having trouble deciding which exact light you should get? We cover all the features, pros, and cons of the best solar shed lights in this article.
These lights are easy to install, reliable, relatively inexpensive, and will save you from fumbling around in the dark after your kids created a mud-kitchen… in your normal kitchen. And they don’t need you to hire an electrician and dig a trench to your shed!
- The Portable Solar Kit from Eco-Worthy
- The Simple Bulb from Solar Light Mart
- Dual Kit for Inside and Outside by Uponun
- Aesthetically Pleasing Solar Light Kit for Shed by Suletake
- Outdoor Bright Solar Light Kit for Shed by Lineway
Solar Shed Light Reviews
1.The Portable Solar Kit from Eco-Worthy
Marketed as an emergency power kit, this solar panel, and battery kit comes with three LED lamps plus a built-in lamp as well as USB outputs for charging your devices. At just a little bit more expensive than some of the lights above, this system gives you everything you are looking for in an indoor shed solar light kit. Each LED produces 140 lumens for 14 hours after a full charge (that’s operating together, not separately), and the battery itself has an additional 1200 lumens LED on it. The lightbulbs can be hung on included S-Clips and it’s convenient to have the USB plug for when you’re working in your shed. Each LED can be turned on and off separately for convenience, and if you need to charge it manually, you can plug it into a car or your outlet.
Only the solar panel is waterproof, so install the LEDs and battery inside only. The cord from the solar panel is not very long, at 10 ft, so plan where to install it carefully. These are minor inconveniences, but it is worth noting that the solar panel is made to be portable and therefore does not come with a mounting bracket. If your roof is not too heavily sloped and convenient this is easily overcome, but if it is not you may need to fashion a bracket yourself.
One last note on this Eco-Worthy product is that it can be easily packed up and used for emergencies or camping, which has value in itself.
Pros
- Three remote lamps and one built into the battery
- Very long-lasting on a charge
- Easily hung lights
Cons
- Short cable and no bracket for the solar panel
- Indoor use only
2.The Simple Bulb from Solar Light Mart
This may be the simplest product out there – and we love that. It is easy to install with a very long cord. It is made for indoor installation only, and it is simply a hanging bulb that runs a cord outside to a solar panel mounted on the roof. Everything you need is in the box, it is turned on and off by a pull cord, and provides 300 lumens for 3 hours. This is an indoor solar shed light that is inexpensive, does the job, and not much else – which may be exactly what you’re looking for!
The light is not waterproof, and the 300 lumens is not the brightest light out there (less bright than your “40W” lightbulb). The pull cord means you have to put the light near the entrance of the shed. All of that being said, we love this light for its simplicity and easiness. This light will stop you from tripping on the rake and let you see the spiders while not breaking your budget.
Pros
- Simplest possible hanging light
- Traditional pull switch
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Indoor only
- 3 hours of operation
3.Dual Kit for Inside and Outside by Uponun
A solar shed light kit that comes with two lights – which can be installed inside or outside! These very bright lights are remote controlled and can either be set up to be on/off or run from dusk until dawn with a ten hour operating time. With a total of 32 ft of cable, a large solar panel and 1000 lumens each, these two lights will absolutely light up any shed, inside or out. They are dimmable and can be set with timers for better control.
However, the remote control is not ideal for interior use – again, a switch is much harder to lose! The lights look reasonably good – like flood lights – and the remote does allow for use at any time, making them useful for windowless sheds as well. Having two lights on one solar panel can be convenient for larger spaces, and you certainly won’t be disappointed in the brightness here!
Pros
- Quite bright and dimmable
- Remote controlled
- Indoor/outdoor use
Cons
- No manual override
4.Aesthetically Pleasing Solar Light Kit for Shed by Suletake
This pendant light is suited for the interior designer’s shed – it looks very cool. The brightness is quite low at only 40 lumens, but it does come with a complete solar shed light kit for easy installation, has a simple pull-chain to turn it on and off as well as a remote control if you want to use that. It will last 10 hours after a sunny day and can add some “pizzazz” to your space.
That being said, 40 lumens is enough to see the rake before you trip on it, but maybe not the spiders. If appearances are very important inside or outside your shed, a couple of these could get you in a magazine, but if you’re looking for utility first, this may not be the light you’re looking for.
Pros
- Great aesthetics
- 10 hours of operation
- Good waterproof rating
- Pull-switch for on/off
Cons
- Not bright enough
5.Outdoor Bright Solar Light Kit for Shed by Lineway
This 20 Watt solar powered light kit for sheds (and anything else) checks almost all of the boxes for an outdoor tool shed – it can be installed outside with the IP65 rating and 16 ft power cord. It is a complete kit, with mounting hardware and a remote control. The brackets for the solar panel and the light can be installed on the wall or a roof and the 1600 Lumens is about as bright as two “60W” light bulbs, and the light can operate for 8 hours after being fully charged. Some people have found the brackets a little bit flimsy, so ensure that they’re well installed.
The remote control allows this light to be programmed to use motion sensors, to be on for a set number of hours or to always be on a little bit (30%) until motion is detected. This light will not work well for an indoor shed solar light, since it relies on an outdoor light sensor to activate and the remote control is not convenient for that application – a switch is much harder to lose!
Pros
- Quite bright
- 8 hours of operation
- Good waterproof rating
Cons
- Relies on light sensor to turn on
- Take care while installing
Features in the Best Solar Lights For Sheds
Solar powered lights for sheds are exactly what the name implies – the sun keeps your shed lit up when you need it, with no need to run wiring back to your house. These are similar to outdoor lights for your backyard, but focus more on functionality, lighting up either the entrance to or the interior of your shed! This means we need to be looking for some specific features to find the right product to brighten up your life.
Solar Shed Light Kits
For those of us that – understandably – want an easy to install option, solar light kits that include the light fixture, battery, switch, cords, solar panel, installation screws and accessories and good instructions are the best answer! Everything you need comes in one box to your door and you can hook it up within a few minutes.
Solar Panel for Shed Light
The solar panel is one of the most important parts for your new shed light. Without it, you get no power! The solar panel should be mounted in the sun, and should come with a way to do this. This will often be a bracket and screws. Some panels allow for installation on walls, a pole or the roof, so pick the one that makes sense on your shed! Most of the time, the roof will be the most convenient place. Just don’t forget to seal any holes in the roofing when you’re done! Larger panels mean faster charge times – which could mean the difference between two hours of light in the evening or six hours.
Waterproofing Your Solar Shed Light
If you’re using your solar system for sheds to light up the path – in other words, exposed to the wind and rain – make sure to pick one that is waterproof. Look for an “IP rating” of at least “IP65”. This means that it is protected from dust and from rainwater. If you like to pressure wash your shed, use at least “IP66”. And even those installed inside a shed won’t be hurt by being waterproof!
LED Solar Shed Lights, Lumens and Battery
Only consider lights that use LEDs. They have a longer life, run longer on one charge, are easy to recycle and are more reliable than any other lighting technology right now. The number of “Lumens” a light produces is a measure of how bright it is. For reference’s sake, your normal lightbulb produces 460-870 Lumens. Use this as an estimate for how bright of a solar light you need. The last part of this is the battery size – the larger the battery, the longer the light will run before the next time the sun shines. This is normally shown in mAH, but practically you want to look for the number of hours the light can run. Using LEDs lets you get more brightness from the battery!
Miscellaneous – Solar Shed Motion Lights, Timers, Switches
Depending on what you are using your solar light for, you may want it to be controlled by a timer, a switch, a motion sensor or a combined solar motion light with an off switch! Outdoor tool shed lights for the pathway are probably best paired with a motion sensor and a solar sensor so that they come on only when it is dark and someone is moving nearby. However a solar light for inside a shed may be better off with a switch or a timer that you can control when you need it. And make sure that the light can work during the day if you’re putting it inside – many lights require the solar panel to be dark to operate!
How to Choose Your Solar Shed Light
Hopefully the information at the beginning of this article, and the reviews above, help you make your choice to brighten up your shed – inside or out – with a new solar light kit! If you’re still struggling, remember to go through your actual needs:
- Inside or outside?
- Aesthetics or utility?
- Remote controlled or simple switches?
- Very bright or just enough to get by?
- Motion sensing, light sensing and timer needs?
Then go through the above reviews and see which product matches what you need.
Conclusion
There is not necessarily a clear winner in this category of solar shed lights – it all comes back to what you need for your shed! All of the solar shed lights above have their advantages and disadvantages. However, if we needed to pick a single winner, we would go with the The Portable Solar Kit from Eco-Worthy for its large battery, fair price and other uses – although if you need lighting outside, this won’t work. For outdoor use, we like the Outdoor Bright Solar Light Kit for Shed by Lineway. Finally, you could always consider a DIY approach, not unlike the one discussed for the vintage hanging lamps – although the process would be a bit more involved. One could end up with a fully functional solar shed lighting system, indoor and out, with easy to use switches and great reliability for their shed – and they could tie in their porch lights, landscape lighting and spot lighting as well! This is not a kit – yet – and certainly would be more expensive than anything discussed in this article, but could be a very satisfying project.
Of course, don’t forget that you will need to clean your solar lights and panel regularly.
