Malibu 3 Pack Solar Landscape Plastic Flood Light Set with Remote Panel, Textured Black #LZ413
by Intermatic
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List Price: Category: Lighting See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Malibu 3 Pack Solar Landscape Plastic Flood Light Set with Remote Panel, Textured Black #LZ413
Customer Review: Best I've Found
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been trying different solar lights over the years. Older home with no power outlets outside (and not ready to invest) Usually, I've been sadly disappointed. These, however, give off a decent amount of light.
The lights are actually blinding if viewed head on. Shine enough to see the pathway in about a 6 foot range from each lamphead. Now, the logistics of setting them up is a little tricky but certainly not rocket science. Easy to put together but remember, you have a thin black wire running to each individual light from the remote panel so crisscrossing sidewalks etc can't be done. You'll need more than one set.
Really nice lights. NOT going to give you the amount of lighting electric lights will no matter how much you wish it so. The solar panel attached to base is a bit wobbly and tilts the wrong way at times but easy to give it a little nudge every now and then. (or give it a wee bit tape or other adhesive).
All in all, worth the 30 paid for what I needed, which is just a bit of light on the sidewalks and steps.
Customer Review: Good solar lighting
Summary: 4 Stars
I originally bought one set of these. After using it for about 2 weeks I felt comfortable enough to order 3 more sets.
You need to realize that when you combie solar power and rechargeable AA batteries that you are (obviously) totally reliant on the amount of sunlight that falls on the panel. I bought some Sony AA 2500 mAh batteries to go with these, but soon realized that the extra capacity meant nothing on gloomy days where the sunlight didn't use the extra storage. I use them to light a long driveway with a soft glow. Just enough to see where you are walking. They were also good when I shone them up into some trees that line my driveway (gave them a nice silvery glow).
The long and the short of it is that these are very bright after a good solid charge in direct sunlight. On gloomy days, they are not bright at all. In the winter, these won't be stellar players. I expect great things in the summer though.
All in all I am quite pleased with these units, given the inherent dependencies on the power of the sun!
Customer Review: Great Accent Lights
Summary: 5 Stars
These lights work great! They give off a surprising amount of light...nearly as much as the original Malibu 12-volt 4-watt spotlights which they replaced. You WILL need full, shade-free southern sunlight exposure for the solar panel but the 20 feet of wiring for each light allows some flexibility and the wires are simple to extend if you're a do-it-your-selfer.
Because our front yard faces north and gets a large amount of shade; I separated the solar panel from the circuit board/battery pack and mounted the solar panel on our south-facing roof. I ran a pair of wires down to the circuit board/battery pack which is mounted inside our garage. It was a pretty simple project and now we have "free" illumination of our front yard landscape from dusk to dawn.
We liked these lights so well, I bought a second set when they popped up as an Amazon Gold Box deal and now we have the second set installed in our backyard. It's a great feeling to have outdoor lighting all night long without the electric meter spinning away!
Customer Review: Has Been Working As Advertised
Summary: 4 Stars
When the unit was received, one of the three NIMH batteries (1500mah) was beyond help. How do I know ... I'm a retired Electronics Engineer with a LOT of training and experience in batteries of various technologies. Called the Intermatic folks and they sent me not just "a" replacement battery, but a new 3-pack. Good for them! While waiting for the replacement(s), I used some 2500mah NIMH batteries that I had laying around and the system worked great. Granted, being in the Desert Southwest the charging was never a problem. The lights (and I only installed 2 of the 3 since that was all I needed) stayed bright all night and into the morning until shutoff. Once the replacement batteries arrived I installed them and the system still works great, even on our rare cloudy days. I should point out that because of the scrub bush that I wanted to hide the solar panel behind I mounted it approximately 3.5 feet off the ground to maximize the exposure to the day's sunlight. I'm impressed thus far.Customer Review: The best, for the price.
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered these, a set from Heartland America, and a set from Moonrays. The Malibus aren't real bright, but I intend to buy a couple more sets to fill in. The Mailibu's have long cords to each lamp that plug into the sensor. If a cord fails, you still have the other 2 lights. They have adapters to mount to rails, walls, or stick into the ground. The Moonrays are attached along a single, tiny cord. If the cord fails, and it quickly will, the whole system is trash. The lights are only about 3-5' apart. They can ONLY be stuck into the ground and cannot be mounted to a hard surface. They also, don't respond to customer "service". I can't honestly report on the Heartland America lights, as they were broken when I opened the box. I live in a rural area. Repacking and resending these items is more costly than what they are worth. This is the only recourse we have.