I get the appeal of solar, especially when you’re dealing with a yard that’s full of surprises. I went wired a few years back—thought it’d be a one-and-done solution—but ended up hitting old bricks and what I think was an ancient clothesline pole. Not fun. The reliability is nice, but honestly, if you’re not looking for stadium-level brightness, solar’s probably the way to go. Just keep an eye on the battery life; some brands really don’t last more than a season or two.
Totally hear you on the buried surprises—digging in my yard is like opening a weird time capsule. I’ve had to reroute wiring more times than I care to admit. Solar’s definitely come a long way, though. If you go that route, I’d suggest mounting them where they get max sun, even if it means not lining up perfectly along the fence. Also, some of those motion-sensor solar lights are surprisingly decent now, but yeah... battery quality is all over the place. I swap mine out every other year just to avoid the mid-winter letdown.
digging in my yard is like opening a weird time capsule
That’s the truth—never know what you’ll hit underground. I’ve seen everything from old sprinkler lines to random chunks of concrete. Solar’s definitely less hassle if you want to avoid trenching, but I’m with you on the battery gamble. Sometimes the “good” ones still tank after a rough winter. If you’re set on solar, maybe try a hybrid setup? Wired low-voltage along the main fence, then supplement with solar in the trickier spots. Keeps you covered if the sun or batteries don’t cooperate.
never know what you’ll hit underground
That’s for sure. I once tried to run low-voltage wiring behind a rental and ended up hitting what looked like an old brick BBQ pit—completely buried, no clue it was there. Ended up rerouting everything just to avoid the mess. I get the appeal of solar for avoiding all that, but honestly, I’ve had mixed luck with those little solar fence lights. Some are great, others just fade out after a season or two. Hybrid setup sounds smart if you’ve got a tricky layout or a lot of shade in spots.
Funny you mention buried surprises—I once tried to dig a trench for landscape lighting and hit what turned out to be an old metal toy truck. Scared me half to death, thought I’d found a pipe or something important. I hear you on the solar lights being hit or miss. The ones I put in last year are already flickering, but my neighbor’s seem to last forever. Maybe it’s just luck or the brand? I do like the idea of mixing it up, though—wired where you can, solar where you can’t. Keeps things flexible if you ever change your mind about the layout.