Lighting Up The Backyard Fence: Solar, Wired, Or Something Else?
- Tried both wired and solar on my own fence last year. Here’s what I noticed:
- Wired was a pain to install—digging, running conduit, patching up after. But once it was done, zero worries about cloudy days or batteries dying.
- Solar’s come a long way though. Picked up some pricier ones with motion sensors and bigger panels. They actually made it through most of the winter, but a couple still faded out by February when we had those endless gray days.
- Renting definitely changes things. I wouldn’t want to drill into someone else’s fence or mess with electrical if I didn’t have to.
- One thing that surprised me: squirrels chewed through my low-voltage wire in two spots. Never thought about wildlife being an issue until then.
- If you’re just looking for accent lighting or path markers, solar’s probably fine now. For actual security or bright task lighting? Still think wired wins, but only if you’re willing to deal with the hassle upfront.
Curious if anyone’s tried those hybrid solar/plug-in lights... seems like a best-of-both-worlds idea, but I haven’t seen them in action yet.
One thing that surprised me: squirrels chewed through my low-voltage wire in two spots.
Those little guys are relentless. Had a raccoon yank one of my solar lights clean off the post last summer—guess he wanted mood lighting for his midnight snack. I’ve actually tried a hybrid solar/plug-in setup on a flip. It worked, but the cord management was a pain and it still needed a decent amount of sun to keep the battery topped up. Not a silver bullet, but better than nothing if you’re stuck with shade or bad weather. For rentals, I’d just stick with solar and call it a day. Less drama, less patching up when you move out.
Had a raccoon yank one of my solar lights clean off the post last summer—guess he wanted mood lighting for his midnight snack.
- Wildlife is brutal on outdoor wiring, no kidding.
- I’ve had rabbits chew through drip irrigation tubing, so I get the frustration.
- Solar’s been decent for me, but in winter the charge just doesn’t last. Wired is more reliable but yeah, the cord mess and critters are a headache.
- Anyone tried those battery-powered puck lights with remotes? Wondering if that’s less hassle or just trading one problem for another.
I’ve wondered about those puck lights too—seems like they’d be a quick fix, but I’m not sure how long the batteries actually last if you use them every night. I tried some motion sensor battery lights in my shed and honestly, swapping out batteries got old fast. Maybe the fence ones are better?
Has anyone tried running low-voltage wired lights but burying the cables in conduit or something to keep critters from chewing through? I keep thinking it’d be more work up front, but maybe worth it in the long run. Solar’s tempting for the price, but like you said, winter just kills the charge around here.
Kinda feels like every option has its own set of headaches... Wondering if there’s a “set it and forget it” solution that doesn’t cost a fortune or require constant maintenance.
Has anyone tried running low-voltage wired lights but burying the cables in conduit or something to keep critters from chewing through?
I actually did this last spring—ran low-voltage wire through PVC conduit along my fence. It was a pain to dig the shallow trench, but honestly, I haven’t had to mess with it since. Critters haven’t been an issue at all. The upfront work is more than solar or battery, but I’m not swapping batteries every month or dealing with dead solar in winter. If you’re handy, it’s probably the best “set and forget” option that won’t break the bank long-term.
