When you are living in an RV, you get to go to so many different places. Depending on the kind of lifestyle you lead, your travels might take you to unfamiliar grounds, far from the comforts and security of a traditional home. Camping, boondocking, and other outdoor activities especially off-the-grid sure are fun, but when night falls, you will definitely need some assistance if you want to see where you are and keep an eye on your surroundings. This is where an exterior light like a porch light comes in handy.
What kind of exterior lighting is the most convenient and efficient for RV living? A solar RV porch light would be your best bet if you are looking for RV exterior lighting that is convenient, efficient, and affordable with a good selection of special features.
There are a lot of exterior light options for your RV out there, but here is why a solar porch light is your best bet. These solar porch lights can give you more than just help you see things in the dark. Read on and I will tell you what a solar porch light can do for you, and how it fares in comparison to other RV porch light varieties.
Advantages Of Getting A Solar Porch Light For Your RV
It Is Easy To Use And Control
When you purchase a solar RV porch light you will be getting a single solid, working unit (maybe two if it comes with a remote control). The installation of a solar RV porch light is as easy as sticking it on whatever surface you want to place it on. You can use strong double-sided tape, heavy duty velcro, screws, or any fastener available to you. It will work perfectly fine.
Some units have buttons on them so you can manually turn them on or off, or adjust the brightness. Other units just have a button or switch attached to the unit. Still, they are very easy and straightforward to control.
It Lights Up Your Immediate Environment
A solar RV porch light does its job well, which is lighting up your outdoor space. This is especially useful when you are camping in more remote areas where electricity isn’t readily available. An outdoor light source is especially helpful for emergencies, for doing vehicle maintenance at night, or if you would just like to do nighttime outdoor activities like cook or have some friends over.
It Can Help With Security
One of the most useful features present in many solar RV light models is the motion sensing feature. Our RV adventures can sometimes take us to remote places with no one around for miles, or to places which generally feel unsafe. Living alone in a vehicle can make someone quite vulnerable, especially without enough safety precautions.
Turning on your solar RV porch light’s motion sensing feature means that the light remains turned off unless someone or something outside of your RV triggers it, which can alert you if there is anyone or anything present that you may not have been expecting, enabling you to be on alert.
It Is Energy Efficient
Because it is solar powered and completely independent, you do not need to connect it into your vehicle’s power source. It takes all of its energy from the sun and stores it into its own battery, therefore not draining your vehicle’s power source that you may need to save and use to power your other electronic devices.
Solar RV porch lights also have a clever daylight sensor, which automatically turns off your porch lights when it is bright outside, so it doesn’t consume any unnecessary energy.
Solar Rv Porch Lights Vs Regular Rv Porch Lights
Installation
As what we have mentioned before, solar RV porch lights are very easy to install. Just stick them on with any kind of heavy duty adhesive or mechanical fastener where they could catch some sunlight, and you’re good to go.
Regular RV porch lights can be a little more difficult to install. Since they do not have an internal power source, you will need to have at least some basic understanding of circuits and wiring to install your porch light. This involves connecting it to your vehicle’s battery or power source. This also limits where you could possibly place your solar porch light, depending on the length of your wires and the available slots for them in your vehicle’s interior.
Special Features
Both solar RV porch lights and regular RV porch lights can have special features such as motion sensors and daylight sensors. Once properly installed, both lights work pretty similarly and work pretty well. However, special features like motion sensors can be more easily found in solar RV porch lights.
Price
Solar RV porch lights and regular wired RV porch lights do not really have that big of a price difference. In fact, they can be pretty inexpensive. Depending on the brand, they can cost as low as $7 per unit.
However, higher-end regular wired RV porch lights can be more expensive than the high-end solar RV porch lights. It is also easier to buy solar RV porch lights in bulk, especially online. You can find 2-packs, 4-packs, or 8-packs of solar RV porch lights online at a $20+ price range.
Recommendations for Solar RV Porch Lights
ErayLife Outdoor Solar Light
This solar RV porch light is highly recommended by RVers and by people who purchased it on Amazon. It costs $35 for a 2-pack, meaning each unit costs around $17-18. It covers everything a solar porch light is supposed to do, along with some special features.
Aside from being powered by a solar panel, it can also be charged with a USB charger, if by any chance you get stuck in gloomy/rainy weather for an extended period of time. It also has motion sensors and adjustable brightness. Each pack is also accompanied by a remote control, which allows you to cycle through different modes–whether you want it on or off, or with motion sensing, or to adjust its brightness.
It is also waterproof and advertised as durable. It is designed to withstand changing weather conditions, making it ideal to be an RV porch light.
JUSLIT Solar Lights Outdoor
JUSLIT Solar Lights cost $29.99 for a 2-pack and $49.99 for a 4-pack. Solar RV lights are usually cheaper to buy in bulk. This particular brand can cost as low as less than $10 per unit. JUSLIT Solar Lights, according to user reviews, does just as advertised and illuminates a wide area (270 degrees) for its small size.
It also has motion sensing capabilities with the ability to adjust brightness. It detects motion from up to 26 feet away, making it ideal for security purposes. It is controlled with pushing buttons on the unit, as it does not come with a remote control.
It is also built to withstand changing and extreme weather conditions, so you will not have to worry about it breaking due to constant rain or snow. It will be an ideal companion to your RVing adventures.
XIRGS Solar Lights Outdoor
XIRGS Solar Lights can be a good choice when looking for porch lights for your RV. It has the basics of a porch light–it is easy to install, easy to charge, and emits bright light. It has lights on all three sides, allowing it to illuminate a wider area than models with only a front-facing strip of LED bulbs.
It also has daylight and motion sensors, ensuring energy efficiency. It is also designed for the outdoors, meaning that it will survive weather changes, from heavy rain, to snow, to hot weather. This brand and model does not come with a remote control, but its modes can be adjusted with the push of a button on the actual unit itself.
If budget is an issue, it costs only $29.99 for a 4-pack, which means each light costs only $7 to $8! They are well-reviewed and cover the basic uses for a solar porch light.
InnoGear Upgraded Solar Lights Outdoor
InnoGear Solar Lights are also one of the lower-budget models, costing the same as the XIRGS Solar lights at $29.99 for a 4-pack. Its LED lights are also located on all three sides, meaning it illuminates a wider area as well. This does not come with a remote control, so adjusting modes and features are done with the push of a button.
It does everything that is expected from a solar RV porch light, including different modes of brightness and special features like motion sensing and daylight sensing. It is good for security purposes, and it is also energy efficient. It is also durable and weatherproof, ensuring that it stays with you for a long time.
Conclusion
I am a firm believer that no one should be pressured into buying things that they don’t need, but if you are living in an RV or are considering getting one, purchasing a solar porch light is something you should seriously consider. It is affordable, hassle-free, and the convenience, advantages, and the feeling of security that it gives you would be definitely worth even more than the price you pay for it.
