If you’re looking for a little extra light around your property, then solar security lighting can help. This type of lighting doesn’t require additional batteries or electrical hookups and can be installed relatively quickly.
There are several solar security lighting companies out there, but one that you’ll run into repeatedly when researching this type of lighting is Litom. Litom has been making and selling solar lighting since 2013. Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of their more recent products, the 300 LED Solar Motion Sensor Light, to find out if it deserves a spot on your property.
Meet the Litom 300 Security Light
The Litom 300 LED light is a solar-powered security light that is waterproof, frost-proof, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive. It offers 300 ultra-bright LEDs for shining some light on all those dark corners around your home, and it uses solar power, so you won’t have to change any batteries.
300 LEDs is the maximum for security lights in the market currently. Right now, you can grab a two-pack of the Solar 300 LED on Amazon for less than $25. Sometimes, they sell for as low as $21.99. The light is also IP67 rated for extreme weather.
Litom is sponsoring this review today, so we want to thank them for providing these lights for this review.
Build Quality and Design
The 300 LED unit is made primarily of plastic. It feels solid in hand, and the outer shell feels durable enough to withstand harsh weather conditions. At the top of the unit, a mini solar panel powers the light’s internal battery. On the front of the unit is a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor that can detect motion even in extremely dim conditions.
On the back of each light is a single rubberized button, which controls three mode settings. These mode settings each have different behaviors based on how you’d like the light to operate.
Pressing the button a single time will set the light to turn on at maximum brightness when it detects motion, stay on for 30 seconds, and then turn back off automatically.
Two presses on the button sets the unit into dim-light mode. With this mode, the light will stay dim constantly until it detects motion. At that point, the light will rise to full brightness for 30 seconds, or until motion stops, before returning to dim mode.
A third press activates the third mode which ignores the light’s motion sensor altogether and turns the unit on at full brightness when it’s dark. This mode will drain the internal battery the fastest and only lasts around 5-6 hours. If you have an area of your home that you would like constant light for, this is the best mode, despite being slightly less efficient.
What’s in the Box?
Inside the box for the Litom 300 Solar Motion light, you’ll get:
- 2 x Solar motion LED lights
- 1 x Instruction manual
- Mounting hardware w/template
Installation
To install this light, you’ll use the two mounting holes at the top of the unit.The included template will help mark these holes. If you’re mounting to something like drywall or stucco, it is recommended that you use the provided plastic anchors as they will provide a more secure mount than screws alone.
Once you’ve marked off your mounting holes, you can drill into the surface using a drill bit and lightly hammer the anchors down before mounting the lights using the included screws. The lights are wireless, so you don’t need complicated electrical connections.
One thing to note: when installing these lights, they must be in a place where the direct sun can reach the solar panels. If you mount these lights in an area blocked from the sun, the lights won’t charge.
I used double-sided tape to adhere the lights without drilling any holes. Renters might find this tip useful if they want to keep their security deposit. Just take a small piece of double-sided tape and attach it to the back of the light. Then stick the light up in a place where it can get direct sun.
Doing this may cause the light to fall in severe weather, but with heavy-duty 3M branded tape, hopefully, it won’t be a problem. And you can still remove the lights when you move out.
What’s Good About the Litom 300 LED Solar Motion Sensor Light?
I think these lights are great for adding a little extra brightness to back yards, sheds, and sidewalks with overhangs. As long as you can ensure that the unit gets direct sun, then you have a solid maintenance-free light that should last for years. The wide angle of the light also gives a large field of view.
The lights are easy to install, and there are no bulbs to fiddle with or batteries to change. It really couldn’t be much easier to install security lights if you use Litom. The 300 LEDs are also extremely bright, and the motion detection works well. All of those things are great about these lights.
Also, I should mention that along with the 300 LED version, Litom sent its 100 LED version of these lights, which works the same way as the 300 version. If you need something a little smaller, or you have a smaller space you’d like to light, then these are also something you may want to consider.
What’s Not So Good About These LED Lights?
As with any product exposed to the elements, you should not expect these lights to last forever. Though they seem like a quality product, they will eventually fail after several charging cycles or several seasons. The good news is that they are inexpensive, and you can easily replace one if it goes bad. They also carry a warranty of 24 months if you register them on the Litom website.
Because they are solar-powered, the 300 LED solar motion lights are dependent on the sun to work. That means if it’s overcast, cloudy, or rainy, then they might not have the required charge to operate in the dark. In other words, I wouldn’t use them as my only light source. These are supplemental security lights, and even though they function well, you should probably have other lights just in case.
Should You Buy the 300 LED Solar Motion Sensor Lights?
For the cost, you really can’t go wrong with these little lights. They’re powerful enough to make you feel safe, durable enough to last for a while, and inexpensive enough that you can outfit your entire property. Overall, they’re a decent quality light that you will not regret picking up.