Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Solar powered lighting for deck/porch

Hopefully this is in the right spot. Haven't posted in a while, spent 3 weeks off in between jobs building a 15 x 10 freestanding screened porch (which is finally getting finished about a month and a half later), with a low deck off to the side. It looks totally great, solid as a rock, and the most important part is that the wife loves it. Anyhow, we have no outdoor electricity, and she's really into the green thing, so I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on solar lights for the sucker.
Thanks.

Depends on whether you want it for accent or general lighting. Accent lighting can be achieved by individual solar canopy lights, whereas general lighting will need a battery bank with a solar collector, since the lighting will only be used when the sun is down (obviously).

I'd say general lighting for sure, and what is a battery bank. I don't know anything about solar power setups. In my mind, I'm seeing at least 1 "overhead" style light for the porch, and maybe a flood light style deal for the yard for taking the dogs out. Right now (meaning for the last few years) I have been running an extension cord from the house to a set of work lights in order to light up the backyard.

Good morning, Dave,

I think if it was my screen room, I'd run a line in conduit, add a central overhead, or maybe even one of the outdoor rated fans with light. I'd also add an outlet or two. You could use low voltage and motion sensing lights to be more energy efficient.

Solar may be all right for accent lighting, but I don't think it's reached a point, yet, in the yard, where it's dependable for much more than that.

I'm not familiar with the solar collector for yard lighting that Larry mentioned,Perhaps that's a more viable alternative... I'd like to be more environmentally friendly with lighting, but all the lights I've seen are incapable of illuminating much.Maybe he'll give us both some more info on that:)

Connie

Google solar battery banks to see what I am talking about. You collect the energy during the daylight hours and use it at night, so you have to store it somewhere.

Thanks, Larry.

Dave, there is a vast amount of info on this subject...one page I found helpful was this:
http://www.solarexpert.com/Pvbattery.html

It helps determine the size you need. All the buttons on that page give relevant info about batteries you'd use for solar collection. It looks cost prohibitive to actually order anything over the net- shipping is atrocious.

Connie

Thanks, I'll check it out and see if it is going to work out. At some point I have to run some electricity to the backyard anyway, so there may not be too much point to going crazy with the solar stuff.