Evo36 Solar Security Light

After buying some solar spot lights for my garden I was sent this Solar security light to review. I will state from the outset that I did not let this arrangement influence my views of the product. First impressions after unpacking were good, the solar panel and light seemed to be well made and certainly not cheap and shoddy, as some solar products are. After reading the installation instructions my first doubt surfaced. It recommended that the solar panel should be fitted to a South wall for the maximum exposure to the sunlight, more on this later. I was going to fix it to an East facing wall and in October, not much exposure to sunlight available there. The mounting bracket for the solar panel is very adaptable and can be mounted flat or folded and put on a fence post or something similar. As mine was going on the house wall it was mounted flat with the supplied rawl plugs and screws. The solar panel is attached to the bracket via a universal swivel joint so it can be turned in virtually any direction to catch the light, a very practical touch. The instructions also advise that the light itself should be mounted under eaves etc. to try and avoid direct exposure to driving rain. My light was fitted just a couple of feet away from the panel under my front porch so no problems there. Again, it was fitted with supplied rawl plugs and screws. I connected the panel to the light with the attached lead and waited the required 4/5 days to allow the battery in the light to be charged before turning it on and testing it. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I could not believe how much light there was when the sensor was activated. It lit up the front drive of my house well enough for me to spot any intruder or just as importantly deter them. My fears on the East facing siting turned out to be groundless. I only have one quibble and that is regarding the lead from the panel to the light. I had to coil up the majority of the lead as the light was situated close , not very aesthetically pleasing. If there was some way of eliminating this it would have got a 5 star review, a great product.

Peter Turner 23/10/2011

Been looking for security lights and as i am a fan of solar products i tried this.
The kit comes with everything you need including the screws.

I first adjusted the settings on the light, the sensor range, the time light is active(10-90 seconds) and the lux setting. This did take me a few minutes to get right. The solar panel comes with 5 metres of cable which was more than enough, however if you need extra there is a phone number in the instructions).

The light came charged so i didn't need to charge it for 5 days.I cannot comment yet on how good the solar panel recharges as i have only had it a few weeks. If needed a second solar panel can be attached. So far i am impressed, the lighting is good and it works well and it is relatively easy to setup.
Overall a very good product.

Degs 16/10/2011

The product is very good and very easy to install. Worked right out of the box. The installation took about 30 mins. It was very easy to screw the unit on wall bracket. Very bright light
Overall a very good product.

Dr. Manish S. Gunda 15/10/2011

I have had this for 2 weeks now and it works perfectly. Light output was much higher than I expected, and it easily lights my medium sized garden. Charged it for 5 days as recommended before use and has not run out of charge as yet. The cold dark winter nights will be a tougher test, so I will report back. I have previously purchased cheaper similar products that were not good, so I guess you get what you pay for. So far would highly recommend.
Overall a very good product.

bubbles47 12/10/2011

Great value, simple to install and working well so far. It really is an easy option if you're looking for some external motion-sensor light. Would recommend.

JUBKINS 11/10/2011

This is the perfect solution to getting a security light installed simply and with minimum fuss and no expensive electrician fees. I put mine up in about 20mins and use it to light a side drive and bike parking area. So the light comes on when we need to lock unlock the bikes and if anyone triggers it! The settings allow you to set-up the sensitivity and its worth reading the instructions to really maximise the solar panel placement - thinking of geting a second unit for the bottom of the garden and shed.

Pattob 06/10/2011

I now have two of these lights, one for lighting the driveway and the other for lighting the back garden. I have fitted both lights with the extra solar panel which leaves the lights with plenty of power even in the dark winter months. A must have for any house, get rid of the power draining flood lights, have LED lighting which is just as good which is charged daylight for free.

Roly 06/10/2011

I have only had this security light for a short time but I am very impressed with yet another superb product from The Solar Centre. The set up and operating instructions were easy to follow. Because of the amount of cable provided, I was able to locate the solar panel on a south facing wall and the security light on a west facing wall. When fully charged the security light is very bright and after a bit of adjusting of the setting dials works well. I look forward to using less electricity over the winter months.

Barbara 03/10/2011

The Evo36 is an excellent security light. We've all seen those little garden lights you can buy cheaply from the supermarket, they are a weak source of light and they break easily. Well this is nothing like them. The light is good and strong and it's incredibly reliable. I currently have 4 of these in my garden, after buying the first and finding it really great, I've added a couple more.

The light is bright and illuminates a large area, but unlike conventional security lights it's a more gentle light. The harsh light from our old security light used to annoy the neighbours but the softer blue light from the Evo36 is a big improvement.

Another issue we had with the old security light was our cat setting the thing off all the time. When you're paying the electricity bill for a halogen bulb going off all night for the benefit of the neighbourhood cats, you might want to just turn the thing off. However once you pay the initial cost of the light there aren't any more bills. You light up your garden or yard for free!

My house has a long narrow garden. If I wanted to install a security light I'd need to buy a 50m armoured cable to run the electricity down the garden. The Evo solar lights don't need the expense or the effort to install. Simply choose the location for the light then install the solar panel where it'll catch the sun. It means you can put it up anywhere you'd like. The solar panel itself is quite small and easy to fix because it has a hinged base and there is a generous power lead to connect it to the light itself, so you can tuck it out of the way and make the job much tidier.

My first solar light was installed about 2 years ago and it has always worked providing light down the garden all year round. The only time the lights stopped working was when the snow covered the solar panels. Once the laver had thawed and cleared the panels the lights started working again!

I'd highly recommend these lights, and if you want something a little brighter there is an Evo56 model to give the extra illumination.

Grobendonk 02/10/2011

The evo36 solar security light is just class.i would give it 10 out of 10 . I just love it. People that see it ask us about it....

deirdre 01/10/2011

This light is very effective.
I have solar PIR utility lights at the front and back door which give a gentle bluish light to visitors and when returning home.

These have worked consistently for several years despite living in the far north of Scotland where there aren't many hours of daylight in the winter.

This light has been installed at the darkest side of the house where our rabbits have an enclosure. Feeding the rabbits in the winter is a challenge without standing on them. This security light illuminates the whole area - it's power took me great surprise.

Previously electricians have stated that wiring an external light would cause considerable damage and expense (it's a stone built house). Combined with the absence of electricity bills then this light is a considerable advantage.

Brahan 01/10/2011

Hi I have used the Evo36 Solar Security Light to light up the approach to my garage along the side of the house about 9 mtrs long and 4.5mtrs wide, the light it generates is impressive and not to be confused with normal LED lights these are very bright and give more than adequate illumination. the sensors are are fine and pick you up quickly, if you make sure the solar panel is correctly installed you should have no power out issues under normal domestic conditions, however an additional panel can be supplied for heavy usage areas and there is a conection on the back of the light for this. I have not required this but I think it is a sensible precaution. There is one small problem I have found with one of the lights, it was the first I purchased, and that was water ingression in to the electrics, While this was in no way dangerous the light did fail. the company solarcenter replaced without a quible, when I installed the others I smeared petrolem jelly (vasalene) around all the seals and have had no further problems. If you have no power and require a security light this is without doubt the best that is available at the moment.
Please be aware that the evo 36 solar security light in this review was given to me as a gift although I had already purchased 2 number evo 56 for remote stables. as and when I require them I will happily purchase more. all in all a good product.
Mike

Honestmicky 01/10/2011

I am very pleased with the security light. It only has to cover a small area and the light given out is more than sufficient to do the job. There is an additional solar panel that is available, which could be added to boost the battery if required. Fortunately my panel is fitted on a south facing wall and receives plenty of sunlight.
Mike

RonM 27/09/2011

Firstly I received my light within two days of my order,even though I reived an e-mail from amazon telling me this item was out of stock and would be about 3-5 weeks delvery. I am very pleased with the light and it does every-thing it said it would do.

Derek 31/08/2011

Fantastic Product. Easy to install and has a very bright light. Good value for money and product delivered on time. Highly recommended seller!

Mark 29/08/2011

Fab light, hitting the spot with relative ease! Dreaded the instructions but went with ease and the job was done in less than an hour. Light itself is sturdy and offers good level of adjustment to tailor duration etc to your individual need. Currently awful weather has already tested rain resisitence and poor lighting conditions and all seems good! Great not to have connection to electricity supply etc and all the mess that can make. Feel like I have a great product for my budget.

Debbie 17/07/2011

Fab light, hitting the spot with relative ease! Dreaded the instructions but went with ease and the job was done in less than an hour. Light itself is sturdy and offers good level of adjustment to tailor duration etc to your individual need. Currently awful weather has already tested rain resisitence and poor lighting conditions and all seems good! Great not to have connection to electricity supply etc and all the mess that can make. Feel like I have a great product for my budget.

Stella 11/07/2011

The only thing you have to do is to put it on the wall and decide for how long and when you want to light on. Great security light.

Manthos 10/07/2011

After previous experience with a lower end model I was unsure whether the Evo36 would live up to expectations. I followed the very clear setup instructions and set the panel up onto a south facing elevation and after 5 days of charging later tested its ability in my small but very dark garden. The full dimension of the garden was instantly emerged in bright light, and is unquestionably the brightest solar powered security light I have seen before.

Although setting the 3 dials for sensitivity, time and lux takes a few minutes to get right it works well every time, with no loss of brightness from its powerful 36 LEDs!

My only concerns though are that over the past few days the sun has been in full force and with virtually no clouds in the sky. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that come the cold and wet weather that the Evo36 can endure the great British seasons and last the year through.

My recommendation would be to get an Evo36 for all your external security light requirements!

Troy D. Anderson 27/06/2011

This product arrived well packaged with very good instructions. Do make sure that you charge it up prior to installation as per the instructions.It was very easy to assemble/fit. It does advise some protection against the wet although it is waterproof we did fix a plastic shelter on top of it. The light shines nice and bright - we use it to light the area where we park the cars in the back garden. My only slight criticism is that it is slightly fiddly to adjust the settings on it. There are three small dials and once the light is in use these are difficult to adjust. I would say that the beam is very impressive for a solar light and for that reason I would recommend it.

Mrs. S. E. Mann 16/06/2011

The light was fiddly to fix to the mounting bracket and I managed to drop the washers several time and strip the threads from one side, but the bolts were quite long so it was easy to pack with washers and tighten. Solar centre, some heavier duty fixings would easily cure this. Other than this the set up was easy, and after waiting a week (as suggested) to allow the unit to fully charge, the time finally came for the grand switch on! Was it worth the wait? Boy was it, the light has an excellent and very bright beam lighting up the whole garden. Watch out burglars!!!

Ratski 13/06/2011

Never will I buy a mains operated security light again! The output of this solar powered light is truely outstanding! This light works even when its only been a dull day and seems to be relatively unaffected the lack of sun. I've positioned the solar panel on a south facing wall, so that it makes the most of the sun when it does shine. This is another great product the Solar Centre, and highly recommended!

MikeyB 02/06/2011

Great light when up - but fiddley to attach the light to to the wall bracket. first one we had started malfunctioning but it was exchanged without a problem and the new one is doing all it should. shame we had to tackle the fixing twice! good detection range and plenty bright enough.

Jam 26/05/2011

Bought this in october 2010.found it easy to install and set up. it has been outside over my back door all winter and still working perfectlly.i would recomend this product.

Sue-t 10/04/2011

bought this light a couple of weeks ago and i must say that i find it to be the perfect replacement to the more expensive to run 240 v flood lights great light and after doing a bit of waterproofing it is working through wind and rain , i willl buy a second one very soon

Molly 03/03/2011