Replacement solar light stakes

14 years ago

I'm on my second set of solar lights by Malibu. The plastic stakes have broken, and I can replace them by ordering more plastic stakes from the company, but I'd prefer not to have more of the same. Can anyone suggest a metal alternative? What have you done when your stakes broke? This is not a common problem with all my lights, but I live in Michigan and I like to leave the lights in the ground all year. I think the freezing of the ground cracks the plastic.

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HU-132784948

4 years ago

I need stakes, too. For the smaller lights, such as the "Bristow" color-changing lights from Patriot Lighting (which incidentally stay on beautifully all night with limited sun), the stakes from cheaper white-only lights are identical and will work. But I left the stakes in the ground this year for three larger crackle lights, planning to put the lights back on the stakes in the spring, and came back to find that someone had either driven over them or tried to remove them, and they were broken off with the pointed part still in the frozen ground. These stakes are larger in diameter and not so easy to replace. I am thinking of using dowels. Has anyone else tried this? The light shaft is hollow and should fit over the part of a dowel that protrudes from the ground, and wood is very durable. The hard part, for me, whould be sharpening the end so it will go into the ground, but maybe they will do it at the lumber yard.

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Comments (9)

west_gardener
14 years ago
It sounds like you need some metal stakes for the weather in Michigan. It also sounds like you have some solar lights (stakes) that are made for the CA climate (Malibu).If the base of your lights are made of plastic,I don't know how to fuse metal to plastic.

Hmmmm, I'd start all over again, and buy solar lights made for your climate.
gabriell_gw
14 years ago
I would not have solar lights again, mine were a gift. I have found on really overcast days they don't come on or maybe only a few.Also I have a number of very tall Pine trees which sometimes shade a few.The solar ones are not as affective as the electical ones I have had on my back patio. They havea timer and come on and go off on their on.
Much more reliable.
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calliope
14 years ago
Unfortunately, those same plastic lights are sold in all fifty states, and are carried not only by the box stores, but independents. I had a set around my pond years ago and when the plastic started to disintegrate, they ended up in boxes in my cellar. UV rays are the worst culprit on plastics, and actually you're more likely to get that kind of abuse in the southern states than the northern ones. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate plastic anythings?
posieh
14 years ago
Even the replacement bulbs you can buy prove to be no good. These lights seen to work some places but mine barely lasted a year. I chalked it up to a "lesson learned" and money wasted.
mwoods
14 years ago
We had them in our driveway for several years and they worked beautifully,until I backed over both of them. Thanks for the reminder to get a few more.
meldy_nva
14 years ago
The quality of solar lights is all over the place... mostly for the worse. However, I've had great luck with a couple varieties; no problems with dim or short-time lights. Link is to my present lights. They or located on the north side of the house, the battery charger gets only the morning and noon sun.

mrsgym, try using rebar instead of stakes. A handyman should be able to cut the 5' length in half and then bend a loop in one end. Or use plood, buried deep enough to be below the frost-line.

Here is a link that might be useful: dual solar lights
west_gardener
14 years ago
The rebar suggestion is great. Have lights you like but the stake is bad, do a rebar. Thanks Meldy.
dee626
11 years ago
I think I will go to the hardware store and buy some PVC pipe that will slide inside the solar light post and put it in the ground, then slide the light down over it. Should last a long time, we'll see.