"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 23, 10:53?am, "M.Paul" wrote:
"Tony Tung" wrote in message

...

A couple years ago, we installed solar landscape lights. Thanks to a
fortuitous geographic location, they work relatively well (i.e., they
light up well past midnight). My problem is that they're too fragile.
I
have them installed along the walkway and along the driveway, and about
half of them have been broken in half by a opening car door or a
misstep.

I'm looking for a durable set of lights that don't have any cheap
plastic
connectors between the post and the light. Anyone have a product to
recommend?

Thanks!
Tony

If they are like the cheap hollow plastic ones that I got at the Borg
here
is what worked for me. I pounded a length of rebar into the ground and
slid
the hollow lightpost over it.

You remind me of my neighbor on the corner who drove angle irons at
the edge of the road to keep cars from touching his lawn (weeds), he's
now in prison. I don't think pounding rebar into the ground is such a
smart idea, certainly not for someone who is opening car doors into
their lamps and walking into them. I know I sure wouldn't want any
rebar pounded into the ground alongside my driveway (not anywhere on
my property), tires are a lot more expensive than any stinkin'
lantern... not that your rebar stanchion is going to protect the
lantern anyway, it won't.

Btw, those lanterns are supposed to break-a-way in case someone trips
and falls on one... someone's kid falls on your rebar the parents will
own you. Unbeknownst to you what you built is known under the penal
code as a man trap... anyone gets hurt tripping on your [hidden] rebar
you will go to prison for a very long time. Anyone places any type of
low walkway lamps do NOT make them stronger.

Didja know that rural mailbox posts have to be break-a-way too... I
believe 4" X 4" cedar is as strong a post as is permitted in most
municipalities... mailbox posts nowadays are typically made of plastic
with a break-a-way point at ground level. But I see all sorts of tank-
like mailbox stanchions, some place huge boulders at the post base,
they're willing to kill people who inadvertantly hit their lousy $20
mailbox. Some even use those thick walled steel 'indestructable'
mailboxes that will come through a windshield and take someone's head
off... those are not approved by the US Postal Inspector. There's
some moron about a mile down the road from me who actually constructed
a 2' high raised bed flower garden at the edge of the road for his
lousy cheapo $10 mailbox, the moron doesn't care if someone avoiding a
deer gets killed... doesn't even have a reflector. And every winter
the snow plows push that monstrosity into the culvert and every spring
Mr. Moron builds it back.




If the mailbox and its supporting post is on the road shoulder proper, yes,
post should be breakaway. If actually on the owners property, not a
requirement. Post can be a 2X4, a hollow metal rod, a 4X4, or a brick wall
with planter incorporated is on the owner's property. Reflective material
is also optional in that case. Many incorporate that on the most distant
mailbox from a street proper. Most municipalities/counties require 10 feet
for right of way as far as distance from edge of road. Right of
way/shoulder is usually noted in the land/property survey, also called
easement. Survey usually also notes that no part of any structure can be on
that part of the land. Utility easement, if present, is usually 40 ft. An
example is if the electric utility has utility poles running through the
property.

The plastic housing and remainder of a solar landscape light has
incorporated breakaway (actually top part just falls off, instead of
breaking). The lights are for twilight condition simulated light
conditions. Meant for a general guide, not full light. There is no benefit
putting such lights immediately adjacent to a driveway. Probably,
ill-advised as I read here so far.

The hollow plastic won't drive into hard soil, or rocky areas. The rebar
thing is a good fix to that. The uppermost portion of the light, the light
fixture itself, will still breakaway.
Dave