1. How long will the lights stay light on one charge?
A. The rock included with your kit is designed to illuminate your strand of lights for up to 8 hours. Burn time of the lights depends on the amount of solar energy the rock stores during the day. Cloudy days will reduce the length of burn.

2. How many lights are in a kit?
A. We have 2 kits presently available:
Model #40-W1435 contains 14 lights over a distance of 35 ft.
Model #40-W2873 contains 28 lights over 73 ft.

3. Do they come in any other colors?
A. We have only white LEDs presently available because they are the brightest and most popular. We may have alternate colors available in the near future.

4. Do the light kits require a transformer or additional wire?

A. No, the kits come with everything needed to light up your space. Just make sure the battery is charged with 2 full days of sunshine before using.

5. What kind of battery is powering my system?
A. Each kit contains one 6-volt, 5-year, rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride battery; many systems only employ two AA batteries. Please ask your dealer for replacement batteries after the 5 years has lapsed (if necessary) or contact Snapedge Canada Ltd.

6. Can my system be left outside all winter long?
A. Your system is designed to operate in conditions of –30oC. Temperatures more extreme than this will result in a shorter burn time of the lights. Exact burn time would depend on the amount of sunlight the rock is getting.

7. How does the cost compare to conventional low voltage landscape lighting?
A. Solar e-Clips model #40-W1435 has 14 lights that cover up to 35 feet. Suppose you paid $89.99 for this set. Divide 14 lights and/or 35 feet into $89.99 and you get $6.43 per light or $2.57 per linear foot with no additional cost to operate or install. Solar e-Clips Model #40-W2873 is even less at around $5.00 per light or $1.92 per linear foot. Conventional landscape lighting ranges from $7.00-$35.00 /light and even up to $15.00 per foot, in some cases needing additional transformers, wire and hydro over and above that.

8. What happens when one light burns out?
A. The LEDs in Solar e-Clips have a life of 100,000 hours, that’s great! But what does that mean to you? If the lights in your kit burn for 8 hours per day that’s a life span of over 30 years! In the unfortunate event that one light becomes damaged (by no fault of the manufacturer) and stops working it can be buried at the site and the remaining lights can be moved closer to fill in the space.

9. If one light burns out or becomes damaged, will the whole strand be affected?
A. The LEDs in Solar e-Clips are wired together in pairs not in series like many light strands; therefore, if one light burns out it will impair only one other light.

10. What is the warranty for manufacturer defects?
A. Each kit of Solar e-Clips has a no hassle 1 – year manufacturer warranty. If the lights or solar rock in your kit fail within 1 year of the purchase date and are not abused we will replace or repair the defect at no charge. Shipping and handling charges may apply.

11. How are the LEDs connected to the wire?
A. Each LED is carefully soldered to the wires and then sealed inside the clip fixture to repel water.

12. Can the LEDs be moved on the wire?
A. The clips and housing containing the LEDs cannot be moved from their position on the wire; However, the system is designed to allow the user to space the lights from 2” to 32.5 inches apart by gathering the slack in the wire between 2 clips or pulling the lights taught.

13. What happens if I damage the wire while shoveling snow from my drive or walkway?
A. If you damage your wire between clips resulting in loss of connection, the wire can be stripped and spliced to re-connect. If, however, the connection inside the housing is broken it may be necessary to remove that clip and splice the wires on either side of the missing clip fixture. Failing that you can call your nearest dealer about ordering a replacement light strand for you. NOTE: It is recommended that you remove the lighting from areas where a snowplow or shovels are used before the snow falls. Place them in a tree in your yard or on the gutter for seasonal lights, this way you will protect your lights and get the best value by expanding their use to other areas. When spring arrives you can simply put them back!!

14. How durable are the plastic clips?
A. The clips are made with high impact plastic providing total luminous transmittance with very low haze factor and are virtually indestructible. Aside from smashing it to pieces with a hammer or intentionally stomping on the product they can withstand repeated blows from a garden shovel, spade or snow shovel. You can ride a bicycle over them, walk on them even drive a car over them when they are installed properly at the edge of a driveway (not laying on the driveway under the tire though, please do not try this). Under normal use the clips can take quite a beating.

15. Do Solar e-Clips have to be installed with your Edge-scape Professional landscape edge or Snapedge Paver Restraint?
A. Absolutely not, the easiest and most recommended way to install the lights is with our edging products, but Solar e-clips can be installed with a variety of other landscape edging. The clip is also designed with a pointed spade on one side to insert into the ground, the front lip opposite that, can grab onto just about anything that will fit in the opening.

16. Are the clips, bulb cover and wire UV resistant?
A. Yes; however, some yellowing can occur when the lights are mounted against rusty metal, wood or PT lumber. It is recommended that you bury or shelter the wire and clip body from the elements whenever possible. The bulb covers can be easily removed and replaced if necessary. A generous spray of Krylon acrylic lacquer over any plastic insulator will give considerable UV protection.

17. Is the solar rock water resistant?
A. Yes, the rock is designed with water resistant gaskets around the solar panel and access panel to keep water out. However; it is not waterproof so it cannot be submerged in your pond, birdbath or any other body of water. A ¼” drain hole can be drilled into the bottom of the rock for insurance but it is not imperative.

18. What is the solar rock made of?
A. The solar rock is made of a durable polyresin material.

19. What is the cost to operate my system?
A. Once the system is installed and the rock is successfully charging itself from the sun every day the cost to operate is $0.00, the rock will collect and store all the energy you need from the sun’s rays and power the system well into the night. Solar e-Clips will never affect your Utility bills.

20. Can I add more than one strand to my solar rock?
A. It has not been tested in our facilities but a successful splice of two strands should work. The system is designed to illuminate the included strand over a predetermined length, plurality of lights and desired burn time of the lights, tampering with the light strands by adding two together will reduce the length of burn per charge and is not recommended by the creators of Solar e-Clips.

21. What if I need more distance from my rock to the first light?
A. We do have plans to introduce a 15-foot extension cord in 2006 to accommodate these requests. Look for them at your nearest dealer.

22. Do the lights themselves need to be in the sun to work?
A. No, one of the most unique features of Solar e-Clips™ is the fact that only the rock needs to be in a sunny location of your yard. The lights can be placed anywhere from inside a tool shed to under your dock to in and around your shrubbery. The rock sends all that stored power through the wire to the LEDs.

23. What if I need to cut some of the plastic on the clip away for my project, will this affect the performance of my system?
A. No, the plastic material used in the clips is designed to be pliable and can be cut with tin snips or some garden sheers to make them fit your creative ideas, just remember once it’s cut it’s gone forever. NOTE: be careful not to cut, pull or tug too hard on the wires connected to the LED, excessive force can pull the wires right out and damage the system.

24. How far will the clips spread open?
A. Before bending and spreading the plastic clip open make sure the plastic is warm and pliable by using body heat from your hands, if it’s too cool it could break. Once warm and pliable they can spread to a 1 ½” wide opening.

25. Will the clips and wire withstand a pass from my weed wacker?
A. The clips are durable enough to take a quick pass from a weed wacker but prolonged exposure or pausing too long on the clips will remove the protective cover (which can be easily replaced). The wire should not come in contact with the any garden tools as it could cause permanent or temporary damage.

26. Will the clips withstand a direct hit from a snow shovel or snow plow?
A. If the clips are installed on Snapedge edge restraints and the top of the light is positioned just below the finished grade, snowplows and shovels should pass over the top. To ensure the clips do not heave up past the top of the finished grade use the galvanized set-screws (provided) to secure them in place.

27. What about rodents and other wildlife?
A. There has been one reported incident where a rabbit has chewed through the wire, so we know it can happen. We suggest that you bury the wire at least 3 inches into the soil if there is active wildlife in your area. When used in conjunction with our Edge-Scape Professional Landscape edge, the wire can be inserted into the special wire trough located on the outer most edge of the footing. This ensures a worry free installation.

28. What if someone steals my solar rock?
A. Try to hide the rock from the view of potential thieves whenever possible to avoid temptation. In the unfortunate event that someone does steal your rock you can order a new one directly from our Kitchener warehouse.

Download & Print: Solar e-Clips FAQ