What it costs
| Size / type | Typical price | Range |
|---|---|---|
| flood <=60W | KSh 3,750 | 619 – 12,500 |
| flood 100W | KSh 5,575 | 1,499 – 26,450 |
| flood 200W | KSh 6,500 | 1,890 – 20,000 |
| flood 300W | KSh 4,899 | 2,150 – 23,750 |
| flood 400-500W | KSh 8,000 | 3,050 – 17,500 |
| flood 800W+ (claimed) | KSh 10,000 | 2,399 – 30,625 |
| flood lights (W not stated) | KSh 1,702 | 569 – 7,499 |
Wattages are as listed by sellers. They are marketing figures, not the real power of the LEDs; price follows the size of the panel and battery, not the claimed watts. Prices are approximate and vary by brand and seller.
What a solar flood light costs in Kenya
A solar flood light listed as 100W typically sells for about KSh 5,600, one listed as 200W for about KSh 6,500, and one listed as 300W for about KSh 4,900. Lights listed as 400–500W were typically about KSh 8,000. Each size includes cheap unbranded lights sold online and branded lights from specialist solar shops, so the ranges are wide.
Look at those numbers again: lights sold as 300W were cheaper than lights sold as 100W or 200W. That tells you the wattage on the label is not what you are paying for. What you pay for is the panel, the battery and the build quality.
Buyer's warning: the watts on the box are not real
Most solar flood lights sold online state a wattage that the light cannot deliver. A little arithmetic shows why:
- A light that truly drew 100W for 12 hours a night would use 1.2kWh of energy every night.
- Storing that needs a battery of well over 1kWh. A 12V lithium battery of about 1.3kWh alone typically sells for about KSh 25,600.
- Refilling it each day needs a panel of roughly 300W or more, about 1.6 metres long.
A cheap "100W" flood light at about KSh 3,000, with a panel the size of a book, cannot contain any of that. The real LED power of such lights is usually a small fraction of the label. Some street lights are even advertised as 5000W for about KSh 8,000, which is impossible.
None of this means cheap flood lights are useless. Many give good light for a gate or a yard. Just judge them on the numbers below, and do not pay extra for a bigger watt figure.
How to compare solar flood lights properly
Ask for, or look for, these details before you buy:
- Panel size. In centimetres or real watts (Wp). The bigger the panel, the more energy the light gets each day.
- Battery. Capacity in mAh or Wh, and the type. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) lasts longest.
- Lumens. The real measure of brightness. A seller who will not state lumens is hiding something.
- Hours per night. On full brightness and on dim mode.
- Water and dust rating. IP65 or IP66 for outdoor use through the long rains.
- Warranty. And whether the seller will honour it.
Two lights with the same "200W" label can differ several times over in real output. The one with the bigger panel and battery is usually the better buy.
Solar floodlights with motion sensor
A flood light that stays on all night at full brightness empties its battery quickly. A motion sensor model stays dim or off, then switches to full brightness when someone moves nearby. The battery lasts all night and the sudden light surprises an intruder.
Most motion sensor flood lights have three modes: always on, dim with bright on motion, and off with bright on motion. For a gate or a back door, the last two work best. See solar security lights for smaller motion lights for doors and walls.
Where to mount a solar flood light
The panel needs direct sun for most of the day. Shade from a tree, a water tank or the roof itself cuts the charge.
- All-in-one lights have the panel on the lamp. Mount them where both the panel and the area you want to light make sense.
- Split lights have a separate panel on a cable. Put the panel on the roof in full sun and the lamp under the eaves or over the gate.
Mount the lamp high enough that it is hard to reach and steal, usually 3 metres or more, and angle it down onto the area you want to light. Clean the panel every few weeks in dry, dusty months.
When you need more than one flood light
For a large compound, a school, a farm store or a car park, several standalone lights often cost more over time than a planned system. An installer can design proper solar street lights on poles, or wired LED floodlights running from one solar system with a real battery bank. Either way, you get lights you can trust for years. Pair them with solar CCTV cameras to watch the same area.
