Gama Sonic Progressive GS-103 Solar LED Spotlight
Gama Sonic Progressive GS-103 Solar LED Spotlight Review
Outdoor landscape lighting is both functional and elegant. Landscape lighting can make your backyard or garden really pop at night.
The reason why most people don’t install landscape lighting is that you have to bury low-voltage wire, connect them to the lights and to transformers.
Solar Power Landscape Lights
Solar powered lights are an increasingly popular choice for garden and landscape lighting. They are affordable, easy to install, hassle free, and can be relocated easily.
We recently installed four Gama Sonic Progressive GS-103 solar LED spotlight is an easy-to-install accent light for your yard, garden or trees.
Ease of Installation
The GS-103 spot light comes with a mounting stake and a 6-foot extension wire kit with three different options for mounting:
- Mount 1: Solar panel mounts on the spotlight
- Mount 2: Solar panel mounts on a second ground stake
- Mount 3: Solar panel mounts onto a wall or fence mounting bracket
I liked that the solar panel can be installed or mounted up to 6-feet away from the spot light for best sun charging exposure.
A major feature, and biggest take away for us is that these alights do not require wiring or electricity to operate. Using solar powered lighting gives us the flexibility to position, locate and relocate these lights as we change our plantings or landscape features.
We mounted the GS-103 spot lights under a weeping Cherry Tree, alongside of an arched arbor gate and as an up light on an outdoor water feature. The lights work nicely, illuminating and featuring these landscape features at night.
Fit and Finish
Constructed with a clear plastic lens, the GS-103 has an adjustable for a narrow or wide beam, and the body of the spot light and three mounting stakes are constructed out of powder coated aluminum.
When the solar panel is mounted to the spot light the unit measures 5 x 7 x 16 inches and weighs 3.5 lbs. Its black color blends nicely in flower beds and surrounding landscape.
Solar Powered Light
The GS-103 operates solely off of solar power which charges its internal 3,000 mAh Lithium Ion battery. The light operates on 3 volts and puts out a 120 lumens, of white colored light.
It turns on automatically at dusk and projects 120 lumens for approximately 6-8 hours. Unlike low voltage lighting that the timer needs to be reset with daylight savings – this unit reads ambient light and reacts.
We measured the spot light output : from approximately 6-feet away the GS-103 puts out a perfect 8-foot radius circular spot light. The light is full, fairly bright with no shadows or imperfections in the spot.
One safety feature is that these lights work when the power is out or if someone forgets to leave an outside light on. This became apparent to me recently when we had a tornado strike nearby killing the regions power. I was able to navigate outside with the use of the solar lighting.
Solar Panel Pack
For you PV fans, the panel is a monocrystalline silicon solar panel and measures 7 x 5-1/2 x ½”. The panel lens is a weather-resistant, tempered glass. An internal battery pack is good for about 1,000 charges, and is also replaceable for approximately $20.00. That’s a projected longevity of 2.7 years of continuous use.
Charging
Based on my experience the GS-103 will charge and run on a cloudy day if positioned with good exposure. To test this I checked on cloudy days and also placed one unit in the shade. The shady unit did not stay on long, indicating that this unit wants direct sun.
Improvements
Gama Sonic needs to improve the quality and connection where the thumb screw holds the panel onto the spot light. On one unit, the thumb screw holding the panel to the spot light stripped. On two others, I was unable to tightened the panel to the spot light securely. This seems to be a common theme with many brands that utilize aluminum housings; the aluminum screws either strip, break or do not hold well.
How Much and Where to Buy?
The Gama Sonic Progressive GS-103 Solar LED Spotlight sells online for approximately $84.00 at Amazon.
I really liked how Gama Sonic gives the user mounting options, and thought through the installation. It certainly gives you optimum flexibility for success in setting up these light, ensuring sun exposure for solar charging.
At the end of the day, pun intended, these lights work nicely, illuminating major landscape features in my yard.