How to Install an Outdoor Solar Chandelier Pendant Light

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This post is sponsored by Gama Sonic, but all opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure policy here.

You don’t need to spend a fortune or hire a professional to install outdoor landscape lighting. Learn how to install an outdoor solar chandelier pendant light in your pergola, gazebo or porch in less than an hour. No electrician or wiring required!

When we were designing our patio and pergola, I wanted it to feel and function like another room in our house. Cozy, inviting and comfortable — a place to start the day with a cup of coffee or end it with a glass of wine or a cocktail. A place to dine, relax, entertain and even nap!

Thanks to a lot of DIY projects, like the potting bench buffet server we built and patio furniture we recently revamped, and some ongoing landscaping, it is the space that I envisioned. And we spend lots of time out there with family and friends. But come nightfall, we always head back inside. Until recently, we didn’t have adequate outdoor lighting in our pergola and patio space.

But we recently installed a gorgeous outdoor solar chandelier pendant light from Gama Sonic in the pergola. It’s really transformed the space and allowed us to enjoy our outdoor room well into the evening.

 
Outdoor lighting has been on our wishlist for a while now. I didn’t want to run string lights from the pergola because I knew the cords would be a tripping hazard. And having an electrician install landscape lighting was not in our budget.

We’d tried some battery-operated lanterns and a battery-operated candelabra in the pergola, but they never put out much light. And anytime it would rain, they would fill up with water — until they eventually stopped working altogether.

The Baytown II Bulb Solar Hanging Light GS-105B-CX from Gama Sonic is powered by the sun and uses their latest patented solar technology — the GS solar LED light bulb — to illuminate our outdoor room. This solar hanging light has a low and a high setting, depending on how much light we need. On the low setting the light can shine for up to 12 hours each night!

I love that the solar pergola light has a remote control with a range of 10 feet, so I don’t have to get up off the couch to turn it on or to change the brightness setting. (You can also set the pendant light to come on automatically at your desired brightness at dusk, if you prefer.)

If only our lights inside worked by remote!

If you’re looking for outdoor lighting and landscape lighting, you definitely want to check out Gama Sonic. The company offers high-quality solar pendant lights for pergolas, gazebos and porches; solar lamp posts; solar garden lights; solar path lights with planters; solar security and shed lights; and solar accent lights in a variety of styles. They even have solar tealight candles.

Let me show you  how easy this outdoor solar chandelier pendant light was to install.

Installing the Outdoor Solar Chandelier Pendant Light in Our Pergola

My husband and I took advantage of a recent cooler summer evening to install the Baytown II Bulb light in our pergola.

The assembly of the light and installation took less than an hour — even with breaks for photography and video. And it was very easy to install — no electrical skills or specialized DIY skills required. You’ll need a drill, a screwdriver and a ladder. A helper also comes in handy.

The neighbor’s cat, Ollie, likes to visit us in the evenings.

And he was very interested in what was inside the Gama Sonic box.

To begin with, you’ll need to add the decorative finial to the bottom of the pendant light, then assemble the lantern using a screwdriver and the hardware provided in the box.

After you add the reflective lens to the lamp base, as shown in the video, you can install the Gama Sonic Solar LED bulb.

Be sure to handle the bulb only by the base, not the glass.

Once the outdoor solar chandelier pendant light was assembled, my husband installed the mounting hardware and hung the light in the center of the pergola. As you saw in the video, he used tape to hold the mounting hardware in place while he was installing it so he had both hands free to use the drill.

You’re going to want to drill pilot holes before installing the mounting hardware with the screws provided, especially if you’re mounting on a surface like a cedar pergola.

Next, my husband installed the solar panel on the pergola, in direct sunlight. As this outdoor light is strictly solar powered, it’s imperative to install the solar panel in direct sunlight. Our pergola is 10 feet tall, and our ladder wasn’t tall enough for my husband to climb on top of it to install the solar panel. So we put it on one of the outside slats where it gets direct sunlight throughout the day. We’ve had absolutely no issues with our light charging in this position, since it gets a lot of light. However, Gama Sonic highly recommends installing the solar panel at the top of a pergola or gazebo in order to assure that it is harnessing maximum sunlight. So, we will probably move ours as soon as we can borrow a taller ladder.

Just make sure the cord from the pendant light will reach the solar panel so you can plug it in. The Hanging Chain measures 5 feet and the Solar Panel Cord measures 8 feet. (We shortened the chain slightly and ran ours along the top of the pergola to ensure it would reach.)

Here’s a view of the backside of the pergola, with the light and solar panel installed. I love how the style of Baytown II coordinates with our existing porch lights.

The final step in the process is installing the wall-mounted remote control case, which keeps it protected from the elements but handy when you need it.

Here’s a closeup of our outdoor solar chandelier pendant light illuminated:

And at nighttime when my husband and son were relaxing on the patio talking about comic book superheroes:

Not a bad way to spend a summer evening!

I actually made a short video showing the installation process. You can watch it below and also check out the step-by-step photos of the installation.

 

Pin This! How to Install an Outdoor Solar Chandelier

Don’t forget to pin this post so you can access these instructions for how to install your own outdoor solar chandelier pendant light in your pergola, patio or gazebo.

You might be interested in these other outdoor and patio projects:

DIY Potting Bench Outdoor Buffet Table

Questions to Ask When Building a Pergola

Outdoor Furniture Makeovers