QUESTION: It has been years since I tried solar lights. With my high electric bills, I am considering them again. Have there been improvements to them to provide more light for a longer period at night?ANSWER: As electric rates and security concerns are increasing, many people who had tried solar-powered lights many years are giving them a second look. In the past, the solar-powered lights were very dim and provided only a few hours of light even when it was bright and sunny during the daytime hours.There have been significant improvements in the lighting performance, styling and overall quality of solar-powered lights. I use many of the attractive die-cast metal ones in my yard and gardens. They have greatly reduced the amount of time I have to use regular electric lights at night.If you tried solar-powered light years ago, you will be surprised at how bright the new ones are. Instead of using mini-incandescent light bulbs, the best ones now use LED's, light emitting diodes. This is one of the most energy efficient lighting sources available today. In addition to efficiency, these lighting devices have a life of 50,000 hours or more.Another significant improvement has been in the efficiency of the mini-solar panels built into the top of the light fixture. They are less expensive now and are much more effective at converting the sun's light into electricity to the charge the batteries during the daytime.Battery technology has also evolved over the years so they are more efficient and hold more charge. Older solar-powered lights, and some less expensive ones today, used rechargeable NiCd, nickel cadmium, batteries. Now the light fixtures use NiMH, nickel metal hydride, batteries. They are the same size, but work much better for this solar application.Solar-powered lights sense when the sun goes down and they switch on automatically. After a bright sunny day, you should be able to get eight hours of light from one. For some applications, such as marking a path or sidewalk, the brightness is not important.If you would like a bright light sometimes, but need only a dimmer light for a longer period other times, Intermatic offers a new two-LED solar-powered light. It has a tiny switch under the cover which allows you to switch it from high brightness to low brightness for more hours of light.For more light in a specific area or where there is not good access to the direct sun during the daytime, consider installing a three-floodlight kit with a remote solar panel. It can be mounted in the sun and is connected with long wires to the floodlights. Each floodlight has three bright LED's and there are three batteries in the solar panel housing.The following companies offer solar-powered yard lights: Brinkmann, 800-468-5252, www.brinkmann.net; Desa/Heath Zenith, 866-672-6040, www.desaint.com; Hampton Bay, www.hamptonbay.com; Intermatic, 815-675-2321, www.intermatic.com; and Sun-Mate, 818-700-0572, www.sun-mate.com.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Butler Eagle, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

<B></I>QUESTION: I have several windows I need to caulk where the frame meets the wall indoors. I have always had a problem making it look nice. Would it help to put strips of masking tape on the frame and wall first?</B>ANSWER: Putting strips of masking tape on the surfaces will insure a straight edge for the bead of caulk, but may leave a slightly raised edge. This will not harm its performance, but it may tend to trap dirt there.Another option is to use a simple caulk application spreader. It is a simple plastic piece designed to create the proper shaped bead with a tapered edge. Just using a wet finger can also smooth out the edges.James Dulley has a degree in mechanical engineering. His column is published in more than 400 newspapers.