these lights are easy to install, and work really well. I wrapped them around my deck rails and put the solar sensors on top of 2 deck posts. the lights do not need direct sunlight to recharge during the day, and yet they stay lit for approx 6 hours at night. the sensors have been covered with 2 inches of snow for the past 5 days, and the lights still light up for a couple of hours. I should also mention that these past 5 days have been mostly cloudy, too. please note, these lights come on when it's dark, and turn off when their charge is gone (in my location they are on from 5-11 pm at max)