[Villageswimmer]

We’re thinking about having a solar tube installed. I spoke with Solar Guys who told me about “dimmable” ones. As the name implies, they allow you to control the amount of light coming in. The gentleman seemed very knowledgeable and said these are particularly desirable in a room where there is a TV because sometimes too much light creates a glare with the TV on.

This product concept was new to me. The cost is over $1000. They come with a remote control. I tend to like things simple and low maintenance and I guess I foresee possible problems with a product that was previously trouble/maintenance free.

So, does anyone have one of these and do you recommend it? Likewise, do you have a nondimmable one in a room with a TV and is this a problem in terms of too much light?

We had one of the old kind in our villa and didn’t have glare issues, but perhaps it was far enough from the TV.

Any comments or suggestions welcome.

[villagetinker]

OP, for around 10% (maybe 20%) for your proposed cost you can have an electric light installed that is fully controllable and WORKS when there is no sunlight. I am sorry I really do not understand solar tubes, and actually find them annoying at times, I guess this is why they now have dimmable units.
This is my personal opinion I hope you find what you are looking for.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I e had solar tubes in all my homes , it’s one of the first things I do , I put them in both bathrooms and and usually one in kitchen , you should see the difference they make when you put them in , they don’t add heat and they don’t leak they are worth every penny I know about those dimable or moon glow ones but I would never buy them and I can’t ever see one in main rooms or bedrooms there best just letting you have some natural light where there wasn’t much before

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

OP, for around 10% (maybe 20%) for your proposed cost you can have an electric light installed that is fully controllable and WORKS when there is no sunlight.

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

I e had solar tubes in all my homes , it’s one of the first things I do , I put them in both bathrooms and and usually one in kitchen , you should see the difference they make when you put them in , they don’t add heat and they don’t leak they are worth every penny I know about those dimable or moon glow ones but I would never buy them and I can’t ever see one in main rooms or bedrooms there best just letting you have some natural light where there wasn’t much before

Never knew what they were. We rented before buying and the home had one in the bathroom. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to turn off the damned bathroom light!

After learning what they were we have 2 of them in our little 2/2 which turns an always dark during the day hallway & kitchen into a well lit sunny space. It also has a regular LED light in it for nighttime and a solar powered nightlight for getting up at 2AM. Best thing we did.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

... these are particularly desirable in a room where there is a TV because sometimes too much light creates a glare with the TV on.

The key is to carefully consider ahead of time where they should be installed, in relation to your TV, overhead fans, etc.

The amount of light that a solar tube brings in appears significant, but that is usually because the room would be quite dark without it, so positioning the tube some distance from your TV should prevent the problem.

[jojo]

We just installed our third solar tube. Unless the tube is directly over a television, I would see no reason to make it dimmable. The most direct light from a solar tube goes 10 feet in each direction. I like the quality of light we get directly. The night light feature is new in recent years and is great. I think it was $85 extra.

[tophcfa]

No need for dimmable tubes as long as you don’t put them in a bedroom, unless you always get up before sunrise, same with a master bath attached to the bedroom, unless you always keep the door between the master bath and bedroom shut. Also don’t put one directly above a television or a work desk with a computer screen. And never put one in a walk in closet or your clothes will quickly fade from the UV exposure. My wife keeps plants under the solar tubes and they thrive. No need to have any lights on when it’s sunny out is a great thing.

[72eagleman]

Before I retired earlier this year I installed hundred's of solar tubes. Many of themhad dimmers including four of them in my personal home. Solar tubes are so much better than skylights.....and they do not leak.

[72eagleman]

Some manufacturer's have domes that filter out the UV wavelength. Skylights almost always encounter fading. Of the hundreds of solar tubes that I installed over the past fifteen years, i never encountered one complaint about fading.