Solar Powered Skylights Bunnings: Costs & Install Guide

If you’ve ever found yourself searching for solar powered skylights Bunnings, chances are you’re looking for a straightforward, budget-friendly way to brighten a dark room without the hassle of major renovations. Good news: these clever systems deliver exactly that. A simple solar panel on the roof powers an internal LED light, beautifully mimicking natural sunlight without needing to cut a massive hole in your ceiling.

Bringing Sunlight Indoors, the Smart Way

Picture a dim hallway, a windowless bathroom, or a gloomy corner of your kitchen suddenly bathed in bright, welcoming light. That’s what a solar-powered skylight is all about. It’s a modern take on the traditional skylight, designed for homeowners who want the perks of natural light without the cost and complexity of structural work.

Unlike a conventional skylight, which needs a direct, clear path from the roof right down to the ceiling, a solar version uses a far simpler, more elegant system. This design makes it an incredibly versatile lighting solution for almost any spot in your home.

How It Works in Simple Terms

The concept is beautifully straightforward. A small, discreet solar panel is fitted to your roof, where it soaks up the sun’s energy all day long. This energy is converted into safe, low-voltage power and sent down a thin cable to an LED light fixture on your ceiling. The result? A bright, natural-feeling light that illuminates your room whenever the sun is shining.

Think of it as a personal, dedicated power source for a single light. It operates completely off-grid, so it adds nothing to your electricity bill and works entirely independently of your home’s main power.

This approach comes with some real advantages for Aussie homeowners:

• No Structural Changes: Forget about expensive shafts, plastering, or painting. Your roof’s integrity stays intact.

• Energy Efficiency: The system runs entirely on free energy from the sun, cutting your reliance on the grid for daytime lighting.

• Zero Heat Transfer: Traditional skylights can let in summer heat or lose warmth in winter. Solar skylights don’t affect your room’s temperature at all.

• Versatile Installation: You can light up ground-floor rooms, basements, or any area where a traditional skylight just isn’t an option.

Tapping into Australia’s Solar Strength

This technology is a natural fit for Australia. We’re global leaders in rooftop solar, with over 4.16 million systems installed by mid-2025. This massive uptake, which generated nearly 19.6% of the nation’s electricity in 2024, proves we’re ready to embrace smart, sun-powered solutions for our homes. You can dig deeper into the data on Australia’s solar journey by visiting the Climate Council’s resources.

Solar skylights are simply the next logical step in this bright direction.

How Solar Skylights Work: A Simple Explainer

The tech behind solar-powered skylights is brilliantly simple. Forget the major construction work of traditional skylights; this system is more like a tiny, dedicated power plant for a single light. It’s a clever solution designed for maximum impact with minimal fuss.

At its core, the system has just three main parts working together in perfect harmony. This straightforward design is exactly what makes it so appealing to homeowners looking for an easy, modern lighting upgrade.

The Three Core Components

A typical solar skylight kit, whether you’re looking at options similar to what you might find at Bunnings or from a specialist supplier, will always include these key pieces:

1. The Solar Panel: A compact photovoltaic (PV) panel is mounted on your roof. Its only job is to soak up sunlight and convert it into usable energy.

2. The Connection Cable: A safe, low-voltage cable runs from the panel on the roof, down through the ceiling cavity, to exactly where you want the light.

3. The LED Light Panel: An attractive, low-profile LED light is fitted into your ceiling. It connects to the cable and provides all the illumination.

Think of it like a personal pipeline for sunlight. The solar panel is the tap collecting the sunlight, the cable is the hose directing it, and the LED is the nozzle delivering a bright, clean spray of light right where you need it. This happens instantly and runs all day long, completely on its own.

This setup means you can completely sidestep the need for a structural light shaft, which is by far the most disruptive and costly part of putting in a traditional skylight.

The Journey of Sunlight to Room Light

Let’s follow the energy from the sun all the way to your ceiling. The process is a clever application of proven solar technology, just miniaturised for a single purpose. It’s all about direct conversion and delivery.

First, the PV panel on your roof absorbs photons from sunlight. This excites electrons inside the solar cells, creating a direct current (DC) of electricity. It’s the exact same principle used in massive solar farms across Australia.

This safe, low-voltage DC power then travels down the insulated cable. Because the entire system is self-contained and not wired into your home’s 240-volt mains power, it’s incredibly safe to run and often much simpler for a DIY installation.

Finally, the cable plugs directly into the LED light fixture. The LED panel, known for its amazing efficiency and long lifespan, converts this electricity into bright, cool light that closely mimics natural daylight. The more intense the sun, the brighter the light gets, creating a natural ebb and flow that feels just right.

This entire process is passive, automatic, and has zero running costs. There are no switches to flip or settings to fiddle with; it simply works whenever the sun is out, giving you light when you need it most.

Key Advantages of This System

The way solar skylights work delivers some powerful benefits that old-school systems just can’t compete with. Understanding these advantages makes it clear why they’ve become such a popular choice for modern homes.

• No Heat Transfer: A traditional skylight can act like a magnifying glass in summer or a thermal weak spot in winter. This system transfers zero heat. The light comes from a cool-running LED, so your room’s temperature stays exactly where you want it.

• Total Placement Freedom: Because the system uses a flexible cable, you can put the light literally anywhere. It’s perfect for ground-floor rooms, basements, walk-in robes, or awkward corners where a traditional skylight would be impossible.

• Minimal Structural Impact: Instead of cutting a massive hole through your roof and ceiling, installation only needs a tiny hole for the cable. This preserves your home’s structural integrity and thermal seal.

To get a better sense of how solar technology manages light and temperature, it can be helpful to look at related products. For instance, understanding how solar screens for windows work offers a broader perspective on harnessing sunlight for home comfort and efficiency. It all helps frame just how effective these modern lighting solutions are.

Solar Skylights vs Traditional Skylights: Which Is Right For You?

Choosing between a solar-powered skylight and a traditional one isn’t about which is “better,” but which is the right tool for the job. Your home’s layout, your budget, and what you’re trying to achieve in the space will point you toward the perfect solution. This head-to-head comparison will help you figure it out.

Imagine you live in a ground-floor apartment or want to brighten a bathroom stuck in the centre of your home. A traditional skylight just isn’t possible. This is where a solar-powered skylight shines, using its flexible cable to bring light where a structural shaft could never go.

On the other hand, if your dream is to lie in bed and watch the clouds drift by or see the stars at night, a traditional skylight is the undisputed champion. It gives you a real, genuine connection to the outdoors that an LED light—no matter how brilliant—simply can’t replicate.

Installation Difficulty and Structural Impact

The biggest difference comes down to what you have to do to your home. A traditional skylight installation is a pretty serious construction project. It means cutting a large hole through your roof and ceiling, building a light shaft, and then plastering and painting to finish it all off. It’s a job for the pros and can be quite disruptive.

A solar skylight installation, however, is far less invasive. The whole process usually just involves mounting a small solar panel on the roof and drilling a discreet hole, just big enough to run a low-voltage cable through. This minimal impact keeps your roof’s structural integrity and your home’s insulation intact, making it a much simpler task that a confident DIYer could easily tackle over a weekend.

The core trade-off is structural commitment. One requires a significant architectural change for a direct view of the sky, while the other offers flexible illumination with almost no structural alteration.

Cost Considerations: Upfront and Long-Term

When you look at the initial price tag, the all-in cost of a traditional skylight, including professional installation, is often significantly higher. The labour involved in cutting through the roof, framing the shaft, and finishing the interior adds up quickly, often running into thousands of dollars.

Solar-powered skylights generally have a much friendlier upfront cost. The hardware itself is affordable, and the simpler installation means labour costs are drastically lower if you hire a pro. If you decide to go the DIY route, the savings are even more substantial. You’ll find all sorts of models and price points, whether you’re looking at solar powered skylights at Bunnings or through a specialist retailer like us.

Energy Efficiency and Light Quality

This is where the two options really serve different purposes and have different efficiency profiles.

• Heat Transfer: Traditional skylights can be a real weak point in your home’s thermal envelope. They can cause significant heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, which can drive up your heating and cooling bills.

• Energy Use: Solar skylights operate entirely on free energy from the sun, adding exactly $0 to your electricity bill. They also have zero impact on your home’s temperature because the light comes from a cool-running LED panel.

The quality of light is different, too. A traditional skylight delivers pure, unfiltered, full-spectrum sunlight that changes in intensity and colour throughout the day. A solar skylight provides bright, consistent, and clean light designed to mimic natural daylight, but it is artificial. For a deeper dive into how different systems deliver light, our guide comparing solar tubes vs traditional skylights offers more detail.

It’s also worth understanding the core benefits of switching to solar technology in general, as the principles of efficiency and sustainability apply here, too.

At-a-Glance Comparison

To make the choice crystal clear, let’s break down how these two lighting solutions stack up against each other.

Feature Comparison: Solar Skylights vs Traditional Skylights

Here’s a simple side-by-side look at what each option brings to the table, from the installation process to the kind of light you’ll get in your home.

Ultimately, the right choice really boils down to your specific circumstances. For versatile, cost-effective, and seriously energy-efficient lighting anywhere in your home, the solar skylight is an outstanding solution. But for that authentic connection to the outdoors and true natural light, the traditional skylight remains the classic choice.

Shopping for Solar Skylights at Bunnings and Beyond

When you’re ready to bring a solar skylight into your home, popping down to the local Bunnings Warehouse often feels like the obvious first move. It’s Australia’s go-to for pretty much any home improvement project, so it’s a natural place to start looking.

But can you actually find solar powered skylights at Bunnings? The short answer is: sometimes. While you might spot some options, especially online or through their Special Orders desk, the range is often quite different from what a dedicated skylight supplier can offer. What’s available can really vary from one store to the next.

That doesn’t mean it’s a dead end. Far from it. Think of it as your first port of call. Bunnings is clearly serious about the broader solar market. They’ve even launched ‘Zelora’, a solar and battery subscription service, which shows a real commitment to renewable energy for Aussie homes. You can read up on Bunnings’ entry into solar packages to get a sense of their direction.

This big-picture trend is a great sign. Even if the exact specialist skylight you want isn’t on the shelf today, the demand for solar products is only getting stronger.

Broadening Your Search Beyond Big-Box Retailers

While checking out Bunnings is a good start, the smart move is to expand your search to include specialist Australian suppliers. These are the folks who live and breathe skylights. Because it’s their sole focus, they almost always carry a much wider range of models, sizes, and high-tech features.

Specialists can give you advice that’s tailored to your home, whether you’ve got a tricky roofline or a specific look in mind. They’re also more likely to stock premium brands and all the matching accessories you might need. If you’re leaning towards a top-tier system, exploring what specialists offer for options like Velux solar skylights can give you a fantastic benchmark for market-leading quality.

Key Questions to Ask Any Supplier

It doesn’t matter if you’re in a Bunnings aisle or scrolling through a specialist’s website – asking the right questions is everything. Having a quick checklist helps you cut through the marketing fluff and compare products properly, so you can make a choice you feel great about.

Here are the non-negotiables to ask about:

• Solar Panel Wattage: How powerful is the panel? A higher wattage (20W versus 10W, for instance) will give you better performance, especially on those cloudy days.

• Light Output (Lumens): This is the true measure of brightness. Always ask for the lumen rating to understand how much light you’ll actually get in your room.

• LED Panel Quality and Lifespan: What’s the expected life of the LED light, in hours? A quality unit should be rated for at least 30,000 to 50,000 hours of use.

• Warranty Details: Find out exactly what the warranty covers and for how long. Good products often have separate warranties for the solar panel, the LED, and other bits and pieces. A solid warranty is a great sign of a manufacturer’s confidence.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: compare the price against the lumens and the warranty. A slightly cheaper unit might seem like a bargain, but if it has a much lower light output and a flimsy warranty, it’s probably not the best value in the long run.

This image gives you a quick visual rundown of the core differences between a modern solar skylight and a traditional one.

The key takeaway is the trade-off. Solar gives you incredible installation flexibility and energy savings, whereas traditional skylights offer that direct, unfiltered view of the sky.

At the end of the day, your goal is to find a solution that will fill your home with bright, reliable light for years. By checking out the options from both big retailers and dedicated specialists, you’re giving yourself the best shot at finding the perfect match for your home, your needs, and your budget. Don’t hesitate to compare the specs, ask plenty of questions, and go with the system that ticks all your boxes.

The Installation Process: DIY or Call a Professional?

One of the best things about a solar-powered skylight is just how straightforward the installation can be. Forget the major structural work and mess associated with traditional skylights; this modern system is designed for minimal disruption. That simplicity makes it a tempting weekend project for any confident DIYer.

But simpler doesn’t mean foolproof. The decision to install it yourself or hire a professional really boils down to your comfort level with heights, your experience with basic tools, and your attention to detail—especially when it comes to waterproofing.

This section will give you a clear-eyed look at what the installation involves, so you can honestly assess whether this is a job for you or one best left to the experts.

Breaking Down the DIY Installation Steps

For those ready to roll up their sleeves, the process is surprisingly manageable. The real beauty of these systems is their plug-and-play design, which completely eliminates the need for complex electrical wiring. Most kits, whether from a specialist like us or a retailer like Bunnings, follow the same basic logic.

Here’s a general overview of what you can expect:

1. Mounting the Solar Panel: The first step is securing the small solar panel to your roof. This just involves finding a sunny spot, attaching a mounting bracket, and making sure the panel is angled to catch maximum sunlight throughout the day.

2. Drilling the Cable Hole: Next, you’ll drill a small hole—typically only 10-12mm in diameter—through your roof and ceiling. This is the only penetration needed, making it far less invasive than cutting out a huge shaft.

3. Feeding the Wire Through: The low-voltage cable is then fed from the solar panel on the roof, down through the hole, and into the ceiling cavity. This little cable is what connects the power source to the light.

4. Fitting the LED Light: Finally, you’ll cut a hole in your ceiling plaster for the LED light panel, connect the plug-and-play cable from the solar panel, and secure the light fixture in place.

Most of these steps are well within reach for a seasoned home renovator. For a more detailed walkthrough, our comprehensive DIY skylight installation guide has all the specific instructions and tips you need to get the job done right.

The Honest Assessment: A DIY Reality Check

Before you grab your tools, it’s crucial to be realistic. While the process is simple in theory, a few key areas demand extra care and skill. Getting these parts wrong can lead to headaches down the track, like leaks or poor performance.

Think carefully about these critical aspects:

• Working Safely at Heights: This is the biggest hurdle. Are you genuinely comfortable and safe working on your roof? This means using a secure ladder, wearing the right footwear, and maybe even a safety harness, depending on your roof’s pitch.

• Waterproofing the Cable Entry: This is non-negotiable. You have to get a perfect, watertight seal around the cable entry point. This requires a high-quality, UV-resistant roofing silicone and properly fitting any supplied gaskets. A single mistake here could lead to a damaging leak.

• Locating Roof Rafters and Ceiling Joists: You need to know where your home’s structural supports are to avoid drilling into them and to correctly position the LED panel. A good stud finder is essential for this part of the job.

If any of these tasks make you hesitate, there’s absolutely no shame in calling a professional. The peace of mind that comes with a guaranteed, leak-free installation is often worth every cent.

When to Call in a Professional

Opting for a professional installer is a smart move for many homeowners. A pro brings experience, all the right safety equipment, and the efficiency to get the job done quickly and correctly the first time. Their expertise is particularly valuable if you have a tricky roof type, like slate or a very steep pitch.

Better yet, a professional installation almost always comes with a workmanship warranty. This means if any issues like leaks pop up because of the installation, you’re covered. For many, that added layer of security is the deciding factor. It transforms the project from a potentially stressful weekend task into a simple, hands-off home upgrade.

Thinking about installing a solar skylight? The big question is always, is it a smart financial move? To really answer that, you have to look beyond the initial price tag. While the upfront cost is what you might see when searching for solar powered skylights bunnings, the real story unfolds over the years you own it. It’s less of an expense and more of a long-term investment in your home’s comfort, efficiency, and overall appeal.

The value starts with the most obvious win: energy savings. Every single hour a solar skylight is lighting up a room, that’s an hour you’re not paying to run a light bulb. This free, sun-powered light adds up a lot faster than you might think.

Breaking Down the Energy Savings

Let’s run some quick numbers to see how this plays out. A standard 60-watt incandescent bulb left on for six hours a day chews through a fair bit of energy over a year. With Aussie electricity prices sitting around 30 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), that one bulb can definitely make a dent in your quarterly bills.

Now, imagine that bulb is gone, replaced by a solar skylight. For those same six hours of daylight, your energy use for lighting that space drops to zero. You get the exact same result—a brightly lit room—but without the running cost.

• Daily Savings: By ditching artificial lights during the day, you’re saving money on your power bill hour by hour.

• Annual Impact: Over a year, these small daily savings really add up, making a noticeable difference to your overall energy spend.

• Zero Running Costs: Once it’s in, the system just works. It’s powered by the sun, with no ongoing expenses.

This direct saving on your power bill is the most tangible return you’ll see, paying you back a little bit every single sunny day.

It’s More Than Just a Lower Power Bill

While saving on energy is a huge plus, it’s only part of the story. The true value of a solar skylight extends into benefits that are less about the numbers but just as important for your lifestyle and your property’s value.

One of the biggest advantages is how it completely changes the feel of a home. Natural-feeling light has a massive effect on a living space, making it feel more open, inviting, and positive. It can turn a dark hallway or a windowless laundry from a place you just pass through into a genuinely pleasant part of your home.

The investment isn’t just in a light fixture; it’s in the daily experience of living in a brighter, more welcoming home. That improved quality of life is a huge, if unquantifiable, return.

This shift towards sustainable home upgrades is a massive trend. Solar-powered skylight alternatives in Australia are a natural fit, especially with the huge uptake of rooftop solar panels. Companies are now pairing photovoltaic tech with super-efficient LED lighting to give you consistent, sustainable light. This gets around the old problems of traditional skylights, which only work during the day and can create heat traps. To see how some clever companies are innovating, check out Redilight’s website.

Built to Last for Decades

Finally, the long-term value is locked in by how durable this technology is. The components in a quality solar skylight system are designed to last for decades with next to no maintenance.

The solar panels themselves are incredibly tough, often coming with a performance warranty of 20-25 years. The high-quality LED light panels are just as impressive, typically rated for between 30,000 and 50,000 hours of use. That means you can expect years—even decades—of reliable, set-and-forget performance. When you combine that kind of longevity with the energy savings and the better home vibe, the financial case becomes crystal clear.

Your Solar Skylight Questions, Answered

Thinking about making the switch to a solar skylight? It’s a smart move, but it’s natural to have a few questions before you commit. We get it. Here are some straightforward answers to the questions we hear most often, helping you feel confident about this brilliant lighting upgrade for your home.

Do Solar Powered Skylights Work on Cloudy Days?

Yes, they absolutely do. It’s a common myth that solar panels need blazing sunshine to work. Modern solar cells are incredibly efficient and can easily generate power even with heavy cloud cover.

While the light might be a touch softer than on a bright, sunny day, they are designed to provide consistent, beautiful illumination throughout all daylight hours. You can say goodbye to gloomy rooms for good.

Can I Install a Solar Skylight on a Metal Roof?

You certainly can. Most quality solar skylight kits are designed for the full range of common Australian roof types, whether you have corrugated metal, classic tiles, or even concrete.

The most important part of the job is making sure the cable entry point is perfectly sealed. A good quality roofing silicone is non-negotiable here to ensure a watertight finish for years to come.

How Long Do the Components Last?

These systems are built tough to handle the Australian climate. You can expect the solar panel itself to have a performance warranty of around 20-25 years.

The heart of the system, the high-quality LED light panel, is typically rated for an impressive 30,000 to 50,000 hours of operation. That translates to many years of reliable, maintenance-free light.

Does a Solar Skylight Store Power for Night Use?

Standard solar skylight kits are designed to mimic a traditional skylight—they work when the sun is out. They don’t include a battery, so they won’t operate after dark.

However, if you’re after night-time illumination, some premium models and specialist suppliers do offer optional battery packs or night-operation kits. It’s worth asking about if you need light around the clock.

Ready to bring beautiful, natural-feeling light into your home without the high costs of traditional skylights? Explore the premium range at Vivid Skylights and find the perfect solution for your space. Discover our skylight options today.