Rechargeable Wall Sconces

Rechargeable wall sconces carry their own battery, so there is no cord and no junction box behind them. They mount on a bracket or an adhesive plate, come down to charge, and go back up, which makes them workable on a masonry wall or anywhere with no power nearby.

How to choose rechargeable wall sconces

Two specifications decide whether one of these suits you: how long it runs on a charge and how it charges. Runtime moves a long way with the brightness setting, and the figure on a product page is usually quoted at a low or medium level rather than at full output. Charging is either a port on the body or a magnetic base that sits on a small dock, and the second is far easier to live with when the fixture is used nightly.

Then be honest about the job. A battery fixture is an accent and an ambient layer. It marks a hallway, lights a niche, or gives a bedside a soft glow, and it does that well. It will not carry a room the way a hardwired fixture on a dimmer does. Plan one alongside a lamp or a ceiling fixture rather than in place of either, and the output stops being a disappointment.

Mounting method is the third question and the wall answers it. An adhesive plate holds on smooth painted drywall and on tile, and it releases with heat and patience. A screwed bracket is the choice for a heavier body or anywhere the fixture comes off often. Magnetic plates sit between the two, since a screwed or bonded disc stays on the wall and the sconce lifts away in one hand.

Runtime and mounting options for rechargeable wall sconces

These are the practical figures to check before choosing a spot on the wall.

• Runtime: stated per charge on the product page, usually measured at a medium setting.
• Charge method: a port on the body, or a magnetic dock the fixture sits back on.
• Reach: mount within arm's reach, because the fixture comes down to charge.
• Over a nightstand: around 38 inches from the floor, adjusted to the bed you actually have.
• Hallway or niche: 60 to 66 inches to the center, far enough apart that each one reads on its own.

Reach is the constraint people underestimate. A battery fixture mounted high above a stairwell looks correct and turns into a chore with a ladder every few weeks, so keep these at heights you can service standing on the floor. Where the wall is brick, tile or a rental surface you cannot drill, the adhesive and magnetic options are what make the category work at all, and the hardware supplied with each fixture is listed on its product page.

Questions about cordless wall lighting

How long does a charge last?

It depends on the brightness setting and the fixture, and the figure quoted on each product page is normally taken at a medium level. Running one at full output shortens it considerably. For accent use in a hallway, a single charge typically covers several evenings.

Can these be mounted on brick or tile?

Yes, which is the main reason people choose them. An adhesive plate holds on smooth tile, and masonry sleeves handle brick where drilling is allowed. Neither needs a cable run, so the wall surface stops being the limit on where wall light can go.

Are they bright enough to read by?

Some are at their highest setting, at the cost of runtime. Most are built for ambient and accent light rather than task use. If reading is the point, look at the output figure on the product page and expect to put the fixture on charge more often.

How are they switched?

By a button or a touch pad on the body, and on many models by a small remote as well. There is no wall switch and no wiring, so the control travels with the fixture when it comes down to charge.

Can they stay on the wall while charging?

Only where the body takes a cable in place, and even then a cable running down the wall undoes the point of the fixture. Most designs lift off a bracket or a magnetic plate, charge somewhere else, and go back up afterward.

Continue with Plug In Wall Sconces, Hardwired Wall Sconces, LED Wall Sconces and Rechargeable Table Lamps. This page is part of Wall Lamps.