5 Tips To Make Your Solar Lights Last Longer

They’re Cool – Here’s How To Make Your Solar Lights Last Even Longer!

 

solar lights position

 

 

Outdoor solar lights are great! You can use free power from the sun to illuminate an area or accentuate your favorite landscape design. What’s more, they need hardly any maintenance. But there are simple things you can do, to make your solar lights last longer.

Solar lights have PV (photovoltaic) panels which use energy from the sun to charge batteries during the day.  When it becomes dark, an LED light is powered by the energy stored in the batteries.

But how can you use these solar lights to their maximum potential? Here are 5 top tips to enjoy your outdoor solar lights for a longer time.

 

solar lights placement is key  solar panels on roof tent position is key

1.  Know Where To Place Your Solar Lights

Because they get energy from the sun, it is important that solar panels are located in natural sunlight for as long as possible. The longer the panel stays under the rays of the sun, the longer the battery will charge. Greater battery life means better light performance.

Fully loaded batteries can provide up to 8-10 hours of power for high-quality solar lights.

Many solar light issues are caused by incorrect placement, so that they don’t get enough energy from sunlight. Solar lights require several hours of sunlight per day, so check  to see if your lights have not been placed in complete shade or semi-shady areas, and move them to locations that receive sunlight all day long.


slow climate change

 

 


 

2.  Clean Your Solar Panels

keep solar lighting panels cleanWhen the solar light does not work as efficiently as it once did, then it’s recommended that you clean the solar panel that powers your solar light. The panel can collect dust and debris over time, which can block sunlight and so the battery may not charge properly. This will of course affect the light’s overall quality.

 Cleaning the solar panel is quick and easy.

  1. Brush off any loose debris with a damp paper towel.
  2. Gently wipe the surface of the panel with a damp cloth to remove any cloudy build-up – you can add a small amount of dish soap to the surface of the solar panel if you wish.

To avoid washing them when the fixtures are hot, clean your solar panels early or late in the day.

Ideally, you should clean your solar panels about once a month – or more often if you live in a particularly grimy location.

 

3.  Avoid Obstructions

When mounting outdoor solar lighting, don’t place the units in the route of lawnmowers or edgers. Similarly, putting the units next to a driveway might cause a vehicle to run over your lighting. Make sure that the devices are in good sunlight, where they can’t be knocked over or walked on.

 

4.  Charge The Batteries Before Use And Replace Them If Needed

When you buy your new solar lights, you need to charge them fully before you use them. It will take at least 12 to 14 hours of direct sunlight for your new solar outdoor lights to charge completely.

Charge them fully by leaving them outside in a sunny area for 2 days so that before you mount your new lights, the batteries are 100% charged.

Then check them (to make sure they work), before you place them where you want them to be.

The batteries of solar outdoor lighting usually last from one to three years before they need replacing. You will know that your batteries need to be replaced:-

  • if your lights are lit at night for shorter durations,
  • if the illumination is fainter,
  • or when your solar lights suddenly stop functioning.

5.  Do Not Place Near Street Lamps

A light sensor that senses surrounding light levels automatically switches on and off most solar outdoor lights. That means they automatically switch on at night, saving you work, which is great. And when it gets lighter at dawn, they’ll switch off automatically too.

But the sensor must be properly positioned for it to function. Make sure that the fixture is not near night light sources like lawn lighting or streetlights. If there is a light source nearby (e.g. street lights), your solar lights may not work properly.

 

Final Thoughts

You should get years of use out of your solar landscape lights, solar patio lights and other outdoor solar lights using these simple and straightforward tips. You can see a wide range of sustainable outdoor lighting products at HEIsolar .

 

Using solar lighting is a great way to save energy and help climate change, which is such a huge problem that it can be difficult to know where to start. But don’t worry – discover just 3 things you can do that will really help – click here. 

Please Share this post  –  it’s easy – sharing buttons below and right!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Warm regards,

signature Clare

 

 

 

 


Tags

solar lights


{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
Join 5 De-Stress Yoga Challenge happy woman
>