Why Do Outdoor Solar Lights Fail?

Solar garden lights are one of the best investments for your outdoor space, until they stop working. Why do they suddenly stop working? It’s a nagging question.

There could be several reasons why your solar lights aren’t working. We’ll cover what you should do to get them working again.

In some cases, you might have to replace your solar lights entirely. Either way, by the end of this quick guide, you’ll know what you need to do.

If your solar lights stop working, there are simple steps you can take to check if they’re faulty or just need some settings adjusted.

There are a few steps you need to take to fix your solar lights:

1. Check if your solar lights are turned on

The first step you need to take when your solar lights stop working is to check if they’re turned on.

Many people don’t realize that some solar lights have an on/off switch. If your solar lights have this, make sure the lights are turned on.

2. Solar Light On/Off Switch Not Working

First check if there’s a pull tab on the battery, because when you buy a brand new solar light, you should always check the batteries inside the solar panel. The reason is that in some cases, there’s a pull tab on the battery that needs to be removed before the light will work.

3. Repair Solar Lights with Pull Rings

Cover the solar panel to test the light output. Almost all solar lights charge during the day and only light up at night. Therefore, to test if your solar light is working properly, you need to cover the solar panel to simulate darkness.

If you cover the solar panel completely and the solar light starts working again, there may be a night light source near the solar light that reduces its efficiency.

4. Cover the solar light panel

Make sure the solar panel is clean. One of the most common reasons why a solar light stops working is that the solar panel is dirty. A dirty panel affects the amount of power it receives.

Simply wipe the solar panel with a clean damp towel. You can then cover the solar panel briefly and check if the solar light is working again.

5. Clean the panel of the solar light

Make sure the solar panel is in a sunny spot. A well-positioned solar light is just as important as a clean solar panel. If your panel is not positioned correctly, you may not get enough power.

The solar panel should be placed in a sunny spot so that it receives sunlight for most of the day. Make sure to avoid large shadows or any part of the garden that does not receive enough sunlight.

6. A Sunny Location for Solar Lights

Testing Solar Lights with Regular Batteries
One possible reason why your solar lights may not work properly is the batteries you are using. The solar cells may not be getting enough charge or not being able to hold a charge.

If your solar lights work with regular batteries, then the problem is with the rechargeable batteries or the solar panel. If this is the case, you should replace the existing batteries with new rechargeable batteries.

If your solar lights are still not working, then the solar panel may be faulty.

7. Solar Light Batteries

Turn off your solar lights and leave them for 48 hours to charge. During the rainy season, solar lights may take longer to fully charge. This may be the reason why your lights seem to have stopped working.

In this case, you should turn off your solar lights and let them fully charge for 2 to 3 days. Then, turn them on and see if it works again.

8. Check the weather conditions during the day

If you have tried all of the above steps and your solar lights are still not working, there are other things you can do to fix them.

Since solar lights rely heavily on sunlight to charge effectively, you need to check the weather conditions during the day to assess if your solar lights are getting enough sunlight.

Simply check your solar lights around noon to check if they are getting sunlight. If not, try moving them to an area with more favorable weather conditions.

Ultimately, if your solar lights are still not working, this may be due to their low quality. The amount of energy absorbed by the sun. If this is the case, you need to consider investing in higher quality solar garden lights.