Solar Lights Not Working?
Solar garden lights are one of the best investments for your outdoor space, except when they stop working.
Several reasons may be behind your solar lights not working. We will go through the things you should do to get them working again.
In some cases, you may have to replace your solar-powered lights altogether. Either way, by the end of this quick guide you will know what you need to do. So, let’s get straight to it!
10 Things To Do If Your Solar Lights Stop Working
If your solar-powered lights stopped working, there are 10 easy things you can do to check whether they’re faulty or they just need some settings adjusted.
The 10 steps you need to take to fix your solar lights are the following:
- Check whether your solar lights are turned on
- Check that there’s not a pull tab on the battery
- Cover the solar panel to test the light output
- Ensure the solar panel is clean
- Make sure the solar panel is positioned in a sunny spot
- Test the solar light with regular batteries
- Switch the solar light off and leave to charge for 48h
- Check the weather conditions during daytime
- Try a different lighting mode
- Contact the retailer
Check whether your solar lights are turned on
The first step you need to take when your solar lights stop working is to check whether they are turned on.
Many people don’t realize that some solar lights have an on/off switch. If that’s the case with your solar lights, make sure that the lights are switched on.
Check that there’s not a pull tab on the battery
When you buy a brand new solar light, you should always check the battery inside the solar panel. The reason for this is because in some cases there is a pull tab on the battery that needs to be removed before the light will function.
If your solar light is brand new, make sure to check this step before you look into other possible problems.
Cover the solar panel to test the light output
Almost all solar lights charge during the day and they only light up at night time. Therefore, to test whether your solar lights are working, you need to cover the solar panel to simulate darkness.
If you completely cover the solar panel and the solar lights start working again, then there may be a nocturnal lighting source near your solar light that is decreasing its efficiency.
If your solar light is still not working in the absence of light, then proceed to take the steps below.
Ensure the solar panel is clean
One of the most common reasons why solar lights stop working is a dirty solar panel. A dirty panel can impact the amount of charge received.
Simply wipe the solar panel off with a clean, damp towel. Then, you can cover the solar panel briefly to check whether the solar lights work again.
Make sure the solar panel is positioned in a sunny spot
A well-positioned solar light is as important as having a clean solar panel. If your panel isn’t positioned correctly, it might not be receiving enough charge.
The solar panel should be positioned in a sunny spot to receive sunlight most of the day. Make sure to avoid big shadows or any spots in your garden that don’t get enough sunshine.
Test the solar light with regular batteries
A possible reason for your solar lights not working properly is the batteries that you’re using. The solar batteries may not be receiving enough charge or they are not holding it.
If the solar lights work with regular batteries then the problem is either with the rechargeable batteries or the solar panel. If that’s the case, you should replace your existing batteries with new rechargeable batteries.
If your solar lights are still not working, then the solar panel is probably faulty.
Read more: Do solar lights need batteries?
Switch the solar light off and leave to charge for 48h
During rainy months, it might take longer for your solar lights to get a full charge. This could be the reason why it seems like your lights stopped working.
In this situation, you should switch the solar light off to leave it to charge completely for 2 to 3 days. Then, switch it on and see if it works again.
If this step is successful, it is recommended that you repeat this process every few weeks during the winter months.
Check the weather conditions during daytime
If you’ve tried all the steps above and your solar lights aren’t working still, there is something else you can do to fix them.
Since solar lights rely heavily on sunlight to charge effectively, you need to check the weather conditions during daytime to evaluate whether the solar lights receive enough sunshine.
Just look at your solar lights at around midday and check whether they get any sunlight at all. If not, try to move them around to a place that has more favorable weather conditions.
Ultimately, if your solar lights still don’t work it might be due to their low quality when it comes to solar power absorption. If that’s the case, you need to consider investing in higher-quality solar garden lights.
Read more: Do solar lights work in winter?
Try a different lighting mode
The last thing you can try to fix your solar lights is to try a different lighting mode.
If your solar light has several lighting modes, you can try to switch to a less demanding mode when it comes to battery consumption. For example, a synchronized white lighting mode uses less charge than a still color-changing mode.
Though this is only a temporary fix if it works it means that your solar lights aren’t getting enough sunlight. In that case, you can try to move the lights around in your outdoor space to find the spot with the biggest amount of sunlight.
Contact the retailer
If none of the steps above worked, the last thing you can try is to contact the retailer.
Try to gather as much information as possible about your solar lights and contact the retailer directly by phone or email.
At OutdoorLights, we offer a 1-year warranty on all our solar lights and if you experience any problems with your solar lights, one of our lighting specialists will be happy to help you to identify any possible issues with your solar lights.
If this free-of-charge advice doesn’t fix the problem, you will get another solar light for free.
Why do solar lights stop working?
There are many reasons why a solar light might have stopped working.
The most common reason why solar lights stop working is because of the absence of sunlight. If your solar garden lights don’t receive enough sunshine, they won’t charge completely. Consequently, they will stop working after a few days or weeks.
Other usual issues with solar lights include dirty solar panels, poor light placement, and using unsuitable batteries.
Learn More About Solar Lights
Whether you own a low-quality Costco solar light or a high-tech solar umbrella light, it can be challenging to identify the exact reason why your solar lights stopped working. That’s why we offer you free advice from one of our lighting experts.
If you need to replace your existing solar lights, feel free to check out our premium range of high-quality solar lights. At OutdoorLights, you can find the world’s leading outdoor lights, from garden party lights to outdoor security lights.
If this blog post has answered your question or if you would like to learn more about all things related to outdoor solar lights, visit our lighting blog.