Garden Solar Lights

How Do Solar Lights Work?

Outdoor solar lights use solar power from the sun to charge up their batteries during the day. A sensor then automatically turns the light on when it gets dark, resulting in a completely maintenance-free ambient lighting option for your garden!

Solar garden lights set the perfect mood in your garden or outdoor space, and are particularly useful at lining garden paths for late-night guidance, illuminating your favourite ornaments, or as part of your al fresco dining setup. You could attach them to the outside of your wooden shed or wrap them around garden arches… the possibilities are endless!

How Long Do Solar Lights Last?

Solar lights only turn on when the light reaches a certain level at night, so there’s no risk of using them when they’re not necessary. This, combined with the brilliance of LED bulbs, means you can easily get years of good use from solar garden lights.

As solar lights are made to be outdoors, it’s worth periodically checking the sensors to make sure they’re clean. If there’s a build up of dirt, it’ll have trouble charging its battery or could even think it was nighttime! Simply wipe with a cloth or give it a rinse when you’re watering the garden.

Benefits of Using Outdoor Solar Lights

They cost nothing to run

After the initial cost of the solar light itself, they cost absolutely nothing to run. Thankfully, sunlight is one of our last free commodities, and that’s all that your solar lights need to run.

No wires to worry about

As outdoor solar nights are powered by sunlight, there’s no need to run unsightly cables through your garden and use mains electricity. Keep your garden neat, tidy, and trip-free with the low maintenance ambience of a solar light.

They’re portable

No wires mean no limitations! You can put your solar lights wherever you like around the garden and easily move them if you’re looking for a change.

They switch off themselves

You don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn solar lights off. As they work automatically in response to light levels, there’s no risk of using excess electricity as they’ll always switch on and off at the right times.

FAQs

What is the life expectancy of solar garden lights?

Solar garden lights usually last for about 2-5 years, especially if you're giving them a nightly workout of around 6 to 10 hours. Want to squeeze out some extra years? Bring them inside when the winter chill hits, give them a good clean occasionally and remember to switch them off when they're not lighting up your garden.

Can I leave solar lights out in winter?

While you can use solar lights in winter, they won’t be as efficient. This is because they charge best with direct sunlight. If you want to keep them going strong, consider bringing them back inside during the winter months to give them that extra boost of energy.

Do solar lights need the sun or just light?

Solar lights need direct sunlight for effective functioning. Without direct exposure, the panels will collect energy from light, but not to their full capacity.

What type of battery is best for solar lights?

Solar lights are designed to work with special rechargeable batteries for maximum effectiveness. Our garden lights work with NiMH, NiCad, Li-ion, and LiFePO4 batteries.

How do you charge solar lights without sun?

Make sure to brush off any dust or snow that might be covering your solar light panels. Keeping them clean helps them soak up light, even on those cloudy days.