12 Reasons Why Your Solar Lights Not Working & How To Fix Solar Lights

Solar lights not working?

It’s a more common problem than you think.

In fact, many solar lights are made with very cheap electronics and loose wiring, so it’s not uncommon for them to stop working.

Luckily, solar lights are super easy to fix. 

I’m an electrical engineer with over 5 years of experience in the solar industry.

And in this article, I’ll help you understand why your solar lights aren’t working and guide you on how to fix them.

Let’s get those lights back on.

Key Takeaways

• Solar lights may stop working due to reasons such as a pull tab left on the battery, dead batteries, broken wires, faulty light sensors, or wrong settings.
• Once you know the source of the problem, fixing solar powered lights is pretty easy — even if you don’t have any technical knowledge.
• If none of these solutions work, it is recommended to contact the manufacturer for a replacement.

Why Your Solar Lights Aren’t Working?

1. It Has A Pull Tab

Most newly purchased solar lights will come with a pull tab on the battery. [1]

A pull tab is a small piece of insulator that is specially designed to prevent batteries and circuits from energizing — protecting them during shipping and storage.

In simpler terms, the pull tab ensures that your solar light remains off until you’re ready to use it.

However, this can also be a reason why your solar lights aren’t working.

If the pull tab is not removed, the solar light will not turn on, even when the battery is fully charged. Therefore, always remember to remove the pull tab before using your new solar light.

2. Dead Batteries

People tend to forget that solar lights’ rechargeable batteries have a lifespan of roughly 1,000 charges.

Over this period, the solar batteries’ charging capability will gradually decrease until they become totally faulty. [2]

This gradual loss in charging capacity can lead to your solar lights not working as expected.

If you notice a significant decrease in your solar light’s runtime, it’s a sign that the batteries are losing their charging capacity.

For instance, if your solar light used to work for 10 hours and now it can only stay on for 5 hours even after a sunny day, it’s probably time to replace the batteries.

Related Article: How Long Do Solar Lights Last At Night

3. Broken Wires

One of the most common reasons why your solar lights aren’t working is the wire between the solar panel and the battery.

This wire is responsible for transferring the generated electricity from the solar panel to the solar battery — charging it in the process.

If this wire is broken, then your batteries won’t charge no matter what you do.

Your solar lights will work just fine till the battery completely drains out, then that’s it. Your solar lights will stop working.

4. Faulty Light Sensor

Ever wondered how solar lights turn on automatically at night?

It’s because they come equipped with a small photoresistor — a type of light sensor. [3]

Think of this sensor as a gate between the batteries and the lamp.

When this sensor detects darkness, or we rather say the absence of sunlight, it opens the path between the batteries and the LEDs — letting electricity flow from the battery to the lamp, turning the lights on automatically at night.

Now, what happens is that sometimes this sensor breaks, so your solar lights won’t turn on even if the battery is fully charged.

5. Nearby Light Sources

Remember that lights sensor?

Sometimes, nearby light sources, such as solar street lights or your neighbors’ bright lights, can fool the sensor into thinking we’re still daytime.

As a result, your solar lights might not turn on.

6. Not Enough Sunlight

Let’s set it straight, your solar lights won’t work unless they receive an adequate amount of sunlight.

No matter how sophisticated and expensive your solar lights are, without sunlight, the solar panels won’t generate enough electricity to charge the battery, so your solar lights will stop working.

How much sunlight is enough?

Well, roughly speaking, your solar light should receive about 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for them to work properly.

7. The Elements

Solar lights are designed to be weather-resistant, but they’re not immune to the elements.

Over time, dust and residue can build up on the solar panel — covering it and reducing its ability to absorb sunlight.

Moreover, high winds can knock off your solar lights, displacing and damaging their internal components.

Water from rain can also build up inside your solar lights, damaging the electric circuit.

While these issues are very unlikely to happen if you opted for high-quality solar-powered lights with an IP rating of 65 or above, it’s still possible, especially if you live in a harsh weather area.

8. Microprocessor Is Acting Up

Do you know why it’s always recommended to restart your device if it’s not functioning properly?

In more complex electronics, rebooting the device clears its memory and stops all processes — effectively wiping out all software glitches or issues that might be causing the device to perform improperly. [4]

When the device starts back up, it’s able to start all processes from scratch, and this can often resolve many types of problems.

While solar powered lights aren’t considered complex electronics, they still have microprocessors, and sometimes, they can glitch out, causing your solar lights to not function as they should.

9. Faulty LEDs

All types of solar lights come with built in LEDs.

There are many reasons why manufacturers choose to go with LEDs, but the most important ones are that they’re super energy efficient and they have a long lifespan.

Now, while very unlikely, sometimes the battery can supply too much current to the LEDs — causing them to burn.

Don’t worry, it won’t cause a fire, it just will break your LEDs, so your solar lights will stop working.

10. The Passive Infrared (PIR) Dials

This issue only occurs in solar motion activated lights.

These lights have PIR sensors that work by detecting the infrared radiation (body heat) emitted by live beings. [5]

When these sensors detect heat, they turn on the lights. It’s that simple.

Now, most of these solar security lights have dials that control the sensitivity of the PIR sensors. Where the higher the sensitivity, the less infrared radiation is needed to activate the light.

What happens is that sometimes people lower the sensitivity too much that the sensor fails to detect any radiation produced by medium-sized live beings — which causes your lights to stop working.

11. Your Solar Lights Have a Timer

Some solar lights come with a built-in timer function that automatically turns off your lights after a set time of hours — mostly between 2 and 6 hours.

These lights often come with remote controls, so if yours come with one, it’s worth checking.

Additionally, some solar security lights have multiple modes — one of them turns the light on for 30 seconds when it detects movements.

If that’s the case, you should just change the setting using either the remote control or the settings on the back of the light.

12. Switch Is Turned Off

I really hate to say it, but did you make sure the solar light is turned on?

Almost all solar powered lights have an on/off switch on the back of the light.

When this switch is turned off, the solar panel will keep charging the battery during the day, but the lights won’t work at night, so make sure to turn that switch on.

Related Article: How To Store Solar Lights Over The Winter

How to Fix Solar Lights?

1. Remove The Pull Tab

Open your solar light’s battery casing, remove the pull tab, then test your lights to see if they’re working.

If they’re not working, move on to the second method.

2. Replace Your Solar Light’s Battery

First, test your solar lights with normal batteries (same voltage). 

If the light works, then it’s clear that the problem is either your batteries can’t hold the charge (faulty), or the solar panel is broken.

Here are a few signs that your rechargeable battery is dead:

• Physical Damage or Swelling: In some cases, a battery may be dead or dying if it shows physical signs of damage. For example, batteries that are swollen or leaking are certainly bad. Please be very careful if you notice these signs as damaged batteries can be dangerous.
• Inability to Hold a Charge: If the battery still doesn’t provide any power after being left to charge in the sun for a sufficient amount of time, it may be dead.
• Using a Multimeter: The most surefire way to know if a rechargeable battery is dead is by testing it with a multimeter. If the voltage is below the rated specification, this could mean that the battery is dead.

If you concluded that your solar light’s battery is dead, then you can do one of two things:

a. Deep Charge Your Battery

Your batteries may just be acting up due to the memory effect, in this case, the 72 hours charging technique might be worth the shot.

This technique is all about helping your batteries to reach the full charge point by turning off your lights and allowing your solar panel to fully charge your batteries.

All you need to do is:

1. Switch your solar light off
2. Place it in a sunny spot
3. Wait a couple of days
4. Try your lights

Note: We recommend you do this more regularly, even if your solar lights are just fine. As this technique helps your lights to get a full charge, which highly increases your battery life.

b. Buy a New Battery

If the deep charging technique doesn’t work, then it’s time to replace your battery. But don’t just buy any battery.

Many batteries don’t work well with solar lights, so make sure to check my updated list of the best batteries for solar lights.

3. Inspect & Fix Solar Lights Wire

If you have a broken wire in your solar light system, you can repair it yourself by following these steps:

1. Identify the Problem: Inspect the wires of your solar light to identify where the break or damage is. You may be able to see a visible break in the wire, or there may be signs of wear or damage.
2. Cut and Strip the Wires: Once you’ve identified where the break is, you’ll need to cut out the damaged section of wire with a pair of wire cutters. After the damaged portion is removed, strip about half an inch of insulation from each end of the wire using a wire stripper or carefully with a utility knife.
3. Splice the Wires: Now, you’ll need to reconnect the wires. This is typically done by twisting together the exposed ends of the two wires. Make sure to connect the wires with the same color insulation. In most cases, red connects to red and black connects to black.
4. Solder the Connection: For a more secure and reliable connection, you might consider soldering the wires together. Use a soldering iron and a bit of solder to accomplish this. This step is optional and may not be necessary for all solar light wires.
5. Insulate the Connection: After the wires are connected, you should insulate the connection to protect it from the elements. This is typically done using a heat-shrink tube or electrical tape. If you’re using a heat-shrink tube, place it over the connection and then apply heat with a heat gun or a lighter to shrink the tube and seal the connection.
6. Test the Repair: After making the repair, turn your solar light back on to make sure everything is working correctly. If the light doesn’t turn on, double-check your connections and make sure everything is properly connected and insulated.

4. Fix The Solar Light Sensor

Here’s a general guide on how to troubleshoot and fix a solar light sensor:

1. Check for Obstructions: Make sure there’s nothing blocking the solar panels or the sensor. Dust, dirt, or any object can block sunlight and impair the functioning of the solar light. Clean the panels with a soft, damp cloth.
2. Check the Light Sensor Setting: Some solar lights have an on/off switch or a mode switch. Make sure the switch is in the correct position. If it’s off or in a mode that doesn’t utilize the light sensor, the light may not function as expected.
3. Check the Light Sensor’s Position: Make sure the light sensor is positioned correctly to detect light. It should be facing upwards and not be shaded by anything.
4. Check for Damage or Corrosion: Inspect the sensor for any visible damage. If you see any rust or corrosion on the sensor or the connections, you might need to clean it or replace the sensor.

If the problem persists after trying these steps, the sensor or the solar light itself may be faulty and need to be replaced.

If your product is still under warranty, it may be worthwhile to contact the manufacturer for further assistance.

5. Position The Solar Lights Away From Light Sources

Solar light sensors are often at the top of the panel. If your solar light’s not working because of nearby light sources at night, consider positioning your solar lights away from other light sources and reflective surfaces.

6. Clean The Light’s Solar Panel

Cleaning solar lights is relatively straightforward, but it’s important to do it carefully to avoid scratching or damaging the panels. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean the solar panels on your solar lights:

1. Remove Loose Debris: Remove any loose debris like leaves or twigs from the surface of the panel. You can do this with a soft brush or a blower.
2. Prepare a Cleaning Solution: You can use a mild detergent mixed with water as your cleaning solution. Avoid using abrasive soaps or chemicals that could damage the solar panels.
3. Clean the Panels: Dip a soft cloth or sponge into the soapy water and gently wipe the solar panels. Be sure to clean the entire surface of the panels, focusing on areas with noticeable dirt or droppings.
4. Rinse the Panels: Rinse off the soap with clean water. If you can, use distilled or deionized water to prevent mineral deposits on the panels.
5. Dry the Panels: After rinsing, use a dry, soft cloth to gently wipe down the panels and remove any water. This will prevent any water spots or streaks from forming on the panels. You can also let them air dry.
6. Regular Maintenance: It’s a good idea to clean your solar panels regularly, perhaps once every few months, to ensure they’re working at their maximum efficiency. However, the frequency will depend on your local environment. If you live in a dusty area or a place with a lot of birds, you might need to clean the panels more often.

Remember to always handle your solar lights with care.

They are generally resistant to weather, but they can still be damaged if handled roughly or cleaned with harsh chemicals.

7. Make Sure Your Lights Are Receiving Ample Sunlight

1. Placement: You should place your solar lights where they can receive direct sunlight for the majority of the day. Try to avoid shaded areas where buildings, trees, or other objects might block sunlight. Also, be mindful of changing sunlight patterns as the seasons change.
2. Angle: The angle at which the solar panels are positioned can significantly affect their efficiency. If adjustable, set the angle of the panels so that they are perpendicular to the sun’s rays for most of the day. In general, this means that the panels should be angled towards the equator.
3. Cleaning: Keep the solar panels clean. Dust, dirt, bird droppings, leaves, and snow can block sunlight and reduce the amount of power the panels can generate. Regular cleaning of the solar panels can help ensure they’re working at their maximum efficiency.
4. Strategic Landscaping: Be mindful of your landscaping. As trees and shrubs grow, they could end up shading your solar lights. Regularly trim back any foliage that might block sunlight.
5. Upgrades: If you live in a location where sunlight is minimal, consider using solar lights with additional features like power-saving mode or dual charging capabilities (solar and USB) for better performance.

Remember, the efficiency of solar lights depends greatly on the amount of sunlight they receive.

Placing solar lights in the best location and keeping them clean and well-maintained will help them function as efficiently as possible.

Related Article: Do Solar Lights Work in Winter?

8. Reset The Solar Light

Just turn your solar light off, wait 5 seconds, then turn it back on again. This should fix most microprocessor problems.

Related Article: Resetting Your Solar LightsOutdoor solar lights not working?
It’s a more common problem than you think.
In fact, many solar lights are made with very cheap electronics and loose wiring, so it’s not uncommon for them to stop working.
Luckily, solar lights are super easy to fix. 
I’m an electrical engineer with over 5 years of experience in the solar industry.
And in this article, I’ll help you understand why your solar lights aren’t working and guide you on how to fix them.
Let’s get those lights back on.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
Solar lights may stop working due to reasons such as a pull tab left on the battery, dead batteries, broken wires, faulty light sensors, or wrong settings.
Once you know the source of the problem, fixing solar powered lights is pretty easy — even if you don’t have any technical knowledge.
If none of these solutions work, it is recommended to contact the manufacturer for a replacement.
Why Your Solar Lights Aren’t Working?
1. It Has A Pull Tab
Most newly purchased solar lights will come with a pull tab on the battery. [1]
A pull tab is a small piece of insulator that is specially designed to prevent batteries and circuits from energizing — protecting them during shipping and storage.
In simpler terms, the pull tab ensures that your solar light remains off until you’re ready to use it.
However, this can also be a reason why your solar lights aren’t working.
If the pull tab is not removed, the solar light will not turn on, even when the battery is fully charged. Therefore, always remember to remove the pull tab before using your new solar light.
2. Dead Batteries
People tend to forget that solar lights’ rechargeable batteries have a lifespan of roughly 1,000 charges.
Over this period, the solar batteries’ charging capability will gradually decrease until they become totally faulty. [2]
This gradual loss in charging capacity can lead to your solar lights not working as expected.
If you notice a significant decrease in your solar light’s runtime, it’s a sign that the batteries are losing their charging capacity.
For instance, if your solar light work for 10 hours and now it can only stay on for 5 hours even after a sunny day, it’s probably time to replace the batteries.
Related Article: How Long Do Solar Lights Last At Night
3. Broken Wires
One of the most common reasons why your solar lights aren’t working is the wire between the solar panel and the battery.
This wire is responsible for transferring the generated electricity from the solar panel to the solar battery — charging it in the process.
If this wire is broken, then your batteries won’t charge no matter what you do.
Your solar lights work just fine till the battery completely drains out, then that’s it. Your solar lights will stop working.
4. Faulty Light Sensor
Ever wondered how solar lights turn on automatically at night?
It’s because they come equipped with a small photoresistor — a type of light sensor. [3]
Think of this sensor as a gate between the batteries and the lamp.
When this sensor detects darkness, or we rather say the absence of sunlight, it opens the path between the batteries and the LEDs — letting electricity flow from the battery to the solar lamps, turning the lights on automatically at night.
Now, what happens is that sometimes this sensor breaks, so your solar lights won’t turn on even if the battery is fully charged.
5. Nearby Light Sources
Remember that lights sensor?
Sometimes, nearby light sources, such as solar street lights or your neighbors’ bright lights, can fool the sensor into thinking we’re still daytime.
As a result, your solar lights might not turn on.
6. Not Enough Sunlight
Let’s set it straight, your solar lights won’t work unless they receive an adequate amount of sunlight.
No matter how sophisticated and expensive your solar lights are, without adequate sunlight, the solar panel won’t generate enough electricity to charge the battery, so your solar lights will stop working.
How much sunlight is enough?
Well, roughly speaking, your solar light should receive about 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for them to work properly.
7. The Elements
Solar lights are designed to be weather-resistant, but they’re not immune to the elements.
Over time, dust and residue can build up on the solar panel — covering it and reducing its ability to absorb sunlight.
Moreover, high winds can knock off your solar lights, displacing and damaging their internal components.
Water from rain can also build up inside your solar lights, damaging the electric circuit.
While these issues are very unlikely to happen if you opted for high-quality solar-powered lights with an IP rating of 65 or above, it’s still possible, especially if you live in a harsh weather area.
8. Microprocessor Is Acting Up
Do you know why it’s always recommended to restart your device if it’s not functioning properly?
In more complex electronics, rebooting the device clears its memory and stops all processes — effectively wiping out all software glitches or issues that might be causing the device to perform improperly. [4]
When the device starts back up, it’s able to start all processes from scratch, and this can often resolve many types of problems.
While solar powered lights aren’t considered complex electronics, they still have microprocessors, and sometimes, they can glitch out, causing your solar lights to not function as they should.
9. Faulty LEDs
All types of solar lights come with built in LEDs.
There are many reasons why manufacturers choose to go with LEDs, but the most important ones are that they’re super energy efficient and they have a long lifespan.
Now, while very unlikely, sometimes the battery can supply too much current to the LEDs — causing them to burn.
Don’t worry, it won’t cause a fire, it just will break your LEDs, so your solar lights will stop working.
10. The Passive Infrared (PIR) Dials
This issue only occurs in solar motion activated lights.
These lights have PIR sensors that work by detecting the infrared radiation (body heat) emitted by live beings. [5]
When these sensors detect heat, they turn on the lights. It’s that simple.
Now, most of these solar security lights have dials that control the sensitivity of the PIR sensors. Where the higher the sensitivity, the less infrared radiation is needed to activate the light.
What happens is that sometimes people lower the sensitivity too much that the sensor fails to detect any radiation produced by medium-sized live beings — which causes your lights to stop working.
11. Your Solar Lights Have a Timer
Some solar lights come with a built-in timer function that automatically turns off your lights after a set time of hours — mostly between 2 and 6 hours.
These lights often come with remote controls, so if yours come with one, it’s worth checking.
Additionally, some solar security lights have multiple modes — one of them turns the light on for 30 seconds when it detects movements.
If that’s the case, you should just change the setting using either the remote control or the settings on the back of the light.
12. Switch Is Turned Off
I really hate to say it, but did you make sure the solar light is turned on?
Almost all solar powered lights have an on/off switch on the back of the light.
When this switch is turned off, the solar panel will keep charging the battery during the day, but the lights won’t work at night, so make sure to turn that switch on.

Related Article: How To Store Solar Lights Over The Winter
How to Fix Solar Lights?
1. Remove The Pull Tab
Open your solar light’s battery casing, remove the pull tab, then test your lights to see if they’re working.
If solar lights not working, move on to the second method.
2. Replace Your Solar Light’s Battery
First, test your solar lights with normal batteries (same voltage). 
If the light works, then it’s clear that the problem is either your batteries can’t hold the charge (faulty), or the solar panel is broken.
Here are a few signs that your rechargeable battery is dead:
Physical Damage or Swelling: In some cases, a battery may be dead or dying if it shows physical signs of damage. For example, batteries that are swollen or leaking are certainly bad. Please be very careful if you notice these signs as damaged batteries can be dangerous.
Inability to Hold a Charge: If the battery still doesn’t provide any power after being left to charge in the sun for a sufficient amount of time, it may be dead.
Using a Multimeter: The most surefire way to know if a rechargeable battery is dead is by testing it with a multimeter. If the voltage is below the rated specification, this could mean that the battery is dead.
If you concluded that your solar light’s battery is dead, then you can do one of two things:
a. Deep Charge Your Battery
Your batteries may just be acting up due to the memory effect, in this case, the 72 hours charging technique might be worth the shot.
This technique is all about helping your batteries to reach the full charge point by turning off your lights and allowing your solar panel to fully charge your batteries.
All you need to do is:
Switch your solar light off
Place it in a sunny spot
Wait a couple of days
Try your lights
Note: We recommend you do this more regularly, even if your solar lights are just fine. As this technique helps your lights to get a full charge, which highly increases your battery life.
b. Buy a New Battery
If the deep charging technique doesn’t work, then it’s time to replace your battery. But don’t just buy any battery.
Many batteries don’t work well with solar lights, so make sure to check my updated list of the best batteries for solar lights.
3. Inspect & Fix Solar Lights Wire
If you have a broken wire in your solar light system, you can repair it yourself by following these steps:
Identify the Problem: Inspect the wires of your solar light to identify where the break or damage is. You may be able to see a visible break in the wire, or there may be signs of wear or damage.
Cut and Strip the Wires: Once you’ve identified where the break is, you’ll need to cut out the damaged section of wire with a pair of wire cutters. After the damaged portion is removed, strip about half an inch of insulation from each end of the wire using a wire stripper or carefully with a utility knife.
Splice the Wires: Now, you’ll need to reconnect the wires. This is typically done by twisting together the exposed ends of the two wires. Make sure to connect the wires with the same color insulation. In most cases, red connects to red and black connects to black.
Solder the Connection: For a more secure and reliable connection, you might consider soldering the wires together. Use a soldering iron and a bit of solder to accomplish this. This step is optional and may not be necessary for all solar light wires.
Insulate the Connection: After the wires are connected, you should insulate the connection to protect it from the elements. This is typically done using a heat-shrink tube or electrical tape. If you’re using a heat-shrink tube, place it over the connection and then apply heat with a heat gun or a lighter to shrink the tube and seal the connection.
Test the Repair: After making the repair, turn your solar light back on to make sure everything is working correctly. If the light doesn’t turn on, double-check your connections and make sure everything is properly connected and insulated.
4. Fix The Solar Light Sensor
Here’s a general guide on how to troubleshoot and fix a solar light sensor:
Check for Obstructions: Make sure there’s nothing blocking the solar panel or the sensor. Dust, dirt, or any object can block sunlight and impair the functioning of the solar light. Clean the panels with a soft, damp cloth.
Check the Light Sensor Setting: Some solar lights have an on/off switch or a mode switch. Make sure the switch is in the correct position. If it’s off or in a mode that doesn’t utilize the light sensor, the light may not function as expected.
Check the Light Sensor’s Position: Make sure the light sensor is positioned correctly to detect light. It should be facing upwards and not be shaded by anything.
Check for Damage or Corrosion: Inspect the sensor for any visible damage. If you see any rust or corrosion on the sensor or the connections, you might need to clean it or replace the sensor.
If the problem persists after trying these steps, the sensor or the solar light itself may be faulty and need to be replaced.
If your product is still under warranty, it may be worthwhile to contact the manufacturer for further assistance.
5. Position The Solar Lights Away From Light Sources
Solar light sensors are often at the top of the panel. If your solar lights not working because of nearby light sources at night, consider positioning your solar lights away from other light sources and reflective surfaces.
6. Clean The Light’s Solar Panel
Cleaning solar lights is relatively straightforward, but it’s important to do it carefully to avoid scratching or damaging the solar panel. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean the solar panels on your solar lights:
Remove Loose Debris: Remove any loose debris like leaves or twigs from the surface of the panel. You can do this with a soft brush or a blower.
Prepare a Cleaning Solution: You can use a mild detergent mixed with water as your cleaning solution. Avoid using abrasive soaps or chemicals that could damage the solar panels.
Clean the Panels: Dip a soft cloth or sponge into the soapy water and gently wipe the solar panels. Be sure to clean the entire surface of the dirty solar panel, focusing on areas with noticeable dirt or droppings.
Rinse the Panels: Rinse off the soap with clean water. If you can, use distilled or deionized water to prevent mineral deposits on the panels.
Dry the Panels: After rinsing, use a dry, soft cloth to gently wipe down the panels and remove any water. This will prevent any water spots or streaks from forming on the panels. You can also let them air dry.
Regular Maintenance: It’s a good idea to clean your solar panels regularly, perhaps once every few months, to ensure they’re working at their maximum efficiency. However, the frequency will depend on your local environment. If you live in a dusty area or a place with a lot of birds, you might need to clean the panels more often.
Remember to always handle your solar lights with care.
They are generally resistant to weather, but they can still be damaged if handled roughly or cleaned with harsh chemicals.
7. Make Sure Your Lights Are Receiving Ample Sunlight
Placement: You should place your solar lights where they can receive direct sunlight for the majority of the day. Try to avoid shaded areas where buildings, trees, or other objects might block sunlight. Also, be mindful of changing sunlight patterns as the seasons change.
Angle: The angle at which the solar panels are positioned can significantly affect their efficiency. If adjustable, set the angle of the panels so that they are perpendicular to the sun’s rays for most of the day. In general, this means that the panels should be angled towards the equator.
Cleaning: Clean the dirty solar panels. Dust, dirt, bird droppings, leaves, and snow can block sunlight and reduce the amount of power the panels can generate. Regular cleaning of the solar panels can help ensure they’re working at their maximum efficiency.
Strategic Landscaping: Be mindful of your landscaping. As trees and shrubs grow, they could end up shading your solar lights. Regularly trim back any foliage that might block direct sunlight.
Upgrades: If you live in a location where sunlight is minimal, consider using solar lights with additional features like power-saving mode or dual charging capabilities (solar and USB) for better performance.
Remember, the efficiency of solar lights depends greatly on the amount of sunlight they receive.
Placing solar lights in the best location and keeping them clean and well-maintained will help them function as efficiently as possible.
Related Article: Do Solar Lights Work in Winter?
8. Reset The Solar Light
Just turn your solar light off, wait 5 seconds, then turn it back on again. This should fix most microprocessor problems.

Related Article: Resetting Your Solar Lights

FAQs

Your Last Resort

Different brands have different solar light designs, and it’s almost impossible to cover all the issues that occur with solar lights — unless you want to read a 50,000 words article.

Therefore, if none of the previously mentioned tips seems to work, then you should contact your manufacturer and ask them for help or even use the “warranty card.”

We hope you enjoyed this article as much as we did.

If you have any questions, please share them with us in the comments section below. We’ll be happy to help!

References

1. https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com/keystone-battery-insulating-pull-tabs/
2. https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-802-what-causes-capacity-loss
3. https://eepower.com/resistor-guide/resistor-types/photo-resistor/
4. https://www.lifewire.com/why-does-restarting-seem-to-fix-most-computer-problems-2624569
5. https://www.engineersgarage.com/passive-infrared-sensor-pir-sensor/