Do you have solar lights that aren’t working and you are wondering what may be the reason behind it, then this blog will be very helpful for you. Although solar lights are resistant to extreme weather conditions, they can still get into trouble. But even if your solar light is not working, it doesn’t mean that it’s entirely dead. It’s quite possible to fix solar lights not working. Let’s delve in and find out how to fix solar lights when they aren’t working.
What are Solar Lights and What is their Functioning?
Well before learning how to fix solar lights not working, it’s also important to learn about their functioning. The solar lights are quite easy and simple to install. Usually, solar lights have a light element consisting of multiple LED bulbs.
Solar lights work on the photovoltaic effect. They have solar panels that absorb sunlight with the help of solar cells. The solar energy is then converted into direct electrical current and solar batteries via a charge controller for later use. Apart from these main components, a solar light also has a light detector that automatically switches it on at night.
How to Fix Solar Lights Not Working? How to Fix Solar Lights When They aren’t Working?
When your solar lights were new you might have loved them and they must have seemed quite easy to handle. You can easily move these lights around the yard (they aren’t connected to an electrical cord) and their installation is effortless. However, you might not think too highly of these lights after you start experiencing their issues along the way. You’ll most probably feel that they aren’t so reliable but don’t worry your solar lights won’t go to waste. There are several ways to fix solar lights not working.
These are a few ways that define how to fix solar lights when they aren’t working
1. Place the Solar Lights Where they Can Receive Sufficient Sunlight
If your solar panels are placed in a shaded area, they will not receive enough sunlight to recharge the batteries. You need to relocate your panels to a place where they receive direct sunlight for a couple of hours.
In case, your solar lamp is surrounded by overgrown bushes or grass, you should trim them shorter. Make sure there is no room left for shadows. By ensuring this, the solar lights will get a sufficient amount of sunlight for the batteries to remain fully recharged.
Also Read: Can You Use Regular Rechargeable Batteries In Solar Lights?
2. Regularly Clean The Solar Panels
After installing solar light, you’ll also need to ensure that its panels are always clean as with time they tend to get dirty. Debris or dust on the solar panels reduces the charging process and lighting time. This is why it’s important to clean these panels now and then.
You can use soapy water and a hose to clean the solar panels. A clean panel supplies batteries with sufficient sunlight. Additionally, a clean will also make your home look neat and beautiful.
3. Ensure No Water is Inside the Solar Lamp
Outdoor solar lights are built to withstand rain and water but they can still be overwhelmed by extreme weather conditions like heavy rains. In such situations, they might stop functioning. If a solar light is filled with water, you should disassemble it and dry off all its accessories, pay close attention to the sensor, however. After doing this, carefully put everything back together and test the light in a dark room to check if it’s working or not. If it does work, the damage was surely caused by water.
Also See: How to Stop Solar Lights From Flashing?
4. Replace The Batteries
Batteries are one of the main components of solar lights and you’ll need to replace them after every three years approximately. Usually, solar users forget to replace the batteries of solar lights regularly, they’ll only remember when the light stops working due to old batteries.
How long have you used your current solar light batteries? If you remember it’s been more than three years since you last replaced them, then instantly replace them with modern products like Li-ion and NiMH batteries. These are great batteries and will serve for many years before their charging ability is gone.
5. Change The Sensor
If your solar light sensors are faulty, you can always replace them as long as the rest of the solar lamp is in fine condition. The good thing here is that some solar light manufacturers even offer replacements for these sensors. So, you can reach out to the specific manufacturer of your solar light to repair its sensor. This is a cost-effective and simple fix for your solar light to start working again.
6. Relocate Your Solar Light Away From Other Light Sources
If you have another artificial light near your solar light, it can be the cause of your solar light’s failure. Switch your solar light to a different location and see if the problem is fixed. Place it in a location with adequate sunlight during the day and no intervention from other artificial lights at night.
So, these were a few common ways to fix Solar lights not working. Now that you know how to fix solar lights when they aren’t working, aren’t you also curious to know why are my brand new solar lights not working?
Why are My Brand New Solar Lights Not Working?
Solar lights have a resilient design as they are placed outside and face a variety of weather conditions. This is why they are increasingly becoming an alternative lighting mechanism in homes, cars, and even offices.
Solar lights aren’t like fuel lamps, they are quite beneficial. They are pollution-free and cost-friendly. They are increasingly becoming an incredible source of energy. But even these incredible lights face problems and might stop working. If your solar light is also not working and you are wondering why are my brand new solar lights not working, then these might be the reason behind it.
1. They are Not Receiving Enough Sunlight
If you have positioned your solar lights in a shaded or covered area, their chances of working properly are low. This is because they won’t be able to receive an adequate amount of sunlight in such areas. Although you don’t need to directly place the solar lights under the direct sun to function, they still need a certain amount of sunlight to be fully charged.
Usually, outdoor solar lights charge their batteries within six hours of direct sunlight exposure every day. However, this duration does vary depending on the type of solar panel, battery, and sun intensity.
If there are trees or buildings surrounding your panels and enveloping them in dark, they won’t be able to get enough sunlight (especially during the afternoon hours. Because of this, the solar lights may not even turn on all night.
Also See: Why is Solar Sensor Wall Light Not Working?
2. Solar Lights include a Pull Tab
If you have recently purchased a new solar light, it is quite possible that its battery has a pull tab on it. This pull tab is used to ensure that the battery doesn’t get consumed during the shipping process. This means that until the tag is removed, the solar battery as well as solar lights will not work. Hence, be sure to open the battery cover and remove the pull tabs you see.
3. Check all Switches and Microprocessors
Since solar lights automatically turn off and on, they have multiple microprocessors and switches inside them. Thus, if any of these microprocessors or switches stop working, your solar will also stop working as a given. To solve this issue, ensure that all your solar light switches are turned on and enabled.
Also Read: Do Solar Lights Stay On All Night?
4. Checking Solar Panel Cables
Although solar lights don’t need any external power, they still do have multiple cables inside them. These cables are used to connect the light unit, solar panel, and the battery installed inside. So, if any of these cables are accessible, it’s very important to ensure that they are connected. If you see that any cable isn’t properly connected, strip it and reconnected again for a proper connection.
5. PIR Dials Motion Detectors
Some solar lights also feature motion detectors along with light detectors. The motion detectors turn on the light when they detect any motion next to them. These motion detectors work just fine for the most part but if their sensitivity isn’t right they might even stop your solar lights from working. Hence, you should adjust the motion detection dial in a way that it turns on during the night properly in case it detects any motion.
Also See: How Do Solar Lights Turn On At Night?
6. LED Bulbs are Not Working
This can be yet another possible reason behind your solar lights not working. If your LED bulbs are not working then even if the sensor, battery, and solar panels work fine, your solar-powered light will still not be on. In such a scenario, there isn’t much you can do. Unless the LED bulbs are replaceable, you’ll need to get completely new solar lights.
7. The Lifespan of Batteries Has Come To An End
Mostly, solar-powered lights stop working when their battery is dead. So, you should take a look and see if the solar light batteries are worn out or too old. Although there are few long-lasting batteries like NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries, with time they also drop in performance.
Worn-out batteries may start to erode and result in acid leakage. This could permanently damage a solar lamp’s electrical components. These batteries won’t be able to have an adequate charge to light up solar lights, and if they can, they won’t be able to do so for long. Therefore, if dead batteries are behind your solar lights not working, replace the immediately.
8. Solar Lights Have a Faulty Sensor
A sensor’s job is to react to darkness and allow solar lights to go off during the day and turn on at night. With an ineffective sensor, none of this will be able to happen unless you do it by manually bypassing the sensors. Most people don’t have time to do it manually.
A solar light with a faulty sensor won’t be able to differentiate between night and day. But how to tell if a faulty sensor is a reason your solar lights aren’t working? During the nighttime, you can cover the sensor with a cloth or your hand, if it switches the light on, it is working just fine. However, if the sensor is defective, it will show no light.
9. Solar Panels Are Covered With Dirt
It has been mentioned earlier that an inadequate amount of sunlight could be a reason why your solar lights are not working. However, dirty panels can also be the answer to why are my brand new solar lights not working. A layer of dirt and dust can restrain a solar panel from properly absorbing sunlight. Even if a little amount of sunlight is able to go through the panels, it may not be able to charge the batteries.
The dust could get quite thick and thus no sunlight will be able to reach the panels. As a result, the batteries will not charge at all, and without charged batteries how will a solar light work? So, always make sure your panels are clean so that an ample amount of sunlight can pass through them. If there are fallen leaves on the panels, also clear them as they can entirely block the sun’s rays.
Also Read: Do Solar Lights Charge When Turned Off?
10. Water Buildup in The Panels
Even though solar-powered lights are built to be weather and water-resistant sometimes water or residue may build up inside the panels, often damaging the internal wiring and circuitry. To inspect if your solar panels if filled with water or not, you should detach the panel head from the post, wall, or pier mount.
Now, you might be wondering how water could leak through panels. Well, over time the sealant used in solar lights gets older and becomes less effective. This is how water gets inside the solar panels.
11. Nearness To Other Light Sources is Too Close
Solar lights have sensors containing photovoltaic cells to detect any lights, even artificial ones. So, if any other light sources such as street lights, garage/house lights, and neighbor lights are shining near your solar lamps, it could cause them to not work properly.
To find out if this is the reason why your brand new solar lights are not working, check your panels’ location to see whether there are other light sources too close to it.
So, after going through this guide on ways to fix solar lights not working, you should have gotten a pretty good idea of why are my brand new solar lights not working and how to fix solar lights when they aren’t working. With the help of this knowledge, you should be easily able to get your solar lights to work again, without the need of buying a new one
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