Solar Lights

Brighten up your space by utilizing the gift that just keeps on giving. Solar lighting harnesses the sun’s energy to provide light even after sun goes down. Aside from providing illumination during the night, they also have the added benefit of being an environmentally friendly way of beautifying your home.

Advancements in technology have evolved solar lights from a novel-but-dim idea to a practical and easy addition to your outdoor lighting. These lights come in different shapes, from lanterns and figurines to wall lights and stake lamp posts. To get the most out of your solar outdoor lights, you still need to maintain and use them properly.

Although solar outdoor lights are weatherproof and quite resilient, they need a bit of care now and then so they can work at full potential. One of the most important areas that you need to focus on is the solar panel. Clean solar panels are more efficient at converting light energy into electricity, so you need to keep them clean.

Positioning and installation

 

When installing new solar lights, identify where the solar panel is and try to position it to get as much direct sunlight as possible. Ideally the panels get 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If you have plants and trees nearby, make sure to trim them so that they don’t take precious sunlight hours away from your lights.

Before turning the light switches on, it’s best to leave your lights two days in sunlight so that the batteries can fully charge.

Clean the globes and fixtures

 

By simply taking a damp cloth and wiping the top clean, you will ensure that your light is getting its maximum charge. If there is stubborn dirt, you can use a little bit of window cleaner on your rag and get it clean. Don’t forget about water spots from your sprinklers. These can also affect the panels ability to gather sunlight. Cleaning the metal or plastic components of your lights can help extend their life and maintain their visual appeal. Cleaning the glass or plastic globes ensures that dirt and dust are not inhibiting illumination.

Check the batteries

 

If your batteries do not seem to be charging fully or your solar outdoor lights are not functioning properly, it may be due to corrosion on your batteries. You may need to check the batteries, look for white dust on them or the housing. Light corrosion can often be removed with a soft-bristle brush. More stubborn corrosion may require fine-grit sandpaper for removal. If the batteries are too corroded to be cleaned, it is time to replace them. Solar landscape lighting batteries generally last between one and three years before they need to be replaced.