OUTDOOR SOLAR LIGHTS

Hello, I want to have some light on my shed.
I was thinking on solar lighting. I have a 8xAA rechargeable battery from a toy car and I’m going to buy a solar panel, what kind do I need?
Do I need something else? What is a "solar panel controller"?
How I connect everything? What kind of bulbs are better?
Lots of questions! Thanks for your help!

Stephanie.
Hello, I want to have some light on my shed.
I was thinking on solar lighting. I have a 8xAA rechargeable battery from a toy car and I’m going to buy a solar panel, what kind do I need?
Do I need something else? What is a "solar panel controller"?

How I connect everything? What kind of bulbs are better?
Lots of questions! Thanks for your help!

Stephanie.

PS. I WANT to build it, I know there are very cheap ones out there, but the objective is to learn a bit of electricity (positives and negatives and all that).

You need a panel, 5W is maybe fine, possibly 10W. 12V nominal.

You need a charge controller to prevent the batteries from overcharging.

You should use LED lighting.

I would prefer a Sealed Lead Acid cell.

It won’t be very cheap.

I just got them…they sit out in the sun all day long, but at night some shine brightly while some barely shine at all and some do not shine at all. Any ideas?

If they are of the same make, model and having similar exposure as you described, they are either faulty or dirt is covering the cell plate. Try cleaning the cell plate that absorbs the Solar energy from the sun and if this does not work, return them for full refund. Solar lights these days come very bright, beautiful and headache free otherwise, replace them. The technology if up to date should be trouble free and bright.

I just got them…they sit out in the sun all day long, but at night some shine brightly while some barely shine at all and some do not shine at all. Any ideas?

If they are of the same make, model and having similar exposure as you described, they are either faulty or dirt is covering the cell plate. Try cleaning the cell plate that absorbs the Solar energy from the sun and if this does not work, return them for full refund. Solar lights these days come very bright, beautiful and headache free otherwise, replace them. The technology if up to date should be trouble free and bright.

I just bough new solar lights and they don’t work. Do I have to do something special to get them started? It has been very overcast since I bought them so, would that be a reason?
Thanks so much. It was a piece of plastic inside that I had to remove. I hope they work tonight.

they might have a piece of plastic covering the contacts on the battery.you have to remove that before they can recharge.also they need a good day of sunlight to fully recharge.

I just bough new solar lights and they don’t work. Do I have to do something special to get them started? It has been very overcast since I bought them so, would that be a reason?
Thanks so much. It was a piece of plastic inside that I had to remove. I hope they work tonight.

they might have a piece of plastic covering the contacts on the battery.you have to remove that before they can recharge.also they need a good day of sunlight to fully recharge.

the solar outdoor lights i had stored in my garage for two years are not working now that i’ve put them in my backyard. they have batteries and the light will come on when they’re held to the light, but have yet to react when the sun goes down. is this normal after not being use for so long?

Hello,

First thing you can do is to remove the batteries from one of them, then if you have a battery charger at home try to recharge them for let say 12 hours if it’s a regular charger.

when they’re fully charged place them back and give it a try.

If this don’t work, you definitely need to replace the batteries.

I vould like to order …but I’m not sure how I vould turn it on. Help Please.

You can get diff types of solar lights, I have some needs need to be in the ON position to actually light up when it’s dark and they have been charged…They need to be put together and then place in direct sunlight for at least 4 hours..and then they will light when it is dark out. They are amazing and look great in garden, patios, deck and walk ways…I got a bunch of them at wal-mart for like 14.98! THere are tons also at QVC and Target, Home Depot and Lowe’s…check walmart out first, usually cheaper!
p.s. They do come with directions!
GOOD LUCK

Deb D – I’m sorry to say this to you but the copper finish will tarnish and within a year it will fade and even turn into a dull silvery metal look. If you try any lemon, vinegar etc.. etc.. you will only accelerate the tarnishing process.

your only chance of keeping the copper finish is by using a lacquer finish on them and even then it will soon tarnish because of the sun. the finish on most of the solar fixture is poor at best & unless the fixture is made with true copper all the way through and not an applied (very thin) copper finish it will soon fade.

The reason I know this is because I’ve been designing, installing & repairing Landscape Lighting systems for about 20 years now. I get about 15 calls a week from people wanting me to repair their solar lights and I now tell them it’s cheaper to buy new ones (I getquestions about the finishes all the time). I think the idea of a "Solar powered – LED lights" in theory is great but honestly the reality is very different. The LED light is very dim and the color temparature is very unnatural giving a weird looking light. Plus within a year you will have to replace the batteries – and get this most of those types of batteries are considered hazerdous and should be recycled at your city/county recycle center.

Sorry Deb, I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, I truely wish I could give you a problem solving answer but the truth is you’ll spend more time and money trying save the nice copper finish but the results I’ve seen all come out the same. Sorry.

Yes I recently bought some solar lights at Walmart for $2.93 but they are not very bright. I dont know if it is because they are not very expensive. I put them in direct sun for most of the day too.Please help

Usually they only have one LED bulb in them, one LED bulb is not going to give off much light, and it depends on the reflector inside as well, more LEDs more light, and also there are different LEDs that give off different strengths of light.

I’ve had mine out for 2 yrs. and now they won’t recharge
I’ve cleaned the tops and they still don’t light.

It’s probably just the batteries. They usually use nicads but you can try a high number nimh battery. I found that after a year, mine burn brighter and longer with the new batteries.