Outdoor Solar Lights

We purchased a set of Malibu Solar Lights w/ malibu solar batteries (what a surprise …) anyway, we charged batteries prior to usage. Since then, battery power has diminished in matter of days. Any ideas why? As an aside, we purchased same type last yr, stuck in ground w/o charging first and no problem since. Now it couldn’t be that blatant! "Let the sun do the charging. That’s what solar power is all about." If that’s the solution, I understand. Yet why then would the freshly charged new solar batteries run their course in matter of a few days?

It could have been just the quality of the batteries. The manufacturer of your lights may have several sources for their batteries.
Nickle cadmium batteries have to be completely dead before charging, other wise degrading their holding power. Silver cadmium batteries can be charged at any level.

I am currently looking at solar lighting but want to stay cheap, very cheap. I found a little 5 watt solar panel and I want to use its’ power for a few low wattage 12v DC lights. Can I rig this to a number of cheap solar charging AA batteries rather than buying a much larger solar battery?

you would need 8 AA batteries, and hood them all together to run 12v lights, but I am sure that it could be done.
or you could pick up a good car battery and do it easier.
maybe one from the wreaking yard.

My solar garden lights use 2 types of rechargeable batteries.
They are Ni-Cd & NiMH. Are they interchangeable? That is can
either type be used both instances? Also can both types be used
in the same recharger, (mine is NiHM)

i can answer for my solar powered garden lights.

I can use any rechargable batteries in them & it’s fine.

however with the charger you have to use the correct one for the batteries – not mix and match.