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I love solar lamps in all form and shape, and I have a lot of them in my garden and outdoor, some with changing colors others with a steady color: red, blue, yellow or white to name a few, or they are rotation with the rainbow colors, but all of them are making my garden so much like a fairy tale.
When I come home at night, the first solar lamp, I see, is over my garage, a steady light, easy to find where the key goes, it is working both summer and winter, though depending of the hours of sun during the day, but so far it has never fail me; next is when I walk into the garden on the pathway to the house, and all the lamps are bright, glowing, colorful, I love the sight, it makes me feel welcome home, and give sufficient light until I reach the door to the house.
The beauty of solar light is; there are next to no maintenance; when they work, there are normally nothing more to be done, they will turn on automatically and glow into the night depending of the hours of sun during the day.
So what can go wrong? Let’s take a look:
When you first get a new lamp, statue or whatever shape, you will have to put it out in the sun, it may not have any charge at all, but the first thing to do is to remove the film which most likely are on the panel, it is there to protect the panel, and if left on it will affect the working of the light.
When you are sure the charging has been sufficient, and that will take at the least one day in direct sun, you must check the switch, to see if the button is in the “ON” position.
Other solar lamps have a small plastic tab/strip which you will have to remove or they have a black flip/push knob which should be in position.
When you place it in the garden, yard, driveway, pathway or in the lawn, you shouldn’t put the lamp too close to another light, then it will not be “dark” enough to turn on the light.
Keep in mind the sun is changing during the day, so make sure the Solar panel gets the sun all day long, and no trees, bushes, walls or houses etc. are giving the solar panel any shadow.
Normally the rechargeable battery will work, but you might be unlucky and get one in which the battery is gone, so replace it with a new rechargeable battery.
If the battery goes a bit down after some time, then I have learned, if you switch it off for some days still standing in direct sun all day, it normally gives the battery a bust.
After some time; years or depending how strong the sun is, the solar panel can a bit like milky, then it is time to do a good cleaning, if you go here you will learn how to do it.
Most solar lamps, now a days, are weather proof, so there shouldn’t be any need for taking them in, but if you for any reason should want to take them in, make sure you take the battery out, so you can reuse it next time.
Be aware; when the temperature goes down the charging of the lamps will be less efficiency.
Solar lamps have the advantage, when you first have bought them there are no more expenses: no wiring, no adding on the electricity bill, no tools needed and battery are normally included.
I love all mine solar lamps, birds, dog and whatever shape they have, and I’m sure you will love yours too.
But it is advised to give them a coat of protecting UV spray, the sun is the biggest enemy for fading of the color, peeling and cracking, take a look at here.