Solar garden lights are a green and inexpensive way to light up your outdoor spaces, from sidewalks to patios. However, many people are frustrated to find they stop lighting or dim only after a short period. At YUEFENG, we understand the pain of unreliable solar garden lights, and we want to give you an understanding of why they just don't last long and how extremely high-quality design fixes this problem. This complete guide will highlight the common reasons that solar lights will fail, practical solutions and ways to use your solar lights so they can shine brightly all night long.
Before we start with the reasons solar garden lights fail, we first need to understand the basic parts and functions of the device:
Each component is important, and if any of them fail, the performance of the light will be diminished or the light will stop working altogether. Let's take a look at the major reason solar garden lights do not last as long as we expect.
Based on what we see from the industry and common user complaints we’ve seen in many of our customer reviews, here are the most common reasons why solar garden lights fail and how YUEFENG tackles these issues
The battery of a solar garden light is the most important and vital component because it stores energy during the day to be turned into light at night. Many solar lights stop working prematurely because they have cheap or inferior or low-quality batteries like NiMH or low-grade lithium-ion that deteriorate quickly in a short time from repeated charge-discharge cycles. After charge-discharge cycles from repeated usage, those batteries will not hold a charge anymore, so they provide poor lighting to the user or lighting for a shorter duration.
YUEFENG Solution: At YUEFENG, we pride ourselves for using high-capacity lithium-ion batteries that last for thousands of charge cycles. All batteries we use are tested to ensure they will hold a charge even in the worst conditions to provide maximum light output for the duration of the night.
Because solar garden lights are powered by direct sunlight to charge their batteries, panels placed in shady spots, under trees, or with not much sunlight cannot build enough energy to charge the battery fully. This would be especially bad if your area has limited daylight hours or frequent cloudy sunsets.
YUEFENG Solution: YUEFENG solar lights feature high-efficiency monocrystalline solar panels that maximize energy absorption, even in low-light conditions. We also provide installation guides to help you position your lights for optimal sunlight exposure.
Dirt, dust, leaves, or snow can accumulate on solar panels, reducing their ability to capture sunlight. Without regular cleaning, the panel’s efficiency drops, leading to insufficient battery charging and shorter lighting duration.
YUEFENG Solution: YUEFENG solar lights include comparative high-efficiency monocrystalline panels that allow for maximum energy collection and even allows for some low light absorption. Plus, we provide installation guides to identify where to install your lights for maximum emittance.
A lot of the solar garden lights sold on the market cut corners with quality parts that offer lower prices. Subpar LEDs may dim due to poor manufacturing tolerances or they fail due to overheating. Poorly built controllers may manage energy poorly too. This results in the lights not operating consistently over time.
YUEFENG Solution: YUEFENG values quality with high lumen LEDs, and efficient power management controllers. Our components are built to have long-lasting durability in the outdoor, wet environment and will not diminish the performance over their lifespan.
Outdoor solar lights are vulnerable to elements like rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. Cheaper lights may lack proper seals, a cause for water entering the light, corrosion, and battery failure. Extreme cold can reduce battery performance, leading to some dim or none working overall.
YUEFENG Solution: YUEFENG solar garden lights are IP65 rated for water and dust protection, and will work rain, snow, or humid. Our batteries are designed to perform over the range of temperature of freezing winter to extreme summer.
Not all solar lights are designed for specific user requirements or even the user's local climate. For instance, a solar light with a small battery or solar panel will not have enough energy to illuminate for an entire night in areas with less sunlight.
YUEFENG Solution: YUEFENG Solar has a variety of solar garden lights for different climates and applications. Our team will help you calculate your sizing to allow your lights to meet your specific needs, whether your garden area is small or large.
While it is important to choose quality lights – we're sure you are on the right path just by picking YUEFENG - where and how you install and maintain them is most important for longevity. Follow along for some easy tips to keep your solar garden lights gleaming bright:
Position your solar lights in areas that receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Avoid placing them under trees, near buildings, or in shaded spots. For optimal results, adjust the solar panel angle to face south (in the Northern Hemisphere) to capture maximum sunlight.
As with anything, maintaining and caring for your solar garden lights will lead to better efficiency and lifespan. In addition, dirty solar panels will lead to poor charging and ultimately affect battery life. To clean solar panels, gently wipe them down with mild detergent (dish soap) and a clean soft wet cloth. Depending on the conditions of your lights, I would recommend wiping them down at least every couple months. In the case of YUEFENG lights, wiping every couple of months is more than enough.
Even with the highest grade of batteries, degradation will happen over time. If your lights start fading dim or start shutting off before their time, it is possible that the battery has suffered from degradation and will need replacing. Luckily, YUEFENG uses replaceable batteries so maintenance with YUEFENG lights is easy, simple, and cost effective.
Many YUEFENG solar lights are equipped with adjustable brightness settings or motion sensors that can help reduce energy use. By taking advantage of these options, you can extend battery life in areas with limited sunlight.
In areas prone to heavy snow or extreme cold, you may want to keep your solar lights indoors during the off-season. This will prolong the life of the battery and components. YUEFENG weather-resistant styles also limit these concerns, but a little extra care may go a long way.
At YUEFENG, we only produce solar garden lights that are durable, efficient and aesthetically pleasing. Here are some reasons why we are your number one choice for solar garden lighting:
With YUEFENG you are not just purchasing a light; you are investing in a reliable, long-lasting solution for all your outdoor lighting needs.
Solar garden lights are a great way to showcase your outdoor spaces through sustainable energy usage. Unfortunately, poor battery performance, lack of sunlight, dirty solar panels, low quality parts, susceptibility to weather, and wrong sizing can all impact the life of your solar garden lights. So by buying high quality products such as YUEFENG solar garden lights, following the installation method correctly and making sure to keep the outside area neat and tidy, should ensure that you can enjoy brighter lights for longer. Want to light up your garden with quality sources? Check out the YUEFENG range of solar garden lights and discover how quality makes the difference.
Go to YUEFENG website and find our entire selection of sturdy, high-performance solar garden lights. Our team is available to assist with recommendations to best suit your garden needs.
