Outdoor Solar Post Lights
If you have ever gone outside to enjoy your deck or patio and one of your outdoor solar post lights is not working you are not going to be very happy. I had one of my outdoor solar post lights on my deck not staying on as long as the rest. I will cover some of the items that I tried to fix my problem. I will also cover some steps to make your batteries last longer.
Solar lights are more popular than they every have been with the cheaper price and longer lasting batteries. They still need some maintenance to keep them working at their best potential. Follow along as I show you a few tips on making your solar lights the best investment in lighting for your outdoor space.
The Problem and quick fix
One of my solar post lights was not coming on bright and was going out before the rest of the lights. I first checked my battery on the defective light and the date on the battery was March 2011. These batteries are to last 2-3 years or 2000 cycles, so I think that they are at the end of the road. I checked the size and voltage in the owners manual and it stated that it was a “AA” rechargeable battery. Click here for more information of solar rechargeable batteries.
I went to the store to pick out a “AA” rechargeable battery. The only one I found was a 1.2 volt. Just to make sure this was correct I came home and opened the back of the light, I should have done this before going to the store. The battery inside was not a 1.2 volt or a “AA” battery, it was a 3.2 volt 14430 series battery. This will mean that you have to check your battery before your purchase to make sure that you have the correct size and voltage. The 14430 series battery is not the same size as a “AA” battery it is 4/5 the size.
Please look at your batteries before going to the store or online for replacements, don't be like me. The wording is very difficult on most manuals as the 3.2 volt is referred as a “AA” in most cases. Even some of the online stores are calling it a “AA”. Take a picture or have the battery with you when you purchase your replacements.
More that just a quick fix
Going forward after replacing my battery, I looked at my lights to determine why just one of my solar lights failed. After reviewing the sunlight several times during the daylight hours, I noticed that the last light in the row did not receive as much sunlight as the rest. Going forward I am going to rotate the heads of my solar lights to make sure that all of them will last the same amount of time. This will be like rotating your tires to make sure they wear evenly.
This will be simple, just make a schedule and the top of the solar light just twist off and you can number them to keep them in order. Just move them one spot over each time. This method works if the lights do not receive the same sunlight all day long and will make your solar batteries last a little longer and one will not quit before the others.
Conclusion
When looking to find a solution for your Outdoor Solar Post Lights not working, the Rechargeable Battery will be a good place to start. Replacing it will take a very little time and effort, you will be rewarded with great lighting afterwards.
For more information on types of rechargeable solar batteries, read my information in my post here. Want more information on the types of solar lights available today read my post here.
Thanks for reading my post and if you have any questions or comments use the form below.
If you found this information helpful, use the social share button of your choice.
I found this to be helpful for future references. I was not aware that this could happen so often with solar post lights. I was not even aware that you had to keep them all facing the sunlight for them to continue to function.
My question is, how often would you recommend rotating the heads of the solar lights? Like once or twice a day?
Arie,
I rotate the location of the heads of my fixtures about once every two months. This seams to help with the charging of the batteries for the ones that do not get as much direct sunlight. Some solar panels are better than others in collecting the suns rays, the better ones come in the more expensive fixtures.
It works better with the cheaper fixtures to rotate to a new location that gets better light. The panels do not have to face the sun to get a charge to the batteries, just get sunlight to the panel.
John