Solar string lights can add that beautiful glow to your pool deck or garden during the night.
Besides the beauty, they save you the hassle of running and extending cables to where you need decorative lighting.
You only need to have them charged, installed and they will work flawlessly, right?
Unfortunately, some types can disappoint. They can stop working after a few days or months after installation even without any observed physical damage to them!
So, in this guide, I explain from my experience and research the common reasons why solar string lights might stop working and also share some tips on how you may be able to fix them.
Types of Failure You’ll Likely Experience with Solar String Lights
The nature of failure depends really. Sometimes it is the entire string that fails to light up while in other cases, it is a part of the string.
The timing of the failure also varies – sometimes it is after a few days, months, or immediately after installation. So, do not expect them to always fail in one way.
Why Solar String Lights may Stop Working?
There are several possible causes why the solar string lights may not work:
# 1. Perhaps there is a nearby light source shining on the solar panel and interfering with their ability to detect dusk.
Inspect and position them such that there is no light shining on the solar panels. They need to detect darkness for them to come on.
# 2. The solar panels may not be charging the batteries enough because they are blocked. Make sure that the solar panel is not blocked and can receive direct sunlight. If it is blocked, the lights will only receive a little charge and either work for a short time or not at all.
Therefore, consider relocating the lights to where there is sufficient sunlight shining on the solar panel.
# 3. There are weak cable connections that may have become loose during installation. It is common for some connection cables to become loose as they are being installed and strung from one post to another or shrub.
Therefore, take care during installation and do not pull at the cables tightly. Upon installation, inspect the strings and loosen any taught cables.
Take care not to clamp down too tightly on the connecting cables to avoid damaging them. Be careful when using staples as they can damage the cables if clamped down too tightly and create a short circuit.
The cables should be loosely held in the clamp.
# 4. The batteries may be damaged and not able to hold charge. If the batteries are damaged or aged they will not be able to hold charge at all or only hold it for a short time.
When this happens, the lights will only light for a short time – a few hours or less compared to the expected 8 hours or so.
Can you Fix Solar String Lights?
Yes, depending on the nature of the fault. If the wires are broken and you are to locate the point of the breakage, then it can be an easy fix.
Problems such as the flashing mode not being able to change, wires broken at multiple places, are more difficult to repair.
In fact, it may be a better use of your time to purchase another good quality type of solar string lights.
Always check if the lights are still under warranty and arrange to ship them back for a replacement if they are not working as expected.
What Usually goes Wrong with Solar String Lights (+ Tips to fix them)
The main causes of failure and tips on how you can fix them are discussed below.
# 1. If the lights are not working or only a section is not working, then you may have broken solar string wires.
If the failure happened during installation then you may be able to easily identify the point where the was damage.
For example, if one of the wires is broken or cut at a point that you have identified and have the technical skills, you can splice the bare ends of the connects, solder them to hold them firmly.
Next, protect the joint with heat-shrinkable tubing or good quality insulating tape and get the lights working again!
Inspect the solar panel and confirm that it is not broken.
If the solar panel is broken, the batteries can be charged and the lights will stop working. Check with the manufacturer if you can get a replacement solar panel.
# 2. Solar string lights are dim. Beware, some solar string lights are dim by design or may have dimmer switches.
This is usually because the manufacturer is trying to strike a balance between lighting up several LED bulbs along the string length for as long as possible.
Therefore, it is advisable to check with the manufacturer first or check the reviews posted by others who have owned them so that you know what level of brightness to expect.
Solar trying lights may also be dim if the rechargeable lights are partially charged.
Confirm that the solar light panels are clean and are positioned to receive as much light as possible.
Secondly, the batteries might be losing their capacity to hold charge. This will likely be the case if the lights have been in use for about a year.
# 3. Solar string lights are lighting for a few hours. This may be caused by several reasons: your location may be receiving fewer sunshine hours than usual because the solar panels are obstructed and do not receive enough sunshine or there is a change in seasons.
Solar string lights typically need about 6-8 hours of sunshine and will light about 8 hours.
Secondly, the solar string light batteries might be losing their capacity to hold charge and may only be able to provide power for a few hours.
Lastly, if none of the above tips work or it is taking a long time to work through the tips, then consider purchasing a replacement set of good quality solar string lights from a reputable supplier who honors warranty and is responsive.
You can check online reviews for insights into experiences by other buyers.
Final Thoughts
Your solar string lights mostly fail because from damage to the connecting cables.
If you know the point of damage and have the technical skills, you can easily fix them but if not, probably best to replace with a new good quality set from a supplier who is responsive.
Other possible causes of failure are: if the solar panels are mounted in areas without enough sunlight, solar panel damage or rechargeable batteries are old and unable to hold enough charge.
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