Solar lights are a great way to add some light to your yard or garden, and they’re the best solution to reduce your electricity costs and also reduce your carbon footprint.  Outdoor solar lights are an eco-friendly way to light up any landscape. They’re independent of the grid, so you can enjoy free electricity for lighting patios and gardens without worrying about costly electric bills every month.

 But how long do you need to charge solar lights?  What happens when there’s no sun? Can you still charge solar lights without the sun? And what’s the best way to do it?  

In this article, we’ll answer those questions and share some tips for getting the most out of your solar lights. Keep reading to learn more! 

How Long Should Solar Lights Be Charged for Optimal Use?

It’s a question that has been asked time and time again: “How long do I have to charge my solar lights?” The answer, however, is not always so straightforward. While the amount of time required to fully charge solar lights will vary depending on the configuration of the outdoor solar lights. 

Let’s review the working principle of solar lights first.  Solar lamps convert solar energy into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. Solar energy is converted to DC electricity by photovoltaic cells that are usually embossed on top of the lamps. A battery stores the electricity to power a lamp at night. 

To get the best out of solar lighting devices, they will require 4 to 10 hours of direct sunlight. Be aware that solar panels should be kept out of the shadows to maximize the use of the sun’s rays. With fully charged batteries, an outdoor solar lantern can run all night without going out.

 For the solar street lights, as robust outdoor solar lights, it usually takes 6 to 8 hours to charge their batteries. Once fully charged, with the function of an advanced controller, the battery of solar street light can typically provide light for a maximum of 7days without sunlight.

If you charge a solar light with artificial lighting, it would take 8-12hours, which depends on the solar panel size.   

Will Solar Lights Charge On A Cloudy Day?

You may have seen solar lights in people’s yards and wondered if they work on a cloudy day. The answer is yes – solar lights will charge on a cloudy day, although they might not charge as quickly.  In fact, even if it’s raining, the rain will help to charge the solar light. 

Solar lights work by using sunlight to convert into electricity energy. This electricity is stored in the light’s battery and then used to power the light at night. So whether it’s sunny or cloudy, as long as there is some daylight, the solar light will charge. 

During cloudy or winter days when solar-powered lights cannot be fully charged due to insufficient sunlight, this does not mean they cannot be used. The only downside you will face is that the amount of energy stored in the battery will be reduced. That means the solar-powered lights can be used for less than 5overcast days.

Can I Charge Solar Lights Without the Sunlight?

Because solar lights are powered by the sun, you’d think they would be suitable only for sunny areas like Nigeria and other African countries. That is a common myth.  

The fact is that we are seeing the small solar landscape lights such as solar spot lights and solar string lights have been hot selling in UK and USA to light lawns, pathways, and patios. All we know is that these European countries have long winters with cloudy and snow days.   Some of them may require indirect sunlight when they do not get enough solar energy to last for several days.

If you are from the areas that rarely have sunlight in winter, and want to install solar lighting systems to illuminate streets,  AC and solar hybrid street lights or Wind and Solar Hybrid street lights would be the best solutions for you.  These solar systems can be powered by either solar panels or wind turbines. Or even switch to grid power during extreme weather situations when the sun is not available.

Can I Charge Solar Lights Indoors?

While solar lights are designed to be used outdoors, so most people think solar lights cannot be charged without sunlight but the fact is that even artificial light can charge it indoors. By learning how solar lights work, you will see that the charging process is dependent on light causing electrons to move and create a current that can be harnessed.

When it comes to lightweight solar lights, charging them indoors is very possible. Using a regular light bulb or placing them near a window is one way to charge them indoors. If they have a USB charging port, you can charge them using your laptop or solar power bank.  

Can solar lights be charged by indoor lights?

You can charge the solar lights with artificial lights or regular power bulbs because solar lights require visible light to work. LED bulbs, incandescent bulbs, flashlights, and other artificial lights can be used.

Solar lights can be charged without sunlight if they are placed underneath household lights directly underneath the panels. If solar lights cannot be charged by sunlight, place them close to artificial illumination or incandescent bulbs. It would take considerably longer to charge a solar panel if the solar lights are separated from the lights.

LED lights can be used in the absence of other sources of indoor lighting. The solar light would charge through an LED source for up to 12 hours.

Can I charge my solar lights with a flashlight?

Using a flashlight to charge a solar light is totally possible since it is a form of artificial lighting. Charge speed and efficiency, however, will be affected by the brightness of the flashlight.

Solar lamps convert visible light into electricity with the help of a visible spectrum of light. But the regular flashlights emit about 300lum only, that brightness is not so high,  it will take much more time to charge the solar light with a flashlight.

 Now you can still charge it even though it may take a long time to charge. So, you can use a flashlight to charge your solar light.

How To Charge Solar Lights Without Sun?

Solar lights need sunlight to charge, so what do you do when it’s cloudy or you live in a shady area? Here are a few ways to charge solar lights without the sun:  

1. Using weak light in cloudy/windy weather to charge your solar lights.
If we talk about cloudy weather or winter, you can still charge the solar lights using this method. 

 Though you may think there are clouds, the sunlight will keep spreading even if you can’t see the sun. During this time, a small beam of rays still exists and the receptors of the photovoltaic cells turn those lights into DC current. However, in such a case, it will take longer than usual time.

2.Using incandescent lights to charge your solar lights.  
The solar lights with their photovoltaic cells can convert light into DC electricity. As we have seen, Sunlight is not the only way that can charge your solar lights. You can even charge these lights with incandescent bulbs. Yes, they are normal household lights used in your home, the solar lights will be charged slowly once the solar panel is close to the household lights. 

  However, you have to be prepared to leave the lights on for at least 12 hours to fully charge the solar lights, which is very slow charging, and it is obviously a very inefficient way to charge them.

3.Using any LED light source to charge the solar lights.
Using LED lights as an alternative source for charging your solar lighting is another way. Yes, the LED lights that we commonly use in our homes can be used to charge your solar lights, but that’s an inefficient way as well.

Compared to using incandescent, it’s more beneficial to use LED lights, as the LED lights overs a
larger range of the spectrum that allows those electrons within the photovoltaic cells to move and generate electricity efficiently.  Yet, in order to charge them effectively, the solar lights should be placed close to the led light source.

4.Using a USB charger to charge the solar lights.
The test result shows that the solar lights can be charged when you place the solar panel under any sort of artificial lighting, the strong lights are better for charging.

Nowadays, many solar lights come with USB ports, therefore, charging solar lights counts, not on sunlight or artificial lighting. You can just connect with a USB cable to charge the solar lights through a power bank or your laptop.

5.Clean the Solar Panels on solar lights

Accumulated dust or snow on solar panels can block sunlight from entering the PV cells and reduce power generation efficiency. It is highly recommended to clean the solar panel surface with a microfiber cloth moistened with water so that to keep the panels in top performance.

6.Move your solar lights around
If you have solar lights in a spot that doesn’t get much sun, try moving them around throughout the day so they can catch some rays.
For the solar light system with a separated solar PV panel such as solar flood lights, solar led string lights, and solar wall lights, you can leave the led lighting system outdoors and take the panel indoors or sunny area for charging.  You can also detach the solar panel from the spotlight and move the battery to a sunny position on your roof and extend the wire lead down to the light.  

7. Monthly make a long charge
Rechargeable batteries can be discharged quickly, so it is important to charge them fully before using particularly at first. So you are advised to continually charge the solar lights for 5 days, meanwhile, make the sure to switch off the lights at night to ensure a maximum capacity charge.  This will ensure that you get the most out of your battery and avoid any problems with decreased capacity or lost power when not in use for extended periods. 

Conclusion 

 So, there you have it! You now know several ways to charge your solar lights without direct sunlight. If you are still experiencing issues with charging your solar lights, be sure to check out our other solar energy articles for more tips and tricks. And as always, feel free to leave a comment or question in the section below. We would love to hear from you!