We already use a large number of solar devices thanks to the huge development of solar energy technology. Solar lights are one of them. With the widespread use of solar lights, problems arise about their durability. Foremost among them is, can you leave solar lights out in the rain? Can solar lights get wet?
Yes, Solar light can leave outside in the rain. Rain can not damage your solar light. It is designed to withstand natural weather like rain, snow, wind. They are made to be water-resistant or waterproof so they cannot be damaged by rain.
There is a significant difference between water-resistant and waterproof.
Most solar lights are made up of water-resistant. Let’s see what is the meaning of water resistance. It means that the object can prevent or resist the water leakage into the mechanical parts of the object to a certain degree. That means the solar-powered lights can prevent water from leaking inside to their mechanical parts. So if the normal amount of waterfalls on these lights it won’t damage the lights. But if your solar lights fell into water or soaked in water in any other way the light will definitely get damaged.
Sometimes the damages can be irreparable. So make sure that your lights are not soaked in water.
Some solar lights can be waterproof. They can prevent water penetration into the lights completely. So these lights are safe for even a heavy amount of water. But any physical damage to the outer covering will make the object lose its waterproof capability. So you have to protect your lights from physical damages.
How does solar light work?
Solar light is made with the combining of main components. To perform solar light as equipment requires the function of each of these components.
- Solar panel
- Rechargeable battery
- Bulbs
The solar panel generates electricity using sunlight and stores it in a rechargeable battery for later use. Then, the bulbs light up using the electricity stored in the battery. This is a simple criterion of solar light.
The process of solar light is more complex than mentioned here. This outline is just for your basic knowledge only.
Do solar lights work on a rainy day?
Many say that solar lights cannot be used when it is raining. Is that true? or Can we use solar lights on rainy days?
Yes, you can use solar light also on rainy days. It does not matter if it rains or not for solar lights. The most important thing for solar lights is sunlight. If there is sunlight, the solar panel will charge the battery. But on a rainy day, solar light efficiency may decrease due to the low sunlight.
Solar lights can be used even on a cloudy rainy day. Solar panels can be charged by a small amount of sunlight coming through the clouds. But a clear sky with more sunlight can maximize solar light efficiency.
Also, rain can help to improve solar light efficiency. The accumulation of dust, bird droppings, and other debris on the solar panels minimizes the amount of sunlight available to the solar panels. So it decreases solar light efficiency. Then you need to clean the solar panel. But on a rainy day, rainwater falls on the solar panels, removing all the dust and dirt. This will make your solar panel work efficiently.
Also, a rainy day is a cold day so the efficiency of the solar panels increases. As we all know, other electrical appliances also become inefficient when heated. Solar light similarly loses its efficiency as the temperature rises. It works at maximum efficiency in cold weather. On rainy days, the climate is colder than usual, which can increase the efficiency of your solar light. Usually, the temperature of the solar panel varies between 15 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees celsius. The peak temperature is 25 degrees celsius. Usually, solar panels start to lose their efficiency after this temperature.
Is solar light Eco-Friendly?
Yes, solar energy is very eco friendly. This is because the energy source of solar energy is sunlight photons. Which do not harm the environment in any way. Also, the energy production process does not release any harmful substances to the environment. Because the production of solar energy is solely based on the energy transfer from the photons of the sunlight to the atoms of the solar panel.
But if we take energy generation for grid connection it takes the burning of a lot of fossil fuels. Which produces so many toxic and environmentally unfriendly substances such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. These substances are the main reason for global warming and the decaying of the ozone layer.
Also as we have to mine and combust the fossil fuels to produce other oil types and gasses it really decreases the number of fossil fuels we have in the world and also it gives so many environmental pollutants in the process.
Also, there are so many other disasters that happen because of the other energy sources, such as oil leakages from the ships that cause so much damage to sea life per year. Also, there are so many wildfires started from the campfires, etc.
But if you use solar energy you can save the ecosystem as it does not result in any harmful pollutants. Also because any energy generation methods or energy usage methods of solar energy do not harm the environment in any way.
Can I leave my solar lights out in winter?
It actually depends on the weather of each day. Normally according to many resources during the winter season, solar products work more efficiently than summer days if it has enough sunlight.
So if it is a day without snowing but has sunlight yes you can leave your solar lights out without any problem. Also if there is very light snowing it is also okay to leave your solar lights out. Light snowing also does not affect if there is good sunlight out there. But if there is heavy snowing or snowstorms it is not safe to leave the lights out. Because even though it does not get damaged by snow it can get damaged by any fallen branches or any other things due to storms.
Also on this kind of day snow accumulation on solar lights is very high so even if you leave them out there it is useless because you can’t use it as their efficiency is very low under this kind of weather condition. So it wise to store the lights inside until the weather is improved.
How do I make my solar lights brighter?
If you plan to use solar lights, think about its durability. Another problem you have is, does the brightness here fade with time? What are the remedies to prevent this from happening?
Yes, if you do not do the maintenance properly, the brightness of these may decrease over time. But you can brighten your solar light again with few changes.
See if your solar light is exposed to sunlight
This is one of the main reasons why your solar light may not be as bright as it used to be. During the day, if there is less sunlight on the solar light, the solar light will not be bright as usual. The reason for this is that if the nearby trees are overgrown or something else is blocking the sunlight falling on the solar panel of your light, then the brightness of the solar lamp may decrease.
If so, choose a place where there is full sunlight and install a solar light from that place.
Clean the solar panel
If there are dust, bird droppings, or other debris on the solar panel of your solar light, the efficiency of the lamp will decrease and its brightness will decrease. Generally cleaning 3-4 times per year is enough but it can vary according to the area you are living in.
If you live in an area where there is more dust you should clean more frequently than a regular schedule. But if you live in a rainy area that much cleaning is not necessary because rain can clean your solar panels well.
Always keep the solar panel of your solar light clean so that your solar lamp will work efficiently.
See if need to replace the battery in the solar lamp
This can also be a major cause of dimming in your solar light. Solar lights generate electricity during the day and store it in the battery and illuminate it at night. As you use solar light for a long time, its battery lifespan may decrease. The battery must then be replaced.
If the battery is dead or not working properly you can repair or replace it by the company if it is covered under warranty and the warranty period is still not over.
If you can not cover it by using a warranty then you have to bear all the costs. You can replace the battery by yourself or you can hire professionals.
