×
Living in this technologically advanced time, we cannot deny the fact that solar-powered lights are getting huge popularity. Yes, people in this era are looking for eco-friendly solutions and in this regard, solar lights can be the ultimate solution for them. Well, solar lights are used outdoor such as streets, gardens, lawns, and patio. By nature, they are independent; well, it means that they do not need power from the grid. Solar panels are attached to it and so, they get power from the solar lights. These lights not only reduce your carbon footprint but also your electricity bill. Moreover, you do not need to set up that ugly-looking wired system outdoor and as a result, these lights can add richness to the outdoor.
Well, the solar panels convert the sunlight into electricity that gives power to the light for a few hours. But, the question is whether this solar light works without the sun or not. You might be thinking about what will happen on a rainy day or during the winter. Most people also want to use solar lights indoors and therefore, they want to know how to charge solar lights indoors.
Table of Contents
Ok so you know that solar lights require sunlight but will these lights work well only in sunny regions?
The more sunlight the better, however if you are living in a place that rarely gets sunlight, you will still be able to use these lights effectively. The efficiency of a solar charge to the battery is largely dependant on how much direct light it receives and it does not have to be direct sunlight.
The levels of light on cloudy days are lower than sunny one. Just think about when you need sunglasses and when you do not – this level of luminance is charging your solar system as long as the panel is subjected to that brightness.
So, you might be shocked to know that these lights work well even during the winter. The fact is that solar lights simply require some form of light and you can even use artificial light to charge them. So, if you are living in a place that is not getting enough sunlight, you will have to use artificial lighting to charge your batteries – yes you can charge indoors too!
Solar lights can be charged indoors but is more applicable to the smaller moveable solar lighting systems that are mostly used for pathways, patios, and driveways.
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 dependant on light causing electrons to move and create a current that can be harvested.
You need to place the solar panel under artificial lighting of any kind and the more light the better the charge. However, nowadays, there are many solar lights that are coming up with USB ports and therefore, you will not have to rely on sunlight or artificial lights. You can directly charge the lights using any power bank or your laptop.
As of now, you have got a basic idea about how to charge solar lights. Now, the question is how long you should charge your solar lights? Before getting into this answer, you must know that solar lights have photovoltaic cells that basically turn the sunlight into DC current. There is a battery where the current is stored and the light gets power from the battery. Now, if you want the optimal performance, you should charge the solar lights for four to ten hours in direct sunlight. A fully charged solar light can give you light throughout the night. However, the performance depends upon the size of the battery. If you go with more domestic smaller solar lights you will get seven to eight hours of light. If you are charging the solar lights with artificial lighting, it might take up to 12 hours to get fully charged.
As we’ve seen, solar lights have photovoltaic cells that can turn light into a DC current, and therefore, you do not always need sunlight to charge solar lights. You can even charge these lights with LED or incandescent bulbs. Yes, these are normal household lights that is you place your solar panel near one during an evening of use, they will slowly charge.
If you are lighting those incandescent bulbs or LED lights just to charge your solar lights, it will be considered an inefficient way of charging solar lights. However, you will also have to keep the point in mind that it requires almost 12 hours to charge solar lights using an incandescent or LED bulb, so it is slower.
During the daytime, you can charge solar lights by placing them close to the windows. However, if we talk about cloudy weather or winter, you can still charge the solar lights using this method. 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.·
The alternative source of LED light to charge your solar lighting is surprisingly effective. Yes, you can use the LED lights that we generally use in our house. LED lights have a broad spectrum of electromagnetic radiation (light) causing those electrons within the PV Cell is efficiently move and charge. However, you will need to place the solar lights close to the LED lights to charge them well.
Rechargeable batteries benefit from a full charge particularly at first so it’s advisable to perform a full indoor charge over a few days without the system’s lights coming on at night to ensure a maximum capacity charge.
Light is absorbed by dark colored surfaces which is partly why solar panels are dark. Not all solar lights suit being positioned in sunny areas, so to aid the brightness of the area to maximise charging, introduce mirrors for the most efficient redirection of light onto the panel or place the panel on or opposite a white or very bright surface.
There needs to be nothing blocking that precious light from entering the PV Cell, so knowing how to clean solar lights is important to keep the panel charging at optimal performance.
Conveniently, light systems that have an external PV panel such as LED string lights or some flood and wall lights, the panel can be disconnected and taken indoors for charging with the fixture left in situ outdoors.
If you are looking for new solar lighting let us do some of the research for you with our reviews and buying guides to the Best Solar Lights in 2021
Explaining what SELV is – the Safety Extra Low Voltage safety standard particularly for LED lighting, reviewing benefits, restrictions & key characteristics.
White light contains a mixture of colors blending to make white in differing hues, resulting in pros and cons for using them when studying – with our recommendation.
LED lights are safe to use all night, we explore why, looking at the pros and cons of all night illumination with tips on using LED as the source of light.
Troubleshoot your LED light fixture with 15 reasons why your LED light is not working but still has power, checking bulb components, fixtures and conditions.
Comparing the key projector brightness measurement differences, where 1 ANSI lumen = 0.8 ISO lumens, we explain which one is more important.