Troubleshooting Solar Snafus

It’s hard to believe that things like outdoor lighting and speakers used to require various cords and cables to be run through walls, buried in the ground or otherwise concealed for cosmetic and safety purposes. These days you can find just about any outdoor amenity available in a combination of wireless, cordless, Bluetooth and solar. But what happens if the sun shines, but your solar-powered gadgets don’t? When something goes wrong, it’s not as if you can submit your issue to a cosmic complaint department.

If the sun comes out and your solar-powered lights, speakers or fountains don’t come on, the problem may not be due to defective or broken parts. Before returning or taking your item apart, product reviewer Solar Advantage has some suggestions to get your gadgets up and running: Six tips to help solve solar snafus:

1. On/Off switch: Sometimes it’s not obvious that a solar-powered item has a switch. The switch may be hard to see or placed awkwardly. Stake lights often have switches underneath the power panel. Even if you are aware of a switch and turned it on, check again to make sure it didn’t get moved to the off position.

2. Battery tabs: Solar items may be packed with pull tabs to keep the batteries from discharging in transit. Look for and remove any barrier tabs.

3. Starlight, porchlight: Solar lights won’t come on if they are placed in areas with too much evening light. If your solar-powered appliance gets too much artificial light, it will not “know” that it’s nighttime and fail to turn on. Try moving your solar apparatus to a darker area.

4. Shadowy figures: If solar panels get covered in shadow, they will not charge the batteries. Check to see if plants have grown big enough or what else may be casting shadows onto your power source.

5. Quick clean: Anything that lives outdoors is bound to collect dirt and grime, and your solar equipment is no exception. Wipe your solar panels down with a soft cloth and some dish soap and remove any residue with a clean cloth to allow the sun to shine in properly.

6. R & R: Your solar batteries may need a few days to fully recharge. Multiple, consecutive cloudy days, shorter days and even cold can prevent your batteries from getting a full charge. Turn your solar items off - but leave them outside - for two to three days to allow them to recharge. Turn your lights back on after the rest period.

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