It’s common for people to wonder if their solar lights charge more effectively when they’re on or off. So, we’re looking into it right here.
Most solar lights can be charged when they’re on or off. However, they charge more effectively and quickly when they’re turned off. It’s a good idea to turn them off every once in a while to allow the battery time to take in a full charge.
Keep reading to learn more about the best way to charge your solar lights. Proper charging can extend the life of your lights.
Solar Lights Charge On and Off
Let’s start by saying that as long as there is sunlight shining on the surface of the solar panel for your lights, they’re charging in some capacity…That means solar lights can charge on and off.
When the battery charges this way, though, it never reaches full charge. That’s ok but it does shorten the overall life of the battery.
Turning the lights off and allowing them to charge for a few days is the best way to ensure the longevity of your solar lights.
Should I Turn Solar Lights Off Every Day?
You can turn them off every day, but it’s not necessary. Not only is this tedious but it’s just not practical. You also don’t get any extra benefit from doing this.
Instead, turn solar lights off every few days or so to give the battery a full and complete charge. This will extend the life of your solar lights significantly.
Ultimately, solar lights can be charged on and off, but they’re more effective when turned off. Give your solar lights a break every few days to ensure their long-term health. Doing so will help your solar lights last longer and provide consistent illumination for years to come.
Your solar lights don’t always go through their entire charge every night. Most solar lights get anywhere from 4 to 12 hours of light up time off a charge. They may not turn off at all during the night.
Once the sun comes out again, your solar lights go back into charging mode and the cycle continues.
How Often Should I Turn Solar Lights Off?
As mentioned above, you should turn your solar lights off sometimes…every few days to a week is likely good enough. But really, how often depends on the space your solar lights are in. If they get a lot of sun exposure, you don’t need to turn them off nearly as often.
In shady spaces, solar lights may not get a full charge during the day. In this case, you should turn solar lights off every few days to make sure they’re getting enough juice. This will ensure your solar lights are always charged and ready to go when needed.
Those of us that have spaces where sun exposure is only at certain points in the day or more sporadic than others should turn the lights off fully more often.
When you turn your solar lights completely off, it’s referred to as deep charging. You should deep charge according to your space. If your solar lights only get sun exposure sporadically, you should deep charge once every other week.
How Long is a Deep Charge Session?
Deep charging solar lights helps to extend the life of the battery. You should turn the lights off and leave them off for a full 72 hours, if possible.
If your lights get a bit more sunlight exposure, you can deep charge them for about 48 hours. And if your solar lights get sunlight all day long, you don’t need to deep charge them at all. People who get optimal sun exposure on their solar lights can leave them on to charge.
Final Thoughts
You can charge solar lights when they’re turned on or off. Turning them off to deep charge for a few days every couple of weeks is a good way to extend the life of the batteries to your lights.
Solar lights with all-day sun exposure don’t need to be turned off much, if at all. If your lights are in a shadier spot, turning them off to charge sometimes is a good idea to make them last longer.