If you have solar panels or solar lights at home and use them to power some of your appliances, then you may find yourself wondering how to recharge old solar power lights.
Most people who have solar powered lights at home know how much money they can save by using the renewable energy provided by the sun.
Many people even use their lights at night when it is dark outside and put them on their porch or patio to provide a warm and welcoming glow.
The most important thing to know about solar energy is that it does not cost anything to get started and that once it is started, it continues to provide you with plenty of energy for years to come.
So what are some ways that you can recharge these old solar power lights?
Examine your old solar panels
First of all, if your solar panels or old solar panels have stopped producing energy, then there are a few things you can do to get them going again. The easiest way to do this is to take apart the solar cells that make up the solar panel.
Once you have taken apart the cells, then you will notice that they are similar in shape to an AA battery.
In order to put them back together and make them produce energy again, you will need to put new solar cells on the top and bottom of the AA battery. You should keep the old solar cells on the bottom because they will be the easiest to find when you need to replace them.
It’s after you have replaced the old solar cells that your old solar panel is made from, then you should connect the new ones. In order to do this, you will need to take the light panel apart and reconnect the individual cells.
When you reconnect them, you will want to follow the same directions that you took apart the solar panel to put them back together. You should then put new solar cells on top of the old cells and make sure that the light is getting enough sun to recharge.
Go natural: use the sun
The next step is to actually place the light into the sun. To do this, you should place the solar panel in the shade and make sure that it gets plenty of sunlight during the day.
You can then follow the same steps as you did above to reconnect the individual cells and see if it gets enough energy to recharge.
It may be necessary to purchase new solar cells once you find out that your old solar panel doesn’t generate enough energy.
The good news is that many of the kits that come with solar panels make replacement cells very easy. These kits make it very easy to find cells to use for your project.
Reusing old solar panels is a great way to help the environment. Photovoltaic energy is clean, effective, and inexpensive. Many people that have old solar panels sitting around their home do not bother to recycle them and only let them collect dust.
This is both bad for the environment and for the economy. Hopefully, learning how do you recharge old solar lights will help you make a move to making your own solar panels.
Can solar lights be recharged?
Can solar lights be recharged? The answer to that is yes, absolutely. In most cases, the battery for a solar light will only have a life of about two years, so in many situations it would make sense to buy a new one.
But, if you follow a few simple steps, you can extend the life of your current one and save some money as well.
How solar lights work
Let’s start with how they work. Traditional lights use a battery to store the sun’s energy during the day. This energy is converted into direct current, or DC, and then the light is turned on automatically.
At night, the DC is lost and the batteries have to be recharge.
There are several different types of solar lights, including, but not limited to:
- Small solar garden lights
- Solar deck lights
- Large, bright solar garden lights
All of these use photovoltaic cells, which convert light into electricity.
Most solar cells contain a semiconductor material called silicon, which when exposed to sunlight, produces electricity.
This electricity is stored in the cells, which needs to be recharged by using a battery. If the battery has run out, then the lights stop working until you buy a new one.
The basic technology is not too complicated. The problem comes in when the batteries used in the solar lights get damaged or lose their ability to produce electricity. When this happens, it is important to replace the old cell with a new one.
Unfortunately, a lot of people do not know how to handle a solar cell and the batteries they store. It is better to replace them immediately rather than leave them and chance the batteries going bad.
Luckily, there are a few things anyone can do to make sure their batteries are good as new again. One thing to check is the circuit breaker for the home that uses the solar lights. If it is tripped, then it could mean trouble.
Can solar garden lights be recharged? Of course they can, but only if the person knows how. This is why it is important to keep an eye on the solar cells in order to keep them charged.
This will also help with keeping them out of the sun so they stay charged. It is also important to make sure the homeowner does not overcharge the solar cells or else they will eventually die.
Overcharging can prevent the solar lights from producing electricity and could eventually stop working entirely.
Do you have to replace batteries on solar lights?
Replacing your old batteries with new ones can be very beneficial for your solar lighting setup.
There are a few different kinds of batteries that are used in solar lighting systems.
Some of them are more expensive than others but they all have their good points. The price will come into play when you decide which kind of battery you want to use.
Lead acid batteries are one of the more common types of batteries being used in outdoor solar lighting systems.
They are normally used for high-power lights such as Christmas lights. These batteries tend to last longer and are less expensive than alkaline cells which are most often used in smaller lights. They are also better for storing power since they do not get hot like other cells.
One thing to keep in mind if you are going from a lead-acid battery to a lithium-ion battery is to make sure that you completely charge these batteries before you go ahead and use them.
Nickel Cadmium Batteries
Nickel Cadmium cells are another kind of batteries used in solar power systems. These are slightly less expensive than alkaline cells but are still worth having a look at. They have been known to last a lot longer than other cells.
These cells also use a different process to produce power than the other cells do.
These cells get very hot when charging and will need to be kept inside out of the sun.
This will make them cost a little more but they will save you money in the long run on power.
Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries
Nickel Metal Hydride is a type of battery commonly used in back up devices for cell phones and laptops. These types of batteries are usually nickel cadmium based. It is a lot cheaper to make these then it is to buy the whole thing.
Lead Acid Batteries
Lead Acid batteries are a common type of battery found in most back ups and as well as being used for cars.
These batteries are very durable and have a high capacity. Do you have to replace batteries on solar lights? These batteries are not that expensive to buy and to top it off, they store energy very well.
Conclusion
Rechargeable batteries are a great way to go.
Not only do they save you money by using a renewable resource, but they are very easy to recharge as well.
Do you have to replace batteries on solar lights? Only if you don’t have a backup system in place!
