10 Tricks to Charge Solar Lights Without Sun

Picture your garden with all its pathways and cozy corners glowing softly every night.

It looks like a magical little world, right?

But what if the sun doesn’t show up, or there’s too much shade blocking your solar lights?

No problem at all. You can still have that glowing garden of your dreams even when the sun decides to hide.

I’ve got simple and smart ways to help you keep those solar lights on.

We’ll use stuff like indoor lights and mirrors to snatch up every little bit of light we can, and I’ll even show you how to use battery backups just in case.

Key Takeaways

• Solar lights can still be charged without direct sunlight, using artificial light sources or indirect sunlight.
• On cloudy days, maximizing panel exposure or using mirrors to reflect light onto solar panels can help improve charging.
• LEDs, especially yellow ones, are effective artificial light sources for charging solar panels when sunlight isn’t available.
• Solar batteries can also be charged separately using a battery charger in cases of low sunlight.
• Methods like using moonlight or firelight offer minimal charging but can be used in emergencies, though they are less efficient.

How Do Solar Lights Absorb and Store Energy?

Before we dive into how to charge solar lights without any sun, let’s talk about how they usually get their power.

It’s all about turning light into electricity, a process known as photovoltaic energy conversion, and it mainly uses a material called silicon.

Silicon is good at this because it has electrons that are not too tight with their atoms, making it easy for them to get moving.

So, imagine photons—these tiny packets of light energy—as little energy balls.

When these balls hit the silicon in a solar panel, they pass their energy to the electrons.

Think of it like throwing a ball at some bottles in a carnival game.

Hit them right, and you’ll knock a bottle loose.

That’s what happens when photons hit electrons—they knock them out of their comfy spots.

Now, every time a photon frees an electron, that electron starts to move, and this movement is what we call electric current.

This current flows into the battery of the solar light, storing up energy for later use.

This setup doesn’t just work with sunlight; any light source can keep the electrons moving, which is perfect for charging up your solar lights on cloudy days or in shady spots.

So, even when the sun isn’t shining bright, your solar lights can still gather energy and light up the night.

How Can You Charge Solar Lights Without Direct Sunlight or in Low Light Conditions?

1. Harnessing Indirect Sunlight

You might think that solar lights need direct sunshine to work, but they’re more versatile than that.

Even on those cloudy, gray days, the sun hasn’t disappeared—it’s just playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds, which spread the sunlight around rather than sending it straight down to us.

So what can you do when it’s more cloudy than sunny?

Well, first things first: take a damp cloth and clean off any grime or leaves that might be blocking your solar panels.

Next up, ensure to position your solar lights so they face upward, directly at the sky.

This way, they can catch all that scattered light—think of it as catching the light from every angle, not just directly from the sun.

Got snow?

Here’s a winter tip for you: if it starts to snow, you might need to bring your solar lights inside.

Snow can pile up and smother them, which isn’t good for charging.

And if your lights aren’t built for cold weather (like if they have an IP rating below 65), it’s best to keep them warm and safe inside until the weather warms up.

2. Utilizing Mirrors for Enhanced Charging

Even if your solar lights are hiding in the shade, they’ll still pick up a little charge, though it’s nowhere near as quick as when they’re soaking up direct sunlight.

But here’s a cool hack to speed things up: mirrors!

Try setting up some mirrors around your solar lights to bounce extra sunlight straight onto their panels.

This neat little trick can ramp up the intensity of the light hitting them, which means they’ll charge much faster.

Just a heads up, though—using mirrors does need a bit of upkeep.

Since the sun doesn’t stay put all day, you’ll need to tweak the position of the mirrors now and then to keep the sunlight focused on your panels.

It’s a bit more work, sure, but it’s worth it.

On those less sunny days, this trick can be a game-changer, keeping your solar lights bright and cheerful.

3. Alternative Charging with Battery Chargers

Normally, your solar lights soak up all the sunlight they need from those handy panels on top.

But what if the sun goes on a little hiatus?

No sweat—there’s a simple workaround: use a regular battery charger, just like the ones for your other gadgets.

Just take the batteries out of your solar lights and plug them into the charger.

True, it’s not the greenest solution since it taps into household electricity, but it’s a speedy fix when you’re in a pinch and need those lights on pronto.

Oh, and if it seems like your solar lights are running out of steam faster than before, you might want to try a bigger battery to keep them going longer.

Just ensure the voltage of the new battery matches the original to keep things safe and smooth.

This way, you won’t risk overpowering your solar lights and causing any damage.

4. Dual Charging Options for Flexibility

Some solar lights are super flexible with how they charge—they’re not just limited to sunlight.

They can also be plugged right into a regular wall outlet.

If you find yourself with a string of cloudy days or your outdoor area doesn’t get much sun, no problem.

Just plug your solar lights into an outlet inside your home for a quick charge.

Here’s a handy tip: If you ensure the battery is fully charged before the sun goes down, your lights will shine even brighter.

That’s pretty useful, right?

This feature comes in a clutch when you need just a bit more light during the night.

5. Boosting Charge with LED Lights

Remember how we talked about photons—those tiny packets of energy in light—that can knock electrons loose?

Well, a study in 2015 revealed something interesting: solar panels respond well to yellow light, or any light that’s between 600 to 700 nm in wavelength.

That’s the stuff you see in yellow, orange, and red hues.

So, if you’ve got some yellow LED lights lying around, you’re in luck.

These are your best shot at charging your solar lights when the sun isn’t around.

The brighter and more intense these LED lights are, the quicker your solar lights will power up.

It helps to use strong, high-powered LED lights or even set up a bunch of LEDs to focus directly on your solar panel.

6. Fluorescent Lights as a Charging Aid

Fluorescent lights can come to the rescue for charging your solar lights, especially on those cloudy days when the sun decides to take a break.

These lights toss out a spectrum of light that ranges from https

—pretty much the sweet spot for giving your solar panels a nice little energy bump.

Sure, they’re not quite as top-notch as yellow LED lights, which are the gold standard for this, but they still get the job done pretty well.

7. The Limited Use of Incandescent Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are kind of the old-timers in the world of light bulbs—they light up with all sorts of colors, including a bit of yellow.

But here’s the thing: they also pump out a lot of infrared light.

Now, that might sound cool, but it’s not exactly what you want for charging your solar lights.

Why?

Well, this type of light doesn’t just do a poor job of charging; it also heats your solar panels a lot.

When your panels get too hot, the electrons inside start to go a bit haywire, bouncing around and making the whole thing less efficient.

That said, if you’re stuck and there’s not a yellow LED in sight, an incandescent bulb can still give your solar lights a little nudge.

It’s not the ideal solution, but it can give you a bit of a boost until you find something better.

8. The Downside of Heat Lamps

Heat lamps can technically charge your solar lights, but really, they’re pretty much a last resort.

Here’s why: most of the light they emit—about 99% of it—is above 660-670 nm wavelength.

What this means is only a tiny sliver, like 1%, of that light is useful for charging your solar lights.

And honestly, that’s not a lot.

But there’s more to it.

They’re called heat lamps for a reason.

They pump out a serious amount of heat.

And this isn’t just a small problem—it’s a big deal.

All that heat can seriously damage your solar panels. It can make them less efficient and shorten their lifespan.

9. Moonlight: A Modest Charger

You might find this surprising, but moonlight can help charge your solar panels a bit.

The light from the moon mostly hangs out around 400 nm on the wavelength scale.

That’s not the best for juicing up your solar lights completely, but it does give them a small boost.

On a really clear night, that little bit of moonlight can extend how long your lights stay lit.

10. Minimal Charging with Firelight

Yep, believe it or not, you can use fire to charge your solar lights.

Sounds a bit out there, right?

But even though it’s possible, it’s not exactly the best or safest method around.

Most of the light from a campfire or candle flames sits in the infrared and red part of the spectrum.

The catch? These wavelengths aren’t effective for charging solar panels.

Less than 1% of this light is in the yellow range, which is the part that’s good for generating electricity.

So, you might get a tiny bit of power from firelight, but it’s not going to be much.

And safety is super important.

You need to keep your solar panels far away from the fire to prevent any damage or melting.

If you’re out of options and have to try this, just be extra careful.

FAQs

Conclusion

Now, you’ve got some cool tricks up your sleeve.

For instance, you can use mirrors to reflect more sunlight onto your panels, or you can switch to artificial lights like LEDs or fluorescents to keep those solar lights shining bright.

Mixing and matching these methods can pay off, helping your lights stay lit even on the cloudiest days.

And here’s a friendly tip to squeeze out every bit of sunshine:

Occasionally adjust your solar panels’ angles to make sure they’re getting as much light as possible.

Also, take a moment now and then to dust them off and clear away any leaves.

Do you still have any questions or need more tips on how to optimize your setup?

I’m here to help!