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originalvermonter

solar garden lights

originalvermonter
14 years ago

Last year I bought a set of 4 solar, colored, globe lights from Costco. I really enjoyed them. They glowed at night and the lights kept changing colors. This spring the majority of the lights aren't working. Can they be repaired? Has something worn out? Do they work for just a limited amount of time? Have others had problems with these lights? Are their better made colored globe lights out there?

Comments (5)

  • diggingthedirt
    14 years ago

    I've tried several (3 or 4) kinds of solar lights and have never had more than 1 or 2 of any batch last for more than 1 or 2 years. Even the best ones I've bought, which were from Gardener's Eden, or somewhere like that, and were fairly pricey; are mostly gone, after 3 years. I think I started with 8, and 2 or 3 are still going; they're stainless and very nicely designed, so I'm really disappointed.

    On the landscape design forum, someone with more expertise than me wrote that there is no such thing as a "good" solar light, and that they all fail quickly compared to the low-voltage lights. Trouble is, the solar lights are so much more convenient.

    I'll be interested to hear if there's any hope of repairing these when they break - I suspect not.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    14 years ago

    Can you open them and get the batteries out? It may be just a case of replacing the old batteries with new, rechargeable, batteries.

    I have some solar lights and the instructions say that the original batteries may have to be replaced after a year or two. I've only had them for less than a year, but I did recharge the batteries (type AA) in my regular battery charger after a prolonged gloomy period.

    If you can't get at the batteries, I don't have a clue.

    Claire

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    14 years ago

    I've had the same experience as Claire. You don't know how long the lights were sitting between manufacture and when you bought them, and so the battery may just be really old or just a really cheap one, quality-wise. We have a small solar light just to light the steps of our home shop when we leave for the night. It stopped working, and my husband just popped out the battery. He did warn me to be sure to match the type of rechargeable battery. Ours had a Ni-Cad battery, and I guess if you get the other kind of rechargeable it can be a problem.
    As DtD said, there have been over the years many discussions of solar lights on the Landscape Design forum - many of the folks who post there are landscape pros of some type. In general, as DtD said the consensus among those folks with more experience and expertise seems to be that solar quality isn't as good as low-voltage, but also that in solar lights, there are definitely some brands that are better quality and will last longer.

  • alicia5563_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    LEDs used in solar lights should, in theory, have a lifespan of 25 years. You can buy rechargeable batteries for solar lights. Do make sure that the solar lights are in full sun as a poor charge will deplete the life of the battery.

    The LED bulbs in solar lights can't actually be replaced in the unit but the batteries can be. I hope you had some luck with it!

    Here is a link that might be useful: How Solar Lights Work

  • ontheteam
    13 years ago

    Brought them at Costco? Return them. It's why you pay to shop there.... and I say this as a Costco employee... You should get a store credit....