A solar light carries its own power, so there is no wiring, no switch and nothing to connect. What decides whether it works well is where the panel sits, and that is worth a few minutes of thought before anything goes into the ground.
Before you start
- Power: the light runs from a solar panel and a rechargeable battery. There is no mains connection and no plug.
- Sunlight: the panel needs direct sun for most of the day. Six hours of good light is the figure to aim for. Under a tree, against a north-facing wall or in the shadow of a fence the battery will not fill, and the light will fade early in the evening.
- First charge: charge the light fully before you judge it. Leave the switch off and give it a full day of daylight. The first two or three nights are not a fair test of how long it runs.
- Dusk sensor: these lights turn themselves on as the light falls and off again at dawn. A porch light, a security lamp or a window shining on the sensor will keep it switched off, so keep the panel away from other light at night.
- Weather: the casing is waterproof, made for rain on an open step or deck. It is not made to stand in water or be submerged.
- Ground: soft, worked soil takes a spike easily. Dry summer ground, gravel and clay do not - soak the spot first rather than forcing the spike, which is the usual way a spike snaps.
Tools you may need
- None for most models
- A trowel or a narrow spade, for hard ground or for an in-ground fitting
- A small screwdriver, if your model has a battery cover
- Garden ties or clips, for a string light
Setting up
1. Unpack and charge
Take the light out and keep the packaging until you are satisfied with it. Peel off any protective film on the solar panel - a film left in place looks like nothing and halves the charge. Find the switch, which is usually on the underside of the panel or behind a small cover, and leave it OFF for the first charge. Stand the panel in direct sun for a full day.
2. Choose the position
Watch where the sun actually falls in your garden before you commit. Pick the spot that holds the light longest through the middle of the day, and keep the panel clear of overhanging leaves that will close over it as the season goes on. For a path or a step, set the lights at an even spacing and stand back to look along the run rather than at each one.
3. Fit the light
- Step and wall models: set the light on the step or deck, or screw it to a wall with the brackets supplied. Fix it where the panel faces open sky, and keep the screws snug rather than tight so the casing is not stressed.
- In-ground models: dig a hole to the fitting's own depth, listed above, so the face finishes level with the ground and the mower passes over it. Firm the soil back around the body and leave the panel face clear of grass.
- String lights: run the string through the planting or along a railing and fix it with garden ties every so often, leaving a little slack at each tie. Site the panel at one end where it gets sun and the string does not have to.
4. Switch on and test
Turn the switch on after the first full charge. To test it in daylight, cover the panel with your hand or a cloth for a few seconds - the light should come on. If it does not, check the switch, then check that the battery cover is closed and the battery is the right way round.
5. Set the mode
Where a model offers several modes: steady, colour change or a warm and a cool white - the button is next to the switch. Set it once the light is in position, because the mode is held through the night and reset at dawn.
Important tips
- Wipe the panel clean every few weeks. Dust, pollen and bird mess cut the charge far more than they look as if they should.
- Run time falls in winter and in a long spell of dull weather. That is the panel, not a fault.
- Bring a light indoors for a long frost only if its rating asks you to. Store it charged and switch it off, because a battery left flat for months will not come back.
- Replace the battery with the type printed inside the cover. A higher capacity than the panel can fill does not help.
- Keep a strimmer and a mower away from the panel and the cable of a string light.
- Do not site a solar light where a security lamp or a window shines on it, or the dusk sensor will keep it off all night.
If anything about the position, the charge or the sensor is unclear, email info@clerachic.com and a person will answer you.
