Be very gentle when cleaning your solar panels. Use clean water and a microfiber cloth to scrub the dirt and grime off of your lights. Avoid using detergents to clean the solar panels; these may cause streaking that could actually make it harder for the panels to charge. If you’re in an area that has a lot of dust, pollen, sandstorms, or fires, wash off the layers of dust, pollen, dander, or ashes with a hose. [2] X Expert Source Guy GabaySolar Energy Contractor Expert Interview. 4 August 2020.
This is a relatively labor-intensive method, since you’ll have to continually reposition the lights throughout the day. If you’re unable to do this, place the lights somewhere they’ll get the most sunlight throughout the day (e. g. , the middle of a backyard). For best results, charge your solar lights for 8-10 hours in full sunlight. Be sure to place your solar lights so that they’re not blocked from receiving sunlight, as they would be, for example, under a tall tree. The best direction to face your lights so they’re getting sunlight most of the day is South, followed by West, East, and North (in the Northern Hemisphere). [4] X Expert Source Guy GabaySolar Energy Contractor Expert Interview. 4 August 2020.
Go with mirrors that are about twice the size of the solar panel. This will increase the chances of the panels receiving as much sunlight as possible. For best results, position the mirrors diagonally on the ground so that they’re in a fixed position and lay the solar panels alongside them. This way, you don’t have to suspend the mirrors somewhere above the solar panels. Note that this method also requires you to frequently reposition the mirror, since the sun moves pretty rapidly across the sky.
It’s recommended that you do this on a regular basis (e. g. , once a month) in order to keep your solar lights working as effectively as possible. This technique is known as a “deep charge” in the solar lighting industry.
Place your solar lights as close to the light bulb as possible. The further away it is from an incandescent light bulb, the longer it will take your solar panel to charge. Use a bulb with a high wattage to speed up the charging time. Note that this method is only worthwhile if you’re already using an incandescent bulb for lighting or some other purpose. It’s otherwise a very inefficient way of charging a solar panel. How quickly your solar lights will charge with this method depends on the specific model and lights that you’re using. For best results, charge your solar panels for at least 12 hours if you’re using incandescent lights.
Charge your solar panels for at least 10-12 hours if you’re using an LED light to do so. Like using an incandescent bulb, this method is really only worthwhile if you’re already using an LED light for some other purpose.
Street lights, porch lights, and other types of automatic outdoor lighting are the most common causes of reduced solar light sensitivity over time. Note that this only applies to evenings when your lights are supposed to be running. It’s perfectly fine to expose your solar lights to artificial lighting when they’re turned off or charging.
