FAULT FINDING & TROUBLESHOOTING
We process and dispatch one to two hundred orders a day, every day of the year, to customers all over the world. This equates to tens of thousands of our products being sold annually. Returns are rare as over 98% of the customers who shop with us are more than satisfied with their purchase. However, more than 75% of the products that are returned reported as being faulty, once fully inspected and tested, have no fault found whatsoever and appear to be working 100% perfectly. This represents very large proportion of the small amount of returns that we receive and therefore, in an effort to resolve this issues (without the customer spending out on shipping a return back to us and possibly having to pay shipping again for it to be sent back to them because there was no fault found) we would like to provide this information to assist in troubleshooting techniques.
Below are some tips to assist customers with troubleshooting and fault finding with some of the most popular solar lights that we sell and the most common causes of problems that are not really a fault but instead more of a solution.
The information provided below may apply specifically to one or many lights. Not all solar lights are the same but most work using the same principles and using similar parts and components etc. If you are not sure about something please ask. If you have a quick and simple question you may email or call. If you question is more complex it may be better that you call us to save going back and fourth with lengthy emails.
STEP 1.
The most common problem for a solar light not illuminating at night time is because the product has been installed in a location that is simply not dark enough during the night. On the top of the product, usually near the solar panels, you will find a tiny photocell (light sensor). It is a clear/white object about 1/4” diameter. This component is highly sensitive to light and controls when the light illuminates (subject to the on/off switch being in the ‘on’ position). If the location is not dark enough the light will not illuminate. Often, the product is installed too close to other nearby lighting sources such as street lights, security lights, house lights and such. If you think this may be the problem, try masking over the photocell with some thick tape such as duck tape and see if the light comes on a night time with the tape in place. If it does, then your problem is that the photocell is being affected by nearby lighting or the location you have the light installed is not dark enough. The majority of our customers have been able to quickly and easily solve this minor problem by cutting out a circular shaped piece of tape (about 1/4” diameter or less) using black electrical tape or black duck tape, and place it onto the photocell. This will reduce the sensitivity of this light sensor and compensate for the fact that the location is not dark enough. Depending upon how many of these products you have and where they are located, it may not be necessary to do this to all of them. Light levels can vary substantially just within a metre or two.
Another way to test a solar light, to see if it is working, is firstly to ensure that it is fully charged and the on/off switch is set to the ‘on’ position, and to take the light into a totally dark room to see if it illuminates. What we mean by totally dark is exactly that, it must be completely dark. As an added tip, place you hand or finger over the photocell.
Just covering over the photocell or placing a finger or thumb over it outside in daylight or even indoors in daylight is not usually sufficient, as it is sensitive enough still to detect the daylight and therefore the light will not illuminate.
PP09 Solar ‘Coach’ Lantern Light - Photocell (light sensor) is situated just above the solar panels on the top of the product.
PO01 Solar ‘Regency’ Lamp Post Light - Photocell (light sensor) is situated next to the solar panels on the top of the product.
PL04 Solar ‘Heritage’ Mini Lamp Post Light - Photocell (light sensor) is situated just above the solar panels on the top of the product.
PP07 Solar ‘Highlight’ Spot Light - Photocell (light sensor) is situated just under the solar panel on the top of the spot light main body.
FL03 & FL04 Solar ‘Multi-Purpose’ Floodlights - Photocell (light sensor) is situated on the base of the product on the side next to the on/off switch.
FL05, FL06 & FL07 Solar ‘Multi-Purpose’ Floodlights - Photocell (light sensor) is situated on the product next to the on/off switch and solar panel input.
Almost 3 out of 4 returns that are initially reported as faulty, by the customer, and which are then subsequently found to be working just perfectly, are actually being used in locations that are not dark enough. You average garden in a town or city for example, at night time, quite often is light enough to go outside and read a newspaper.
STEP 2.
Many of the solar lights that we sell have been imported or shipped on a journey for thousands of miles. When we ship out your order it too can travel hundreds of thousands of miles to reach you. During transit, it is quite possible that one or more of the rechargeable batteries is not seated correctly in its compartment. We recommend that the batteries are checked to make sure they are firmly and securely in their compartments.
STEP 3.
As all solar lights are in fact battery powered, these rechargeable batteries can fail. Their typical life is around 1000 cycles or when used in a solar light, about 2-3 years on average. From the time that a solar light has been manufactured to the time you receive it (or get around to using it) could be as long as 6 months or more. Therefore, although most of the solar lights we sell are shipped with a part or full charge in the batteries, we do not guarantee that, and it is quite possible that one or all of the batteries are completely discharged. They will need to be charged before the light will function. If you have just one bad battery among others or one battery that refuses to take a charge, then this can affect the entire light and prevent it from functioning normally. You can check or test the batteries with a volt meter or battery tester if you have one. Most solar lights use rechargeable AA size batteries which are 1.2 volts dc. Sometimes rechargeable batteries can be seen to have deposits or corrosion on the ends, usually the button end. This can easily be removed with a wire brush or a fine abrasive such as sand paper. The battery ends must be clean and shiny. Sometimes this will need to be done as a matter of routine maintenance, especially when a solar light has been in use outdoors for a long period of time. When checking or testing the batteries it is important to check the battery terminals inside their compartments. These too should be clean and shiny. Any corrosion or deposits on the batteries or on the terminals will affect the charging of the batteries and may prevent the light from illuminating at night time. When reinserting the batteries, makes sure they are in the correct direction and making good contact with the spring and the terminal.
Almost 1 out of 4 returns that are initially reported as faulty, by the customer, and which are then subsequently found to be working just perfectly, are simply a battery problem that could have been identified and fixed in minutes. Routine battery cleaning, maintenance and replacement is part of the use of solar outdoor lighting.
Remember, when replacing the batteries in your solar light, always use identical replacements whenever possible. We sell most rechargeable batteries for solar lights.
Never use a regular (non-rechargeable) battery in a solar light.
BULLETIN NOTICES
Helpful tips for use and set-up for some of our most popular products.
SF01 Solar ‘Protector’ Security Floodlight with Motion Sensor
TIP: Do not set the ‘Lux’ dial all the way to darkness (identified with a symbol of the moon. Instead try about 2/3 of the way. No location is dark enough for the ‘Lux’ dial to be set all the way and if you did this, the light would probably never come on because its circuitry is waiting for it to be dark enough. With the dial all the way around, it would never become dark enough.
PO01 Solar ‘Regency’ Lamp Post Light
TIP: Make sure all 8 batteries are correctly in their compartments and making good contact with their springs and terminals. When you first turn the switch to the on position, a quick flash of light from the LED’s is normal. If the lamp post is in a location dark enough, it will stay on. If it is not dark enough it will not stay on. Some customers have this product positioned near other lighting sources such as street lights. We recommend that you cut out a 1/4” diameter circle of black tape (use black electrical tape or black duck tape for example) and place the tape over the photocell. The photocell is a tiny light sensor that you will find on the top of the lampshade between two of the solar panels. Place a circular piece of tape over the photocell and this should compensate for the location not being dark enough.
FP SERIES OF FLOATING POND/POOL LIGHTS
TIP: Avoid strong light sources being directed on or towards the pond or pool. This may cause the light to stop illuminating. They may also stop illuminating if an underwater pool light is used.
