How to Charge Solar Lights Without Sun

Solar-powered lights have many great benefits, but what happens when there is no sun? That is a common question asked by a lot of people who have just started using them. After all, no one wants to be left in the dark on a cloudy night. Or have to stumble through the darkness during those shorter days of the year.

The good news is that it is entirely possible to charge your solar powered lights even when there is no sun to be seen. In this article, we are going to look at how to charge solar lights without the sun, as well as why you should make the switch. So let’s get started, shall we?

Common Ways to Charge Without the Sun

When most people think solar lights, they are stuck on the idea that this is the only way that these beacons of light will be able to charge their batteries and light their way. But there are other methods you can use to charge them as well; after all, the sun isn’t always available. Here is how to charge solar lights without sun.

Cloudy Days

This may sound crazy to some, but your lights can derive power from the sun even on a cloudy day. Solar lights are designed to understand that the light from the sun is quite a distance away and so the receptors on the lights are built to be very sensitive.

This allows the solar panel to detect even the most minute traces of solar energy. So even on a cloudy day, there are still light rays hitting the Earth, which means your lights will find a charge. That being said, the charge will not be as strong as on a bright and clear day.

Incandescent Bulbs

Traditional light bulbs can be used as long as they are incandescent ones. The panel used as a receptor in your solar lights is crafted to detect any wavelength of light, and that includes the ones produced by the old wire and filament bulbs. These light bulbs produce the same type of light as the sun; it’s just not as strong.

In fact, if you need to charge on a cloudy day, these options will deliver better results relying on the diffused light of the outdoors. Using a light bulb gives you a lot of variety for charging as you can do it any time of day and no matter what the weather is like. It may take more time than usual, but it will still be faster than the last option.

LED Bulbs

Another form of lightbulb that can also help charge your solar power lights is an LED bulb. LED lights have almost the same wavelength as the sun, which means they can be used to charge the lights.

Other Ways to Charge Solar Lights

There are a few alternative methods that can be used to charge your solar-powered lights. Here are two of them.

Plug Them In

Some solar-powered devices come with the ability to plug them in. With solar-powered lights, you may find options that have built-in USB ports to charge them or even small cable ports to hook them up to an adapter to charge in the wall socket.

Windows

If you are worried about the weather due to storm clouds, you could always charge through the window. Even on a cloudy day, there are still light rays coming through. So if you want to charge in this situation, find a nice window. This window should be one that, on a regular day, would get direct sunlight.

Setting your light there to charge will do the same as leaving them outside. You will want to make sure you choose a window that is not tinted or glazed with UV protective materials; otherwise, this process will be slower than usual.

What About the Winter Months?

Light from the sun does change during the winter, so charging will take longer and be less effective for sure. That doesn’t mean that you can’t charge your lights even in the colder months. Like we said above, even when the sky is full of clouds, UV rays are still bombarding the globe.

There are a few things you will need to be aware of though to get the best charge in the winter.

You will want to make sure if there is snow that you keep the lights cleared of the snow.

You may also want to consider placing the lights in different places. Winter has fewer hours of daylight; this leads to long shadows. So you may want to find a spot where there are little too many shadows at any point during the day to charge your lights.

Why Bother With Solar Lights

There are a lot of people switching over to solar-powered lights, and because of this, some may feel that it is just another one of those trends that would be a waste of money and time to invest in. That is simply not the case. There are so many advantages you will be able to benefit from if you opt to go down this path. Here are some of the benefits:

• Eco-Friendly – You use no electricity, which makes this a clean, renewable source of energy.
• Limited Maintenance – No excess wires, and when they get dim, you just replace the battery.
• Money-Saving – Less electricity means lower electric bills.
• Safety – There is no electrical wiring that can shock you or spark when broken.
• Style – There are multiple sizes and shapes available on the market.

Summary

Solar power is fantastic. Not only is it good for the planet, but it is renewable and can save you a ton of money. Like with any other form of technology, it comes with a little bit to learn, like how to charge when there is no sun. There are a ton of different ways, and we hope that the information we have provided has answered all your questions.