In August, you’ll never experience a lack of sunlight. In California, it can be partly cloudy and hecka cool at night. Meanwhile, in summer, amount of solar energy is excessive. But in time, all power sources get worse. They store less energy than new ones. Can you use regular batteries in solar lights? Your old, rechargeable ones are high-quality and high-performance. They would degrade only in several years. It happens if you leave them in a dark place for a long time. Battery failure might happen. You’ll have to replace them with suitable cells of the same kind. Let’s check which battery types are suitable. Are there any dangers of using wrong ones? I hope this article helps you to clear up the matter.
Benefits of Solar Lighting Fixtures
Buying outdoor lighting features, you might be glad about your purchase. Solar power is beneficial. It has virtually no negative impact on the environment and your health. You get safe, clean energy. Accumulating it from renewable, reliable sources, you avoid carbon emissions and noise.
Additionally, solar power is a cost-efficient solution. It lets you reduce electricity bills. Sunlight is a free and renewable energy source. Your expenses include only purchase of rechargeable batteries for solar garden lights. It’s necessary in rare cases, but energy storage systems are expensive.
Therefore, all new residential buildings in our state are to be energy-efficient. They will get not less than 50% of electricity from renewable sources. California’s 2030 Climate Commitment requires it. These measures enable reducing carbon footprint.
Do solar lights need direct sunlight? They depend completely on the sun intensity. Thus, California is leading in terms of solar energy output. For example, in San Jose, outdoor solar lights illuminate Chris Hotts Park. These solutions are low-maintenance. The greatest issue is shade from the trees.
What to Do When Solar Lights Stop Working?
You can have a similar situation is your garden. You would need to trim the trees. It lets you ensure intended brightness of the lighting fixtures. Flowers, bushes or garden furniture may block your solar panel. It should face the sun to charge properly.
Best solar disk lights are compact and low-profile. They illuminate your garden, providing property and trip-over safety. The fixtures are hella durable and waterproof. Solar lights are reliable. Have you found one of your lighting fixtures doesn’t turn on at dusk? Try to fix it by:
- Checking on/off switch.
- Covering the motion sensor.
- Repositioning it.
- Cleaning small solar panel.
- Making sure, its battery is full and installed correctly.
What is the Difference Between Solar Battery and Normal Battery?
Batteries can misfunction too. It happens if they are out of charge or there is a pull tab inside. Have you installed the terminals in the opposite directions? Try to check them to avoid failures. If the batteries are faulty or dead, replace them. Just use a suitable power source.
What is the best battery for solar lights? Cutting-edge NiMH and NiCd are preferable types. They are rechargeable, durable, high-performance, and high-capacity. Let’s compare them with the other energy storage devices.
Do you need special batteries for solar lights? Nickel-based cells are beneficial. They use taper charge. Unlike other energy storage devices, they allow voltage to float freely. It’s not constant. So, they suit solar power applications.
How Long Do Rechargeable Batteries Last in Solar Lights?
Rechargeable, durable nickel-based energy storages are perfect. They last up to 500-800 charge cycles. These energy storage devices stand out by high energy density. Their capacity and performance are perfect. The batteries suit a variety of applications. They power medical devices, two-way radios, hand-held video cameras. Additionally, they charge quickly, being not as expensive as their lithium-ion counterparts.
Both nickel-based items are good, but NiMH batteries are better. They are:
- environment-friendly;
- safe;
- high-capacity;
- compatible with various devices;
- less prone to “memory effect”.
Best solar landscape lights commonly contain Lithium-Ion batteries. These lighting fixtures are much more powerful and bright than low-profile, disc devices. Li-Ion batteries are small, reliable, and fast-to-recharge. But they don’t withstand summer heat. Will you expose them to temperatures higher than 86 degrees? If so, the batteries lose their capacities much faster.
NiMH storage devices meet garden illumination needs perfectly well. They withstand wide temperature range, last longer every other night. You can discharge them completely, and charge afterward. It won’t damage the power storage items.
Can you Use Car Battery for Solar?
Commonly, compact NiMH and NiCd batteries are interchangeable. But it would be better to buy and install the cell of the same type. Voltage is especially important. It should be similar to provide the necessary performance. Use a battery of the same type, similar characteristics. Another brand is acceptable.
So, NiMH batteries last up to 3 years. In a year of storage, their self-discharging capacity reduces at about 50%. Deep discharging reduces their service lives. Nickel Cadmium storages have longer shelf-lives. They are easy to store and transport, as you can do it in discharges state.
But capacity of NiCd storage units is comparatively low. They require full discharges and contain toxic cadmium. Replacing these batteries with non-rechargeable ones is dangerous. Thus, using alkaline (normal or regular) devices can cause:
- corrosion of the unit terminals;
- its operation issues;
- disposal of your faulty solar light unit.
Of course, alkaline batteries are much more affordable, than rechargeable ones. But their lifecycles are not long. Additionally, these storage units are bulky. They contain toxic chemicals. They might leak corrosive liquids.
Which Inverter Battery is Best for Home?
Inverter is a device that converts DC power from a battery to customary AC current. All our household and office appliances use AC power. Do you use solar energy to meet your daily needs? If, so, you need a device of this kind. It helps you in case of power outage.
So, an inverter commonly comes with one of the battery types, such as:
- flat;
- tubular;
- maintenance-free.
These storage units don’t suit outdoor applications. They are much bulkier and larger than compact garden illumination solutions. You can’t use them in your landscape solar lights. Thus, lithium-ion items are beneficial in this case too. In case of inverter applications, users call them “tubular”. They are long-lasting, fast-charging and reliable.
In terms of inverter use, flat or acid-lead batteries are normal or regular. As well as in automotive industry, they are inferior to their Li-Ion counterparts. They are less powerful and efficient.
Conclusion
Best solar path lights for shade exist. They come with long-lasting, high-capacity rechargeable batteries. Replace them with similar devices. Avoid using regular, alkaline storage units. Even after a cloudy day, the lights properly illuminate your yard and garden. Nevertheless, select a good, well-lit location for every lighting fixture. Place it away from trees, bushes, buildings and fences that cast shadows. In this case, your solar lights operate seamlessly for years. They provide their maximum output, decorating and brightening your outdoor area.
Table of Contents
Add comment