Solar Christmas Lights Troubleshooting & Repair Guide

Solar powered Christmas Lights are a great way to be eco-friendly and at the same time celebrate the holidays with some colorful lights. Once and a while you might experience problems with your lights and you might have to do something called troubleshooting. There are a few things that commonly go wrong with solar powered lights such as dirty solar panels, defective batteries, an overlooked switch that is in the off position and sometimes you will also need to repair the wiring harness or light bulbs.

Checking The Power Switch Position

The first thing you will want to check if your solar powered lights are not working is to make sure that the power switch is in the ON position. The power button being in the off will not allow your Christmas lights to work or turn on. Depending on what brand and style of solar powered Christmas lights you have will depend on the location of the switch. Once you locate the switch you can then set it to the ON position.

Cleaning The Solar Panel Free Of Dirt & Debris

The second thing you will want to check if your solar powered lights are not working is the solar panel. Make sure that the solar panel is in an area where it will be getting direct sunlight for at least the amount of time it requires to charge the batteries on your lights. You can refer to the owners manual for the amount of time needed to charge the battery. Another thing that can cause the battery not to charge and your Solar Powered Christmas Lights not to work is the fact that your solar panel could be dirty. You will want to make sure that you clean off all dirt and debris from the face of the solar panel. You will also want to clean the surface of the solar panel often to prevent it from building up a film of dirt all over again.

Checking The Battery For Charge Capacity

The third thing you will want to check on your solar powered Christmas lights is to make sure that the battery is still able to hold a charge. If you have had your lights in the sun for as many hours as the instruction manual says and the lights are not holding a long charge then your battery may have gone bad. Sometimes you can replace the battery units that come with the solar lights. You will want to check the replacement parts list that came with the packaging when you bought the lights. If a replacement battery is not sold you can buy a new set of lights and recycle your old ones.

Check For Loose Cable & Connections

The last thing you will want to check is to make sure that all the wires and connections are tight. Loose connections can cause the lights not to work or flicker when turned on. Make sure you connect all of the connections between the solar panel, battery, and the light strands.