In many cases this simple thing is ignored by many people and this is one of the main reasons why your solar light isn t working as expected.
How to tell if outside solar lights panel is working.
To begin measure solar panel amperage you will need a solar panel tester known as an amp meter.
Turn the solar lights off while still leaving the solar lights outside in the sunlight.
To get an accurate measurement you will need to ensure that your panel is in full sunlight when you test.
Solution if you have a battery indicator use it to test the batteries to see if they are working properly.
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.
Be sure to leave them outside in a place where they ll still receive as much sunlight as possible.
Thoroughly clean the solar panel.
A major feature of solar lights is that they only come on at night.
Most of the outdoor solar garden lights come with on off button and that button needs to be turned on.
Use normal alkaline batteries as a test to see if the light illuminates if the light illuminates you know the batteries in the solar light need to be replaced with new rechargeable batteries.
Trim back any overgrowth or simply move the light so its panel receives direct sunlight much of the day.
Therefore if you re trying to test your lights during the day to see whether they re working you should cover the solar panel with either your hand or a piece of dark cloth.
Sometimes the light stops working simply because plants in the area have grown so much they block much of the daylight the solar panel needs to charge the device.
Open circuit voltage can vary depending on your solar panel but the readings we are usually looking for are in the range of 15 to 23v.
Leave them unused for 48 to 72 hours and then turn them on.
Doing this with all of your solar lights is a good way to ensure that they will provide the longest illumination.
To measure the amp output of your solar panel you will need to attach the meter to the positive and negative.
Your solar lights will charge much more efficiently when they re turned off.
Some exceptions may apply based on panel type.