How To Tell If Outside Solar Lights Panel Is Working

Doing this with all of your solar lights is a good way to ensure that they will provide the longest illumination.

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. 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. Leave them unused for 48 to 72 hours and then turn them on. Be sure to leave them outside in a place where they ll still receive as much sunlight as possible.

To measure the amp output of your solar panel you will need to attach the meter to the positive and negative. 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. Trim back any overgrowth or simply move the light so its panel receives direct sunlight much of the day. There might also be a factory defect and the light doesn t turning on.

Some exceptions may apply based on panel type. Solution if you have a battery indicator use it to test the batteries to see if they are working properly. This is another way to test the solar lights to make sure they still operate 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.

Thoroughly clean the solar panel. 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. Turn the solar lights off while still leaving the solar lights outside in the sunlight. 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.

To get an accurate measurement you will need to ensure that your panel is in full sunlight when you test. Most of the outdoor solar garden lights come with on off button and that button needs to be turned on. Simply touch the solar panel leads with the multi meter probes matching their corresponding polarity red to red black to black.