Solar fairy lights

[El tel]

I am not having much success with solar fairy lights on my balcony , yes I know some people think they are naff but they do give the impression that some one is at home.
The latest ones I put up in May and have failed although the solar sensor is still flashing at night. This is a string of 200 and it appears from my experience that they are less reliable than the 100 ones . Is it a question of just throwing them out but I am curious why they should be failing after such a short period of time. Is there a way of restarting them ?

Thanks. Terry

[2QuarterPints]

We have a similar set up using Jumbo lights and they have been working for about 18 months now. Four individual little lights as opposed to a string though. Periodically, if one looks as though it has had it, we just wipe the dust off the sensors and that sorts the problem out.

[71 Trans Am]

I have rescued these many times in the past – They are normally fitted with very cheap chinese batteries which leak when constantly charged – until they will not charge anymore – Even if they do not leak they fail quickly – I have replaced these several times with reputable freshly charged re-chargables and they go forever – I f they have leaked badly the terminals may be corroded beyond repair though.

[El tel]

Thanks for the responses , I will check the batteries first. As the lights were only a few months old had not considered the batteries.

Terry

[JimX]

Terry hello.

Our bungalow looks like Christmas all year, and yes some think they look naff but personally I love them, I always replace older sets with those from Amazon, better than the local sets I have used, mine has now been operating for three years trouble free, I also use solar flood lighting purchased from Lidls, also very reliable, and all of course, free to run. On one set I replaced the batteries with rechargeables, but some you can only use what they come with, if you buy good make then they should last several years, Amazon prices are cheap as chips for decent solar lighting including fairy lights.

[El tel]

It looks as if I have bought a cheap set. Opened them up , whereas on some there is a battery compartment this unit had six screws holding the whole thing together and the battery was glued in and soldered terminals so not meant to be readily replaced. The inside was immaculate , unfortunately I do not have my multimeter here to test the battery so reckon I will take them back to the uk for me to play with on the dark winter nights.
Will take your advise JimX and buy from Amazon in the future.

Terry

[trevnhil]

Just be careful putting something with batteries and wires in your luggage. It could mean a bit of a delay at security

[El tel]

Trev ,

Will not put them in my hand luggage !

Terry

[Ancient History]

I can recommend solar fairy lights from UK company ‘Lights4Fun’. Been using the same set for at least five years now...!

[PhotoLady]

We get ours from Home Bargains in UK. We have them around one side of the back garden and a small string of umbrellas on my summer house.
We bought a Gutter solar light for £2 to try at the front and have been really pleased with it so bought another two but although they said they would be getting more in stock they haven't appeared. So we got another half dozen from eBay and now have them all around the side of the house under the canopy and to the back to light the step up into the paved area at the back. We're going to pick up some more for my mum for over her side door so she doesn't have to worry about the battery PIR sensor light she has there now.
The best and most loved solar we got is a metal lighthouse from Aldi a couple of months back. It has a solid light in the top and a string of fairy lights inside. Husband was very dubious about it when I showed it to him in the store because he hates gimicky stuff. But it looks fabulous sitting on the small table in the summer house at night. Even on the grey days we've had this week, it's still fully lit through the night. The panel sits in a plant pot on the step outside the door.

They're perfect for when we go away as the outside is lit and we have a timer on a jar of fairy lights inside the front porch which is permanently set until just after we go to bed at night.