Ideas / / 5 Reasons Why Your Solar Light May Not Be Working

5 Reasons Why Your Solar Light May Not Be Working

Posted in: | September 28, 2022

UPDATE – Originally posted April 20, 2018

There is nothing worse than having your outdoor shindig cut short because of unreliable outdoor solar lighting. At Gama Sonic, we pride ourselves on creating durable and dependable solar light fixtures that will give you long-lasting usability, including solar post lights, solar path lights, solar lamp posts and more. Our focus is to break the status-quo on outdoor solar lighting by working to ensure our solar light fixtures will illuminate and brightly enhance your life for the years to come.

Possible Solutions for Your “Broken” Outdoor Solar Light

Using outdoor solar lighting as an alternative to gas and electric lighting is a great way to decrease your electric bill and carbon footprint. As an additional benefit, after installation, they are virtually maintenance free. Although, there are instances where your outdoor solar lamp or solar lamp post could stop working.

1. Your Solar Light is Not Getting Enough Direct Sunlight

Do outdoor solar lights need to be in direct sunlight? The answer is YES! Majority of Gama Sonic Solar light fixtures are designed to operate automatically from dusk-to-dawn after receiving a full solar charge. To get full usage out of your solar powered lamp, the solar panel must be placed in the direct sun. As a rule of thumb, for Gama Sonic’s typical solar wall lights and solar post lights, for every hour of sunlight, you will receive 2-3 hours of illumination. If you notice that your solar light is not staying on for 8-12 hours (hours of duration vary on the specific model), please consider moving the solar light to a sunnier spot. Another alternative is to switch the solar lamp to the low/economy mode (for select models). By doing this, you will receive a slightly dimmer illumination for longer duration.

2. Your Solar Light is Too Close in Proximity to Another Light Source At Night

Our outdoor solar lights are equipped with a photocell, a sensor that allows our solar lights to detect. A sensor that allows our solar lights to detect light. Our lights are designed to work from dusk-to-dawn, and the photocell is what triggers the light to turn on and off. If your solar lights are not working properly, please make sure no other light source such as overhead street lights, garage/house lights and/or neighbor’s lights are shining toward the photocell on your solar light.  If this happens, the photocell on your solar light will think it is daytime and the light may turn off. If your light is not coming on, or turning off too soon, we recommend covering the photocell to test if this is the issue. Covering the photocell will trick the light into thinking nighttime has arrived early and therefore the light will come on. If your solar light starts working, in this instance, you will need to change the location of your solar light away from the light source.

3. Your Solar Light’s Battery Needs to Be Charged

How long do solar batteries last in Gama Sonic outdoor lights?  Gama Sonic solar lamps come with a pre-installed Lithium-Ion battery(s) that is designed to last 3-5 years (roughly 1000-2000 charging cycles, depending on the specific product). Users tend to forget that the battery is one of the most important component in the outdoor solar lights and needs to be replaced after approximately 3-5 years of use. If your solar light stopped working or is not performing as it used to, it’s time to replace the old battery with a new one. Replacement batteries for Gama Sonic solar lights are easily available and can be purchased directly from our website for an additional 3-5 years of operation. Simply go to our support section to easily locate your product and find the right battery for it. Once you obtained your new Gama Sonic replacement battery, just unscrew the battery compartment, disconnect the old battery, and connect the new one.

Please be advised on how to dispose of Lithium-Ion batteries.

4. Your Light’s Solar Panel is Dirty

To ensure top performance of your new Gama Sonic Solar Light, please make sure the Monocrystalline solar panels are clear of any debris such as leaves, branches, dust etc. Giving it a quick wipe over with a slightly damp cloth (warm water only, no chemicals) every so often will keep it working to its full potential.

5. Your Solar Light is Experiencing Water or Precipitation Buildup

Each Gama Sonic solar light fixture is designed with the utmost care and precision. We want to earn your business by creating outdoor solar light fixtures that not only meet your expectations but exceed them. All of Gama Sonic solar lights are weather resistant and water resistant.  It is possible but unlikely that water or residue may build up inside the solar lamp head where all the internal wiring is located, and you can check to see if the issue is internal by detaching the lamp head from either the post, wall or pier mount by unscrewing the metal or resin plate and detaching the plate from the lamp head. Unfortunately, there is no way to openly identify what is causing the issue from there, but if you notice any liquid or frayed wires please contact customer support at 1-800-835-4113 or by email at [email protected]

Need Help?

Gama Sonic’s Commercial solar lights are covered by a 5-year manufacturer warranty and our residential outdoor solar lights are covered by a 2-year manufacturer warranty. Should you have any issues with your solar light, Gama Sonic’s support team is here to help!

Transform your home with Gama Sonic Residential Solar Lights, or achieve cost savings on commercial grade solar lighting with Gama Sonic’s selection of Commercial Solar Lights.

Check out our beautiful and durable residential solar lights or our commercial grade solar lights.

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