Yes, sunny clear days are optimal for collecting the most power but solar panels do still charge through clouds. Although the efficiency decreases in cloudy conditions solar panels can utilize IR, UV, and visible rays. For max efficiency make sure to place and angle your solar panel to the sun!

Outdoor solar lights need direct sunlight to receive a full charge during the day. At night, the solar outdoor lights will need the darkest area of the yard, away from any light source such as a street light or outdoor wall light.

The more sunlight the outdoor solar light receives during the day, the longer the run time at night. As most operating times may vary, the average outdoor solar light will stay illuminated for up to 15 hours.

Usually outdoor solar lights will perform better during the summer months because the days are longer, which gives the light more electricity. Cloudy days and short winter days will reduce the amount of electricity the solar lights will receive, so the lights may not stay on as long.

Outdoor solar lights are very easy to install, usually with just a screwdriver. Since you don’t have to worry about where your power source is, you can set up outdoor solar lights just about anywhere there is ample light during the day and darkness at night. There is no wiring to hook up and no special lighting parts to purchase. Solar outdoor lights are also environmentally-friendly since they require no external power supply and they cost nothing to run, since they require no electricity.

The batteries on the outdoor solar lights charge via sunlight, so no special battery charger is required. Read the instructions that come with your outdoor solar light to see how to charge the battery upon initial set up.

It takes just a couple of minutes to install outdoor solar lights. Since solar outdoor lights require no wiring, no power source or no digging, installing them is as easy as removing them from the packaging, setting up the solar panel and placing the solar light where you want it. Generally, the only tool that is needed to install outdoor solar lights is a screwdriver.

Outdoor solar lights come with an on/off switch so you can control when you want your solar light to turn on. If you want the outdoor solar light to continue to work all day every day, you can simply leave the on/off switch in the on position. If you want to charge the outdoor solar light and use the light at a later time (such as a weekend party), you can turn the on/off switch to off until you are ready to use it. When the switch is in the off position, the light will continue to receive electricity from the sun and store it for later use.

First, check to make sure the on/off switch is in the on position. Second, make sure another light source isn’t preventing the light from turning it on. Move your outdoor solar light to a darker location and see if the light comes on. If it still doesn’t illuminate, check to make sure the batteries are fully charged. Move the solar panel to another spot during the day to see if it will receive more sunlight. Note: The batteries included with your solar charging panel will need to be replaced when their charging ability is decreased. They should be replaced approximately every two years.