Solar Garden Lights

SootySweep1

Hi
Can anyone recommend some decent solar garden lights ?
I bought some earlier this year from Home Bargains but they've stopped working. They were strings of light bulbs and they're filling with water.
I did like them so I'm considering replacing them with something a it more robust.
Thanks
Jen

gamston

think its a bit of pot luck with these solar lights, i have a few sets of different string lights some last some don't, tried new better batteries, but its still pot luck
for me the lights that are "in" the wire seem to last better that the ones that look like "stick out" 

Mickey666

For her wedding reception, my niece bought 100 of those ‘stick’ LED lights that push into the ground and have a small solar cell built in.  They worked fine for a couple of months but gradually began to fail.  By the following year they had all failed.  I think these things fall into the ‘cheap, novelty, disposable’ category of products.

silvercar

Put them away for the Winter. Once rain gets into the mechanism they fail rapidly. The other option is to apply sealant to the units to help prevent water damage, but that may be more hassle and cost than they are worth.

twopenny

I agree it's luck by past experience and that of my neighbours.

I have some cheap ones this year that have been brilliant but they were only available in summer. Still working in winter though I've had to move the solar panel to the top of the fence to get enough light in winter.

They were GardenKraft led string solar lights. I see they're available on Amazon & Thisisit stores.

Of 3 I bought, one gave up after 3mts but the other three are going 6mts on. They switch on at dusk and go off when the power runs out which depends on the amount of light during the day.

I've had the same problem with water in some battery ones - I hung them by a radiator and dried them out and they worked again for a while. Until the next lot of heavy rain.

None last for long Probably the only way is to buy cheap and keep replacing was my conclusion.

wort

I find the string ones don't last as well as the post style that go in the ground . In my garden the string ones tended to eventually snap, wether that's through wind and rain damage or birds weight landing on them. They last a few years tho. Luck of the draw I think. The ones I got this summer 2 sets will be taken down and put away till next year the ones wound round the trunk of the tree will stay out. My post ones have been in years and are fine.

Emmia

We have 2 sets of string ones on our fences - they've been out for 3+ years in all weathers and still work perfectly. 

We detach the solar panels and bring them in if it's very windy, but otherwise they're fine. 

Edit: just checked the box they came in, they're made by "Powerbee". https://www.powerbee.co.uk/solar-fairy-lights-100-white.html

gamston

at that price (Powerbee) i'd expect them to last a lot of years

Emmia

gamston said:

at that price (Powerbee) i'd expect them to last a lot of years

But at £25 (currently on offer) probably better value for money (and better for the environment) than cheap sets that fail after a few months. 

SootySweep1

Thanks Emmia,
I think that's the type of thing I'm looking for.
The ones I got from Home Bargains were roughly £5 a set but haven't lasted so I'd rather pay a it more for something that will last.
Cheers
Jen 

Silvertabby

I put mine in the greenhouse over winter.  Keeping them dry does seem to help, but they still only last for a couple of years at the most.