SOLAR POWERED MALIBU LIGHTS

[frank_f15]

bought some solar powered malibu lites for decorations this summer, they were the better name brand and seem to work quite well EXCEPT WHEN IT RAINS then they do not light at all, is this normal? not just one or two but all 10 of them don't light. tonight it is raining and very dark and not one of them is on.

 

[monkeymonk]

Got the same ones. It all depends on the day time charge.Are the lights in a sunny spot during the day or when its not raining? mine hold good but during the winter/long rains, and tall grass they dont hold a charge and go out. not to worry they work just fine later after a good sun bath.

I clean the little panels every now and then to ensure a good charge, plus my sprinklers leave a calicum deposit that can knock them out even on a sunny day. Try the costco ones they work good as well.....being off grid I rely on them for those night time "gotta goes"

 

[Doc_Bob]

Mine work fine. Not real bright, but work fine. In the rain they never light up.

Mine have NiCad batteries. I bring them in during the winter (freeze=death for NiCad) and do a deep discharge and recharge them. This is year two and they still work. I learned to do this from the Army. In the UH-1 (Huey) they use a lot of NiCad, and some of these NiCads are still going strong 30 years later.
Bob

 

[Highbeam]

I have half a dozen similar lights and live in the dark and wet western washington. In the rainy season, hahaha, the batteries don't get much charge so their run time will be low each night. Also, they turn on really early since it is dark enough to trip the photocell early in the afternoon. Is it possible that the lights came on and died before you checked on them in the later evening?

 

[midlf]

I have 5 of these lights. 4 work fine. One does not. It does not light at all, gets the same sun as the others. However the defective one will work when it rains. Others also work in the rain. Got them at home depot about 4 years ago.

 

[frank_f15]

HIGHBEAM : it is possile they came on and then off, + it was very cloudy all day so they may not have charged real good
DOC BOB: I planned on bring them in during the winter as i agree that freezing will do no good, also don't get much sun in the winter so don't figure they will charge much.