Thank you! I have some cheap solar ground lights on a single string from Lidl in my herb garden and they stopped working at some point over the winter; I’m going to try this tomorrow morning and see if they can’t be fixed!
@@Taser290 no, they had a weird battery in them, so I need to get a different battery tester since mine just does the standard ones, and then these special batteries if they don’t work, etc etc.
i guess it depends id imagine most people want these kind of thing working int he summer when your sat outside, if just don't think the cheap are built to last UK winters cheap and not fully waterproof
Thank you. I love solar lights in my garden. I change them out every season and every holiday. But I am sick of constantly buying more as they rarely last a year. So I am studying how to fix or preserve them. I buy mine from Temu, and they all have the sautered battery unfortunately.
Hi Karl. Bought my five solar lights April ‘23 and they worked well. In October I switched them all off and stored them in the garage. In April this year I set them up outside and three of them wouldn’t work. Tried swapping the batteries from the working lights and they still didn’t work. Will try cleaning the switch but everything looks in good condition. Terry
Get fed up of repairing these things .Another issue is staying on during the day so no battery left at night .Good tip if you can be bothered is to take them to bits when new and water proof everything,and you may as well bypass the switch only there for transport reasons
Hi Karl, My lights will not turn off. All components have been cleaned and there are no wire shorts . I believe the photo sensor is incorporated in the solar plate and that cannot be removed from the top cover. Any ideas.... or am I pooched ? Thanks in advance
Im not sure i found these garden solar light specially the cheap ones just dont last if you leave them out, if it not obvious id say the sensor has gone
Thank you! I thought it was battery or dud but I'm off to buy some white vinegar now! One question: I've fixed batteries in 2 or 3 lights now that just stay on when the switch is on, even in daylight. Any thoughts on what that could be?
the only thing i can think it could be is the light sensor if they have them, or maybe they are just made to be on all the time but only use the battery at night?
Did you replace the batteries with rechargeable solar batteries? Just checking, because I once put regular batteries in one just to test it, and it also stayed on all the time. I also have put the correct batteries in a solar light and it stayed on all day and shut off at night lol.... Not worth the headache. Just toss em and buy better quality lights that won't fall apart and all the wires break off their solder when you change the battery.
there all over amazon just like a 12v plug in to a socket charger its nothing special had it for years really probly shouldnt be used for these batteries but it does the job its all i had at the time
Ive just replaced the batteries but the lights are permanently on . Any ideas why. Ive since turned them off . According to the batteries i bought they are for solar lights
unfortunately if its the sensor that has failed i don't think you would be able to fix it it would need a new sensor and at that point you may as well buy a new light
Well i have another kind of problem: I´ve replaced the batteries in my solar lights, and now they light up constantly until the batteries have dried up. And they don´t recharge. Wrong batteries? Any suggestions are welcome. I don´t want to throw these solar lights away.
Could be wrong batteries but I suspect it's more the lights arnt turning off in the day and draining the baterys so maybe the switch or something on the board that's gone that controls the on and off depending on light.
I got tiki torches and they were quite expensive $16 each Australian out if eleven of I can get two working. What has ants in. I bypassed everything and put the power straight to the lights and not working cheers Graham
As I don't have any of the test meters, I wouldn't now where to start buying one, I have to accept that sometimes the batteries just need replacing. Possibly cheaper than buying a meter. The problem I have with one of my lights is rust. It was only when it was left out in the rain I could see everything was filling up with water. I brought the lantern inside to use on a window sill but I didn't dry out the terminals etc, I thought they would just dry out. Now I can see that the terminals etc have gone rusty. How can I get rid of the rust on these fiddly bits please?
The meter is just a generic multimeter you can get a basic one for £10 or less they can be used for allsorts of electrical faults there worth the investment. As for rust if it's still solid metal with rust of the surface use white vinegar and toothbrooth or some light sandpaper untill it's silver again u should get a connection again. Battery wise they are rechargeable batterys so you could replace them but there not all that cheap it's better to charge them if you can you could also maybe use a actual battery charger this is just what I had lying around to use to charge these battery's
@@UnitedSpotlight Thank you for the info. I be useless with a meter, lol. I'll try the vinegar on the rust. The batteries aren't that expensive really, I've bought some before. I have a bettery charger, I'll try that as well. Thank you again.
@@monicas2269 multi meter are easy to use. And as much as I despise Harbor Freight you are able to purchase a multi meter for bout 5bucks and some change taxes included or even get one free with the coupons they have (depends on what free gift is offered) you tube videos on how to use em also.
@@noehmedina4705 Thank you for that info. I'm a 70 yr old woman who knows nothing about this sort of thing and feel my brain is getting to the stage where it can't take in any more new information, lol. I bought new batteries and everything is fine. I did read a few years ago that the rechargeable batteries don't last forever. xx
Ants always move up into the battery compartment or almost fill the entire light housing. Will get around 6 months on the short yard stakes before i evict them without notice and rinse out their ant mention they've built and raised their grandchildren in.
It's likey that something on the board has gone like the light sensor so they don't detect daylight so just stay lit. I'm afraid it's a comment issue on cheap solar lights as there not water or weather proof and over time die because of this
On the tree light where the battery was completely dead. It's possible that the circuitry that manages the solar panel that charges the battery went bad. There's no reason why that battery should have been completely run down.
It's because I. Love in the UK and in the winter we get very little sun and it's very cold so if they are left out all winter the batterys go below the safe charge state and don't kick back in when it's gets light again so they need a boost to get going of they were taken in over winter they would likely be fine
Mine wont stay on preferred mode.. just keeps scrolling through them all.. EVERY night i have to trudge out ( all weathers) to put them on static.. i hate all the others.. Will definitely be binning them..
The main problem with all these lights they were never intended to be used in a moist environment ie the English climate. All components are made of steel not brass as in the past and of course steel rusts in a moist environment. Therefore these will never last.
Your multimeter is defective !!! It should be showing a "1" for infinate resistance with your leads not touching each other. You may just not have gotten the dial in the exact proper position.
Nice one, simply done with simple tools to get it all working!
Thanks Mate!! Mine barely work at all from the beginning and then stop working altogether within months.
Great job, Karl. Thanks for the advice.
Commen is spelled common. Love these ideas!
I got about 12 solar lights I paid about $60 several years ago and I am going to try your fix! Sounds like a plant; I'll update you!
Great video. If the problem is the switch and it is very rusty could you just cut the two switch wires and join them together?
you could yes just short the switch to on
Thank you! I have some cheap solar ground lights on a single string from Lidl in my herb garden and they stopped working at some point over the winter; I’m going to try this tomorrow morning and see if they can’t be fixed!
Did you fix them ?
@@Taser290 no, they had a weird battery in them, so I need to get a different battery tester since mine just does the standard ones, and then these special batteries if they don’t work, etc etc.
❤Hello 👋 And Thanks for the video 📹 From Melbourne 😊 Gonna get onto this now 😀 👍
Thank you for this very helpful video. I’ll go and collect my garden solar lights now and check them out 😁
That's great thanks. One thing though. Remove them during the winter? Isn't it the winter when you want them the most?
i guess it depends id imagine most people want these kind of thing working int he summer when your sat outside, if just don't think the cheap are built to last UK winters cheap and not fully waterproof
Thank you. I love solar lights in my garden. I change them out every season and every holiday. But I am sick of constantly buying more as they rarely last a year. So I am studying how to fix or preserve them. I buy mine from Temu, and they all have the sautered battery unfortunately.
Hi Karl. Bought my five solar lights April ‘23 and they worked well. In October I switched them all off and stored them in the garage. In April this year I set them up outside and three of them wouldn’t work. Tried swapping the batteries from the working lights and they still didn’t work. Will try cleaning the switch but everything looks in good condition. Terry
Thank you! I have an idea now where to look and check!!
Karl is a genius !
Get fed up of repairing these things .Another issue is staying on during the day so no battery left at night .Good tip if you can be bothered is to take them to bits when new and water proof everything,and you may as well bypass the switch only there for transport reasons
Hi Karl, My lights will not turn off. All components have been cleaned and there are no wire shorts . I believe the photo sensor is incorporated in the solar plate and that cannot be removed from the top cover. Any ideas.... or am I pooched ?
Thanks in advance
Im not sure i found these garden solar light specially the cheap ones just dont last if you leave them out, if it not obvious id say the sensor has gone
Oh my gosh 🎉 thanks so much for the help. And great video
Thank you from Cleveland, Ohio!!!
Welcome!
As big clive showed us. When yolu buy these lights. Paint all parts with clear nail varnish even battery terminals
Last for years trouble free
Do not put varnish on the battery or the terminals
Thank you! I thought it was battery or dud but I'm off to buy some white vinegar now!
One question: I've fixed batteries in 2 or 3 lights now that just stay on when the switch is on, even in daylight. Any thoughts on what that could be?
the only thing i can think it could be is the light sensor if they have them, or maybe they are just made to be on all the time but only use the battery at night?
Did you replace the batteries with rechargeable solar batteries? Just checking, because I once put regular batteries in one just to test it, and it also stayed on all the time.
I also have put the correct batteries in a solar light and it stayed on all day and shut off at night lol.... Not worth the headache. Just toss em and buy better quality lights that won't fall apart and all the wires break off their solder when you change the battery.
Made me laugh when he said No Sun in England 😂😂
its true 1 week summers we get
Can we use WD40 instead of white vinegar?
Thank you,never knew about the vinegar.
What causes those that are permanently on and won’t charge during the sunny day even with clean solar panel?
id think either the switch or that the light sesor is faulty
wow !! thanks. where can I buy this battery charger?
there all over amazon just like a 12v plug in to a socket charger its nothing special had it for years really probly shouldnt be used for these batteries but it does the job its all i had at the time
Thanks you. Turns out I just had to turn them on 😂😂😂
Ive just replaced the batteries but the lights are permanently on . Any ideas why. Ive since turned them off . According to the batteries i bought they are for solar lights
You rock! Thanks for getting to the point. Greatly appreciate it
Happy to help!
this was great! thank you
Thought my man’s head was going to explode watching him do this
My one light has a faulty light sensor. It stays on in the bright sunlight, and the battery wears down. Do you have any fix for that?
unfortunately if its the sensor that has failed i don't think you would be able to fix it it would need a new sensor and at that point you may as well buy a new light
@KarlFixes thank you for the reply. My dog's name is Karl.
Very helpful thank you 👍🌷💥😃👏🌸
Well i have another kind of problem: I´ve replaced the batteries in my solar lights, and now they light up constantly until the batteries have dried up. And they don´t recharge. Wrong batteries? Any suggestions are welcome. I don´t want to throw these solar lights away.
Could be wrong batteries but I suspect it's more the lights arnt turning off in the day and draining the baterys so maybe the switch or something on the board that's gone that controls the on and off depending on light.
My solar string lights wont stop blinking , they used to just be on or off and now they are blinking for some reason??
Can you buy the parts
I got tiki torches and they were quite expensive $16 each Australian out if eleven of I can get two working. What has ants in. I bypassed everything and put the power straight to the lights and not working cheers Graham
How about a failed four lead transistor. Let's see you replace that and get the light functional again.
So helpful!!!
As I don't have any of the test meters, I wouldn't now where to start buying one, I have to accept that sometimes the batteries just need replacing. Possibly cheaper than buying a meter. The problem I have with one of my lights is rust. It was only when it was left out in the rain I could see everything was filling up with water. I brought the lantern inside to use on a window sill but I didn't dry out the terminals etc, I thought they would just dry out. Now I can see that the terminals etc have gone rusty. How can I get rid of the rust on these fiddly bits please?
The meter is just a generic multimeter you can get a basic one for £10 or less they can be used for allsorts of electrical faults there worth the investment. As for rust if it's still solid metal with rust of the surface use white vinegar and toothbrooth or some light sandpaper untill it's silver again u should get a connection again. Battery wise they are rechargeable batterys so you could replace them but there not all that cheap it's better to charge them if you can you could also maybe use a actual battery charger this is just what I had lying around to use to charge these battery's
@@UnitedSpotlight Thank you for the info. I be useless with a meter, lol. I'll try the vinegar on the rust. The batteries aren't that expensive really, I've bought some before. I have a bettery charger, I'll try that as well. Thank you again.
@@monicas2269 multi meter are easy to use. And as much as I despise Harbor Freight you are able to purchase a multi meter for bout 5bucks and some change taxes included or even get one free with the coupons they have (depends on what free gift is offered) you tube videos on how to use em also.
@@noehmedina4705 Thank you for that info. I'm a 70 yr old woman who knows nothing about this sort of thing and feel my brain is getting to the stage where it can't take in any more new information, lol. I bought new batteries and everything is fine. I did read a few years ago that the rechargeable batteries don't last forever. xx
Ants always move up into the battery compartment or almost fill the entire light housing.
Will get around 6 months on the short yard stakes before i evict them without notice and rinse out their ant mention they've built and raised their grandchildren in.
I changed my batterys and now they are coming on during the day 😮 what am I doing wrong
It's likey that something on the board has gone like the light sensor so they don't detect daylight so just stay lit. I'm afraid it's a comment issue on cheap solar lights as there not water or weather proof and over time die because of this
On the tree light where the battery was completely dead. It's possible that the circuitry that manages the solar panel that charges the battery went bad. There's no reason why that battery should have been completely run down.
It's because I. Love in the UK and in the winter we get very little sun and it's very cold so if they are left out all winter the batterys go below the safe charge state and don't kick back in when it's gets light again so they need a boost to get going of they were taken in over winter they would likely be fine
Mine wont stay on preferred mode.. just keeps scrolling through them all.. EVERY night i have to trudge out ( all weathers) to put them on static.. i hate all the others..
Will definitely be binning them..
Thank you
Nice job!
Thanks!
Sometimes the battery is ok but the solar panel wires are dodgy, hence not recharging
The main problem with all these lights they were never intended to be used in a moist environment ie the English climate. All components are made of steel not brass as in the past and of course steel rusts in a moist environment. Therefore these will never last.
Your multimeter is defective !!! It should be showing a "1" for infinate resistance with your leads not touching each other. You may just not have gotten the dial in the exact proper position.
ive checked it it does show one on continuity when the leads arnt touching i likely had it not set right in the video
My lights do not have on/off switches and sensors don't work.
The solar receptive face fogs over turning white blocking the light
so why aint they charging
thanks
A common problem.
I find it annoying that solar needs batteries
it wouldn't work at night without a battery that's the point the solar charges the battery so they work overnight
JUST WATCH BIG CLIVE TO SEE HOW IT'S DONE.