Do solar lights charge on cloudy days? The short and simple answer is yes. Solar lights charge even on cloudy days. But their charging efficiency is greatly reduced. The perception that solar lights can only be charged with direct sunlight is incorrect. The solar panel requires light which it converts into electrical energy. Since clouds diffuse the majority of sunlight, some light still passes through the clouds. This is enough for solar panels on lights to work.
Surprisingly, you can charge solar lights using artificial lights like incandescent fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs if the light is strong. Artificial lights cannot replace sunlight. They produce less power than sunlight and need more time to charge solar lights.
If you are considering solar lights for your garden, backyard, or pathway lighting and are worried about whether they will work on cloudy or rainy days, then this guide is for you.
Table of Contents
How do Solar Lights Work?
Solar lights work by converting solar energy from the sun to electrical energy and storing it in batteries. The stored energy is later used at night to power the LEDs on solar lights.
Solar lights consist of four main components. A photovoltaic cell, a battery, a charge controller, and an LED. When light hits the photovoltaic cells on the solar panel the electrons on the negative layers become excited and separate. The positive layer attracts electrons.
This creates an electric current. The electric charge is transferred to the batteries through wires and stored for the night. The charge controller regulates the charge and prevents overcharging.
Finally, batteries are used at night to power light-emitting diode LEDs.
The Relationship between Sunlight and Solar Light Charging
The solar light panel receives energy from the sun and converts it into electrical power. This power is transferred to the batteries through wires to be stored for later use. Sunlight charges solar lights.
But what if it is cloudy outside? What if it rains? Will they still charge? Yes, they charge in cloudy and rainy weather. Direct sunlight increases the charging speed and efficiency of solar panels. However, the panel will still produce energy if it is cloudy and raining. During these conditions, solar lights can lose efficiency by half or more.
Can Solar Lights Charge on Cloudy Days?
So the original question of this blog post was “Can solar light charge on cloudy days?” It’s true that clouds diffuse much of the sunlight. However, during cloudy days some amount of light still passes through the clouds and enables the solar light panel to generate energy.
Solar panels work more efficiently on cold days than on hot days. Cold temperatures on cloudy days help them generate more power. So don’t worry you won’t be running out of energy on cloudy days. You can light up your garden and outdoor spaces with some power.
Check – Best Solar Lights For Cloudy Days
Solar Efficiency in Cloudy Conditions
Solar panels’ efficiency on cloudy days depends on the clouds’ thickness. Thin clouds or small patches of clouds won’t affect panel efficiency much. While dark gray clouds covering the whole sky greatly affect the effectiveness of solar panels. These clouds can reduce solar panels’ power generation by half or more. Sometimes they produce 10 to 20 percent of power compared to a normal sunny day.
How to Improve Solar Light Charging on Cloudy Days?
If you live in an area where it is frequently cloudy, you should buy solar lights with large solar panels. A larger surface area of the panels will gather more light and produce more power. It will improve solar light charging on cloudy days.
Solar Light Charging Alternatives for Cloudy Days
Solar lights charge on cloudy days but lack performance compared to sunny days. If you ever find dark cloudy days in your region and your solar lights are out of juice, you can try these alternatives to charge your solar lights.
1. Use Electricity to Charge Solar Lights
There are solar lights that can be charged by plugging them into a socket. This alternative might make you think that if I have to charge them using electricity then why did I buy solar lights?
Solar lights are a great alternative to normal outdoor lights. They are greener options and save you electricity costs. But cloudy days are very few throughout the year compared to sunny days. So you can charge solar lights through electricity in an emergency and they will still be greener options.
2. Use Incandescent or LED Lights to Charge Solar Lights
As I discussed above solar lights don’t just charge using sunlight, they can also charge using artificial lights. Simply put, they need light. Since both sunlight and artificial lights have similar wavelengths and spectrums. Solar panels can’t differentiate between them.
Although sunlight charges solar lights very fast you can charge solar lights with artificial lights if it is cloudy outside. If you pair artificial lights with the amount of light coming from a cloudy sky, you can charge them relatively fast.
Conclusion
To sum up, solar lights can charge on cloudy days although their charging efficiency is greatly reduced. They require light that can be converted into electrical energy, whether sunlight or artificial light. Solar panels’ efficiency on cloudy days depends on the thickness of the clouds. However, the cold temperature on cloudy days helps them generate more power.
If you live in an area where it is frequently cloudy, you should buy solar lights with large solar panels to improve their charging. And if your solar lights are out of power on dark cloudy days, you can charge them with electricity or artificial lights. Solar lights are a great alternative to normal outdoor lights, and they are greener options that save you electricity costs.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Do solar lights need sunlight or just daylight?
Solar lights work with both sunlight and daylight. They need light particles called photons to generate current. Photons are present in both lights. Solar lights also work in cloudy weather.
What is the best way to charge solar lights?
The best way to charge solar lights is through sunlight. Direct exposure to sunlight charges solar lights fast. If there is not enough sunlight, the second best option is to charge them by plugging them into the socket if they have this feature.
Will solar lights charge on a rainy day?
Yes, solar lights will charge on a rainy day but their efficiency will be reduced. Solar panels work in both direct and indirect sunlight. On rainy and cloudy days there is some amount of light that enables solar panels to generate current.
Can I Charge Solar Lights Without the Sun?
Yes, solar lights can charge without sunlight. They can also charge using artificial lights.
How Long Should Solar Lights Be Charged?
Solar lights should be charged for 10 to 12 hours after unboxing. Normally they should be charged for 5 to 6 hours.
Can I Charge Solar Lights Indoors?
Yes, you can charge solar lights indoors on cloudy days or in winter.
Hyder Ali Bhatti
Hyder Ali is a writer from Pakistan who writes well researched articles on different topics. He has been writing on Medium and other platforms for a long time. He tries his best to write correct information and help his readers solve their problems.