Basic solar string light repair and battery question

We’re getting ready for festival season and have a series of solar string lights that need care, feeding and repair.

Here’san example of one of our lights.

We let it charge in the yard for about a day and a half (which is usually enough). When I tested the lights, they give off a faint, anaemic glow, nothing like when they were new. If I switch it to [del]annoy[/del] blink, the initial ‘on’ is as bright as we’re used to (much brighter than when in non-blink mode), but quickly fades to the dull glimmer before winking out to repeat the cycle. It’s more of a gradated pulse than a blink.

To test, can I put in a ‘regular’ rechargeable AA battery (one that we use around the house in our mice) to see how the lights react? Or will I risk ruining either the solar charger or the battery. The battery that came in the string lights (not easily accessible, part of my wondering if they’re meant to be replaced) is generic and marked “AA 400mAh 1.2V”.

If the lights are as bright as normal after the temporary battery switch, is it safe to leave the Energizer battery in there (i.e. let it power the lights during the night and charge during the day)? Or is it likely that the string lights’ solar charging circuitry is so different from the Energizer-branded charger (this one) that we’re likely to either ruin the Energizer battery, the charger and/or cause an overheating or fire situation on our tent?

If I want to test whether it’s actually the charger that’s failing, can I safely put the generic, “AA 400mAh 1.2V” into the Energizer charger linked above? I know this may be an obvious question (it’s a ‘universal’ charger after all), but I’d rather ask the stupid-seeming question than overlook something and burn my house down (I’m rather fond of it).

Lastly, some of the lights’ wires have breaks in them, and the lights only work up to a certain one. If I want to repair the wire, do I simply cut the break, strip the wires, and twist the exposed ends around each other and tape? Is there any need/point to soldering them? If I have some convenient 14-gauge bare wire handy, should I wrap the ends around those (the wire is pretty thin to work with in terms of twisting them together)?

Thanks for any bright ideas~

  • the cell (voltaic cells when used in unison form a battery … ) in the solar light is expired, won’t charge… obviously after so many days of use they fail … or time… its better if they are stored charged … not left fully discharged for so long.

  • the energizer is a fine replacement, the one which came out was similarly 1.2 V , which suggests its NiMH just the same… all NiMH is the same voltage for charge and discharge…

The NiMH battery you linked to should work OK.
The lights probably came with NiCd (dispose of properly, please) batteries, because they are less picky about trickle charging, but the Energizer NiMH have so much more capacity you are unlikely to overcharge them.

As for repairing broken wires - soldering and insulating with heatshrink is the way to go, but if you can’t solder, then make a good twist connection and use heatshrink to insulate (tape is not weatherproof enough).

Thanks.

We take in about six or seven festivals a year (plus Halloween), so that’s about the only time the lights are used. Full days in the sun and full nights on. We turn them off when packing up and they’re stored indoors and off. We’re chalking short life to relatively cheap components.

I didn’t notice, but now that I knew to look for it, the generic battery is also marked with Ni-MH. So I’m heading downstairs to put an Energizer in the unit to see if the lights light up as I expect.

To be pedantic, is it safe to put the generic rechargeable in the Energizer charger and see if it takes a charge? if so, that means it’s likely just the solar charger that’s kaput and a couple extra batteries will keep us lit until we figure out a replacement.
(For fun, here’s a daytime pictureof the setup. The lights go up our totem and several are around our sunshade and tent. Will get night pictures this go-round.)

Yes, it’s OK to try and charge the generic battery in any decent NiMH charger.

Please get some night shots!