Description
These Solar Lights run 35 metres and work entirely off a small solar panel for $29.99 - no powerpoint, no extension lead, no timer to set. They charge in 4 to 8 hours of sunlight, run for 6 to 8 hours on a full charge, and switch themselves on automatically at dusk.
The reason people choose solar over mains for a garden is not really the electricity cost - it is that a mains set has to reach a powerpoint. Once you want lights along a back fence, up a tree at the end of the yard, or around a garden bed, running an outdoor-rated lead out there becomes the whole project. A solar set just gets pushed into the ground where you want it.
Specifications
| Total length |
35m |
| Power source |
Solar panel, no mains supply needed |
| Charge time |
4-8 hours in direct sunlight |
| Run time |
6-8 hours on a full charge |
| Colour |
Multicoloured |
| Switch on |
Automatic at dusk |
| Weather |
Suitable for outdoor use |
| Mounting |
Ground stake included |
What's in the Box
| Solar string light |
1 |
| Solar panel |
1 |
| Ground stake |
1 |
| Batteries or mains adapter |
Not needed - none supplied |
Why Solar Suits an Australian Garden
-
No cable run - goes anywhere in the yard without reaching a powerpoint
-
No running cost - nothing on the electricity bill, ever
-
Automatic dusk switching - no timer to set and nothing to remember
-
Low voltage - nothing mains-powered sitting out in the weather
-
Australian sun - our light levels charge these far better than the northern hemisphere markets they are designed for
How Much Sun Do Solar Fairy Lights Need?
Four to eight hours of genuine direct sunlight on the panel for a full charge. Direct is the operative word - bright shade is not enough, and neither is sun that reaches the panel for an hour before a fence shades it. Dust and pollen on the panel cut the charge noticeably, so wipe it every few weeks. If the lights are running out well before the night is over, the panel placement is nearly always the cause rather than a fault.
Do Solar Lights Work Through an Australian Winter?
Yes, but with shorter run times. Winter gives you fewer daylight hours and a lower sun angle, so the panel banks less charge and the lights may run four or five hours rather than eight. That is normal physics, not a defect. In Hobart or Canberra in June expect noticeably less than in Darwin. Tilting the panel to face north at roughly the angle of your latitude, rather than lying it flat, makes a real difference in winter.
Where Should the Solar Panel Actually Go?
Somewhere it gets unobstructed midday sun, facing north, and clear of the shadow line that a fence, eave or tree casts as the sun moves. The panel does not have to be next to the lights - the lead lets you stake the panel in an open sunny spot and run the lights into a shaded pergola or along a covered fence. That separation is the single most useful thing about a staked panel and most people never use it.
Buyers are lighting garden beds, fences, pergolas and trees, dressing outdoor entertaining areas, and decorating for Christmas without running leads outside.
Our 30m, 42m and 52m solar sets are in Home & Garden. See also Christmas and Camping & Outdoor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the string?
35 metres.
Do I need batteries?
No. The panel charges an internal cell.
Does it need a powerpoint?
No, it is fully solar.
Do the lights switch on by themselves?
Yes, automatically at dusk.
How long will they stay on?
6-8 hours on a full charge. Less in winter or after an overcast day.
Can the panel sit in shade?
No. The panel needs direct sun even if the lights themselves are in shade - that is what the lead is for.
What colour are the lights?
Multicoloured.
Fast Australian Shipping
Dispatched from Australia to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, with regional and remote addresses served through the standard Australia Post network.
Measurements and run times are approximate and vary with sunlight, season and location. Screen colours vary between devices. Charge and run times quoted assume direct sunlight on the panel.
