Best Solar Christmas Lights

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Having Christmas lights on throughout the holiday season without incurring hefty power bills is achievable with solar Christmas lights, as tapping solar energy is free.

These lights work without an extension, making their outdoor and indoor use limitless. They are connected to a solar panel that uses sunlight to charge the battery during the day. The stored solar energy is used at night when the lights are on.

The World Bank agrees with renewable resource experts that the lights are environmentally friendly and economical during the holidays. They are also safe for indoors and outdoors. Queensland Government Electrical safety agrees that one of the safety tips to ensure that your Christmas does not go into disaster is to use solar Christmas lights.

Some things to consider when buying Christmas lights include how long they take to charge, the lighting modes they offer, their working hours, and, most importantly, the IP rating.

It took us one week to test 50 solar Christmas lights. We used a darkroom to test the lights to determine the brightness of each product. We also checked these lights’ advantages, disadvantages, effectiveness, and efficiency. Below are the findings of the tests.

Best for longevity: Dazzle Bright 2-Pack Solar String lights

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Dazzle Bright 2-Pack Solar String lights / Dazzle

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What we liked:

They are very colorful and bright.
Flexible to use outside and inside the house.
The wiring is good and blends with the background.

What we didn’t like:

The bulbs used are hard to replace when they break.

The Dazzle Bright String lights topped our list since their batteries last longer than other solar Christmas lights in their category. For most lights, the standard running time is 8-10 hours. However, the Dazzle Bright String lights give you 12-14 hours. But, you must charge them fully to ensure they give you the maximum running hours.

These lights’ wires are less noticeable, which makes the bulbs more attractive. The light controls are also at the back of the solar panel and are less noticeable. These controls are used when switching into different light modes such as flashing, steady on, waving, combination, slogs, slow fade, sequential, and twinkle. Additionally, the copper wires are anti-rust and can be used outside and withstand all kinds of weather.

The Dazzle lights come with 2 LEDs and 120 bulbs. However, the bulbs are irreplaceable since spare bulbs are unavailable.

Number of bulbs: 120| Length: 46 feet | Working time: 10 to 14 hours | Color: multicolor| IP rating: IP44|

Best for large areas: Brightown Outdoor Solar String lights

brightown-outdoor-solar-string-lights
Brightown Outdoor Solar String lights / Brightown

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What we liked:

Offers multiple lengths to purchase according to one’s choice.
They are bright
Can stand any weather condition.
Has a strong IP rating

What we didn’t like:

Easy to get tangled if not well handled.

These lights had the longest strings on our list. It made it easy for us to use them on the fence and garden. On the downside, having long strings makes it easy for the lights to get tangled.

Their working hours are 12 hours after charging them fully for almost 6 hours in sunlight. Having an IP65 rating, they can withstand harsh weather conditions. We confidently used them outdoors on rainy and snowy days.

On Amazon, these solar Christmas lights are among the cheapest, which makes them best sellers on the online store.

They have control buttons to switch to different light modes at the back of the solar panel. The lights automatically turn on when the sun sets and off when the sun rises.

Number of bulbs: 100| Working hours: 8-10 hours | Color: warm white| Length: 33 feet, 72 feet, 198 feet, 288 feet | IP rating: IP65

Best for storing for next use: LALAPAO Solar String lights

lalapao-solar-string-lights
LALAPAO Solar String lights / LALAPAO

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What we liked:

It can stay for almost 12 hours when fully charged
Has heavy-duty IP ranking
It has different modes of lights

What we didn’t like:

It has a built-in battery that cannot be changed.

These lights are lightweight and easy to wrap without getting tangled for safe storage. They are designed to be used not only on Christmas but also on other festive holidays such as Easter and Halloween.

They automatically turn on at night and off when the sunlight appears and are chargeable only when turned off. They have a built-in battery, which is a disadvantage since it can wear off or get faulty and is irreplaceable.

These solar Christmas lights have eight different lighting modes and a control switch button that operates these different light modes. They have two LEDs, each containing 200 lights with different colors, making them attractive.

Color: solid white| Number of bulbs: 200| Working modes: 8 lighting modes | Length: 72 feet | Working hours: 8-12 hours| IP rating: IP65

Best for winter: Vmanoo Solar Outdoor String Christmas lights

vmanoo-solar-outdoor-string-christmas-lights
Vmanoo Solar Outdoor String Christmas lights / Vmanoo

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What we liked:

It has a light sensor that turns the lights on and off
You can choose to buy a multi-colored lighting bulb or one color bulb.
It has a replaceable battery.

What we didn’t like:

The wire is dark green and highly noticeable.

With an IP rating of 65, these lights can be outdoors throughout the season and withstand snow storms. Additionally, their solar panels have stakes to keep them firm on the ground during wind gushes.

They have 200 LED bulbs on 72- feet strings that make them easy to wrap around fences and trees. The length between the LED lights and the solar panel is 6 feet, which means that the solar panel can be kept away from the lights to avoid interfering with the glamour of the lights. However, the copper wires are too conspicuous since they are dark green and do not blend with the background.

Depending on the buyer’s choice, these lights can be purchased in one solid color or multi-colored.

We noted they have a memory chip to record the last mode set. This makes it easy for the users since they do not have to reset the modes every time they turn them on. They also have night sensors that turn the lights on at night and off when at sunrise.

IP rating: IP65| Lengths: 72 feet | Amount of bulbs: 200| Color: Blue | Working time: 8-12 hours | Solar panel: 2V/300MA

Best for Indoor Decoration: Ollny Solar string lights

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Ollny Solar string lights / Ollny

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What we liked:

Have 4 levels of brightness
They are waterproof
Have a timer function

What we didn’t like:

You must use the remote and point it directly at the receiver while controlling the lights.

These lights have four brightness levels, including a dimmable level, which is highly convenient for indoor decoration. They are also super long and can be used when decorating a Christmas tree indoors or on the walls.

These Christmas lights have a low voltage of 29V, which makes them safe. When testing, we discovered that the low voltage reduced their power consumption. Moreover, they have an IP rating of 44, making them waterproof.

The lights have a timer setting where the user can set the number of hours they stay on. The timer is between 6 hours to 18 hours. They also have 8 lighting modes that users switch, according to their desire.

The lights are controlled using a remote control that makes it easy to maneuver the functionality of the lights. However, for the remote to work efficiently, you must point it directly to the receiver.

Number of bulbs: 800| Working hours: 6-18 hours | Color: warm white| Length: 272 feet | IP rating: IP44|light modes: 8 modes

Best For alternative charging method: Vnamoo Solar USB String Christmas lights

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Vnamoo Solar USB String Christmas lights / Vnamoo

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What we like:

It has a USB plug in case the solar panel is not working
Has a Strong IP rating.
Built-in memory chip
Offer a warranty

What we didn’t like:

Hard to tell whether they are on or off when charging

The Vnamoo solar Christmas lights have an alternative charging method for cloudy weather, as they have a USB portal for charging with electricity. They, therefore, run throughout the season regardless of the weather conditions.

These lights are available in multiple-colored versions and have a set of two LEDs. They also have a memory chip to record the last modes previously set.

Each string has 200 bulbs and a length of 72 feet. They also have a 6-feet distance between the solar panels and the first bulbs, which makes it easy to charge at any sun-lathering spot.

They have three switch buttons to turn on and off and switch the light modes. However, the lights do not indicate if they are on or off during charging, and you must manually check.

Color: Multicolor| Length: 72 feet | IP rating: IP65| Working time: 8-12 hours |charging hours: 6-8 hours | Number of bulbs: 200

What to look for in Solar Christmas Lights

Length of the string

When the lights have long strings, it becomes easy to wrap around various indoor and outdoor surfaces.

Lighting mode

Different lighting modes are beautiful to behold from afar and are great for the outdoors. These modes also allow you to tone things down for the indoors.

Color of the lights

A single solid color will work for you if you are a minimalist, while multi-colored bulbs will work if plain colors are too minimalist for your taste.

Working time when fully charged

Look for lights that will run all night without turning off.

IP rating

The IP rating should be 50-65 for the lights to withstand harsh weather conditions when used outside.

FAQs Section

Are solar Christmas lights worth it?

Yes, solar Christmas lights are worth it. They are perfect for the Christmas holidays and save you much on electricity bills.

Can you replace old batteries in solar Christmas lights?

Yes, you can replace old batteries with rechargeable ones in most lights. However, you should read the light manuals to ensure that you purchase brands with replaceable batteries.

Do solar Christmas lights work well in winter?

This will depend on the lights that you buy. If they are weather-resistant and have a strong IP rating, they will perform well in harsh conditions.

Is it okay to leave the solar Christmas lights on during the night?

Yes, most solar Christmas lights are left on all night since they work for almost 10 hours. You should fully charge the lights during the day to make them survive the night without turning off.

Why do solar Christmas lights stop working?

In most cases, when the solar Christmas lights stop working, the batteries are faulty. It is therefore advisable to check the batteries and replace faulty ones.

Will the lights work when charging the solar panel with sunlight?

Most lights have a photocell that makes them stop working when exposed to sunlight, so they charge effectively and fully.

Can you keep the lights for the next use?

Yes, solar Christmas lights can be wrapped after the Christmas holiday and be kept for the next Christmas holiday.

How do you know whether the solar Christmas lights are on or off?

Most solar Christmas lights have an on and off button that clicks when pressed. They may also have a red light to indicate that it is switched on.

Are the solar Christmas lights bright enough?

Yes, the lights have many lighting modes that you can choose from. To make them bright, you must change the modes to brighter ones.

How long do the solar Christmas lights take to charge?

Most solar Christmas lights take 6 to 8 hours to fully charge, depending on the sunlight available.

  • Nichole Hutt

    Hi, I'm Nichole! 👋
    I always felt close to nature during my childhood. Preferring to spend my time alone playing with backyard animals at my family farm. 🐷
    In 1997, I attained my electrical engineering degree at the Oregon Institute Of Technology, graduating top of my class. Several years later, I qualified for my M.S. in Renewable Energy Engineering, also at OIT. 🎓

    Combining my love for nature and passion for engineering, I have worked for solar panel manufacturer's in my state, most notably as a PV solar engineer for Zamp Solar.

    I founded RenewableSystems to share my knowledge and expertise in the renewable energy field and help save this beautiful little planet of ours. ☀️🌎

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