Duff Solar Lights

Just a word of warning: - my wife loves all these solar-powered lights so we bought some new ones from B&M last week.
7 left now but when the batteries go I now Know that changing the batteries will result in them staying on all the time.

Today I found out two do not work any more and one of them had a flat battery - so I changed it but now it stays on all the time - there's no switch to turn 'em on and off!

The other one's dead as a doornail!

You get what you pay for they say but I took a chance - they were only £9.99 for 9 though!

Don't buy 'em - waste of money! stevmk2

Re: Duff Solar Lights

Thanks for the warning !

Re: Duff Solar Lights

Oh they're rubbish!! Have bought them in the past but they never seemed to light up even when placed in sunlight all day long.
Won't be wasting any more of my money!!

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Well Steve, we've had ten in our garden for over ten years ...our family call them our alien landing lights
We paid a tenner and I think half of them are still working Hubby just said ours have a switch.

I'm sorry to hear yours don't work tho' we must have touched lucky.

Re: Duff Solar Lights

I have a lot of them and they work great. Specially the ones in my sheds where any other lighting would be difficult.
I have changed the batteries in a few of them, No problem.
10 for 10 Quid, Sounds like you have purchased really S##T lights in the first place. The cost of batteries would outcost purchasing a new light and throwing the flat one away.

Re: Duff Solar Lights

I have had various of these lights usually $2 (£1) each in Coles but they seem to work fine.

The most common problem seem to be corrosion at the battery terminals which stops them charging (especially after heavy rain or high humidity) - when one doesn't light I just pull out the battery, clean the terminals and replace the battery. Usually they work for a few more weeks until it needs doing again.

The batteries invariably are AA or AAA so if you have a suitable battery charger you can give them a boost while you have them out.

As David pointed out once they do stop working permanently you just throw them in the bin and buy another.

Re: Duff Solar Lights

I had a similar problem with a cheap outside security light sensor as it would stop working for no apparent reason but then I must have bought a 'good one' as it worked for years through all the bad weather. Luck of the draw it seems with these low cost items.

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You get what you pay for really, pay peanuts and you get Monkey's LOL

I have about 15 in my Garden been there for about 3/4 years they work perfectly, but they were not cheap.

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I might give them another go....I need something to light up near the garage and if it stops working then that will be my last purchase.

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We have had solar lights in our garden for over 17 years now, we usually buy then when they are on offer from gardens centres but we also buy odd ones from Poundland, we have well in advance of 100 of all different types and styles. From hanging ones to butterflies and also ornamental.

We take it for granted that we have to throw at least a couple away each year, because as Bruce says from corrosion. But some are still going strong after ten years. We always expect when we buy the packs which hold 10 that some are not going to work.

We also think our garden is a landing strip, and when we hear a plane very clearly on a night time worry in case it is trying to land.