What can I do with these old solar lights?

Discussion in 'Garden Junk' started by Donna S, Mar 26, 2015.

  1. Donna S

    Donna S Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2010
    Messages:
    3,319
    Likes Received:
    2,570
    Location:
    Virginia
    What would you do with these? My solar lights have died, but I like the crackled glass. What can I do with them? I can take them off the posts and have just the glass ball. Please give me some ideas before Rich takes them to the dump.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Loading...


  3. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2006
    Messages:
    18,338
    Likes Received:
    5,156
    Location:
    Southern Ontario zone 5b
    Some solar lights have replaceable batteries Donna. Have you checked your lights to see? Those are cute!
     
  4. DawnsGarden

    DawnsGarden New Seed

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2015
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    New York
    If you could make a garland of sorts that would be pretty! Find a way to hold a large Christmas bulb in them and hang them around a patio...
     
  5. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2006
    Messages:
    19,634
    Likes Received:
    5,059
    Location:
    North Central Texas, Zone 8a
    When you take them off the post is the inside empty? If so you could take some metalic paint, pour some in and roll it around coating the inside surface. Either put them back on the posts or cluster them together in the ground or a planter. You could also use cheap fingernail polish instead of buying a can of paint.
     



    Advertisement
  6. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2005
    Messages:
    29,088
    Likes Received:
    6,277
    Location:
    Scotland
    If you can't replace the batteries Donna you can still use the balls as garden lights. You can buy battery powered tea light candles - just switch them on and place globes over them. You could do what Toni has suggested too so that you'll have a multi-coloured glowing balls around the garden.
     
  7. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2014
    Messages:
    2,581
    Likes Received:
    1,567
    Location:
    Idaho Mountains
    You could take a globe off and measure the dimensions of the opening and see if you can find new solar lights that your globes will fit in.
     
    Rhana Thompson likes this.
  8. AAnightowl

    AAnightowl Young Pine

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Messages:
    1,948
    Likes Received:
    1,324
    Location:
    Missouri
    I hope you can find a good idea for them! I just bought a bunch of plain solar lights for the dark places around my yard to keep from
    falling again I hope. At some point, they will also quit, and I will need a few good ideas too.
     
  9. Rhana Thompson

    Rhana Thompson New Seed

    Joined:
    May 19, 2015
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I think that the suggestion of 2ofus is very practical. Use the lights to create a more comfortable and romantic environment in your garden. Add few more decorations and the final result will be outstanding.

    Moderator's note: removed website link, see point 1.1 of community rules
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 19, 2015
  10. AAnightowl

    AAnightowl Young Pine

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Messages:
    1,948
    Likes Received:
    1,324
    Location:
    Missouri
    It just occurred to me that you might make a garden sculpture out of them and use that e6000 glue
    to fasten them together... Glass snow people? If you added some outdoor Christmas lights, that would be cool too.

    BTW, how long do solar lights usually last? I need to exchange one of my new ones already because it has died in under 3 weeks. These are the $5 kind from the local True Value.. I also bought some $1 ones from the local Dollar store. They might be a better deal. And it was the one at the stump that I fell over last month. I am staying away from that stump after dark until I get a replacement light up there.
     
  11. Donna S

    Donna S Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2010
    Messages:
    3,319
    Likes Received:
    2,570
    Location:
    Virginia
    AAnightowl,
    I bought my solar lights a walmarts. I usually get a couple of years out of them. Like your idea of gluing them together.
     
  12. Evil Roy

    Evil Roy In Flower

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2006
    Messages:
    323
    Likes Received:
    220
    Location:
    Deepinahearta, Texas
    Check the battery to see if it's still good, and check the battery compartment for corrosion. Moisture gets in and causes a bit of corrosion on the contacts. Clean it up with a piece of sandpaper (just a touch), and it should make contact again. Most of these lights use a single AA battery. If you replace it, don't use one of the new high powered rechargeables, the solar cell can't recharge them properly. Use an 800 mah battery. The high powered ones go up to 2400 mah now and are just too much for the poor little solar cell to fill.
     
  13. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2014
    Messages:
    2,581
    Likes Received:
    1,567
    Location:
    Idaho Mountains
    I love solar lights but they are like so many other things. When they first came out they were well made and most of them used 2 batteries and were bright enough to light a pathway. I'm knocking on wood right now, but I have 2 lights that I bought about 10 years ago that are still going strong. I've had to replace the batteries a few times but they are still working better than most of the newer ones. I did order a new one last year from an 'everything is $14.99 catalog'. It is a squirrel with his tail wrapped around a post and he is holding an acorn that lights up and that is the brightest light I have.
     
  14. AAnightowl

    AAnightowl Young Pine

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Messages:
    1,948
    Likes Received:
    1,324
    Location:
    Missouri
    thanks Evil Roy for the tips. I did not see your reply in time to use them though. I will try to keep them in mind if it happens again. What on earth is "mah" for batteries, or whatever? I do like having them light up dark places in my yard, they have been a big help. I don't know why I did not try them sooner. And they do not run up one's light bill.

    I don't know what I will do with mine when they do go kaput though, they are not the round kind. I do not get here very often right now. So far, my other lights are doing good.
     
  15. Donna S

    Donna S Hardy Maple

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2010
    Messages:
    3,319
    Likes Received:
    2,570
    Location:
    Virginia
    Thanks Roy. I will check the batteries and hope I can save a few lights.
     

Share This Page