Shutting off those solar yard lights
 

On Tue, 15 May 2012 01:20:45 +0000 (UTC), gregz
wrote:

Mark wrote:
On May 14, 6:04 pm, chaniarts wrote:
On 5/14/2012 2:44 PM, wrote:



The first of these solar yard lights had a small switch to turn them on
and off. As they got cheaper, the switches were eliminated in favor of
a small plastic strip that was removed to turn them on, and they could
never be shut off again, because those strips will not go back in. Most
people just stick them in their yard and dont touch them again. Myself,
I do this same thing to a certain degree, but I have a few that I like
to take with me when I go camping. If I pack them in my camping gear,
they are dead when I get to the campsite. It usually takes them several
days to totally recharge after a complete discharge, thus, if I camp for
a weekend, they rarely last all night until the end of the weekend.

Also, I bring them indoors in the winter, and found that if they are in
discharge mode all winter, they take forever to recharge in spring, and
a few of them never worked again.

My question is this: Has anyone found something that can be shoved back
in that slot that is strong enough to be pushed in until they are shut
off? Obviously it can't be metal. I know it just provides an insulated
spacer between the battery and the clip.


buy a small LED flashlight with 3 AAA or AA batteries.
They will last months.
Mark

I've taken lights camping, but mine have switches. The point is, I take the
batteries out and give them a full charge first. Install later.

Greg

What do you charge them with?

I know when you buy them, they are usually fully charged. This makes me
wonder if they are pre-charged, or do they charge with the solar cell
when the shut off tab is still in place??????

I cant find any of them with switches anymore. I suppose I could add
one, but the switch probably costs more than the light did.