Solar panels in solar street lights can not only work great during winter, but they generate electricity better. For one, winter snow is white and reflective. In fact, snow is the most reflective natural blanket of Earth. And thus, this renders solar panels free sunlight projection services.
The charging time for solar lights in winter can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the amount of available sunlight, the solar panel efficiency, and the capacity of the battery. To understand charging times, it’s helpful to be familiar with the concept of Peak Sun Hours (PSH).
Yes, you can absolutely leave solar lights up in winter. Most of the solar lights on the market today are waterproof and suitable for outdoor use all year round. However, it’s important to note that solar lights will struggle during the winter months.
In winter, many locations experience fewer PSH due to shorter days and the sun’s lower position in the sky. This means that solar lights may take longer to fully charge during winter months. For example, a solar light with a 40-watt solar panel and a 122.1-watt-hour battery might take around 5 hours to charge fully under ideal conditions.
In the winter, daytime is shorter than nighttime. This means the solar panels experience more shadows. Hence, you should position them toward the south so they can collect more light. This also helps the snow to reflect light into the panels.
To do this, you may need to inspect your garden throughout the day during the winter months. If you have a north-facing garden and rarely have any winter sun, it may be worth investing in solar lights that sit atop your fence and angle the panel towards the sun (which is much lower during the winter).