FAQs

What is the difference between the products?

Good question! Please refer to our Product Comparison Chart.

What is the SolarPuff™ made of?

The SolarPuff™ is a U.S. patented product comprised of four (4) main components:

1. A solar panel that captures photons from sunlight;

2. A rechargeable internal lithium ion battery that stores power;

3. LED bulbs that produce the light; and

4. PET material that is specially architected to inflate into a cube.

Please note that our PET material is recyclable and not made of toxic PVC like other inflatable solar lamps in the market.

How long does the SolarPuff™ stay illuminated after one full charge?

After a full charge of 8 hours in the bright clear sunlight, the SolarPuff™ provides up to 8 hours on the high setting and 12 hours on the low setting. If the Solarpuff™ is in the bright sun for only 7 hours, it will last for 7 hours on high setting and approximately 10 on low setting. If the Solarpuff™ is charged in the sun for 6 hours, it will last 6 hours on high setting and so on.

How long does it take for a lantern to fully charge?

A lantern will generally take an average of 8 hours in direct bright sunlight to achieve full charge. Charging under cloudy skies or indoors will take longer.

Do the lanterns need extra parts?

No, everything is included in each lamp. No separate batteries or chargers are needed.

Can I leave my lanterns outdoors?

Yes, your solar lamps can withstand the elements of wind and rain, but should be kept at 0 - 32°C to extend battery and other component life. Your solar lamps are designed to float.

Can I charge my lanterns indoors?

Yes, they will charge near a window or an artificial light source but at a much slower rate. Ultra violet solar lamps will charge efficiently but they tend to get too hot (above 32°C).

How long will my lanterns hold charge if unused?

If stored under optimal conditions, the lanterns will retain about 50% of charge after 2 years. Useful tips for extending the lithium polymer battery life can be found at here. 

Is there a risk of electric shock or burns from my solar lamp? 

No, there is no risk of electric shock or burns with our lanterns. 

Is there overcharge protection so that the battery doesn’t swell and explode?

All our products’ solar panels comes with protection chip to prevent under or over charging. The wattage of our LEDs are 3 watts, which is relatively small. So don’t worry, they won’t over charge, over heat and/or explode.

How much light do the lanterns produce?

The lanterns produce enough light for reading, ambience lighting etc. Th SolarPuff can light up a tent in the evening.

What is the life span of the lantern’s LED lights?

The industry standard for LED light bulbs is at least 25,000 hours. The LEDs will outlast the life of the battery.

How big is a Solight Design light?

Solight Design lights vary in size. The best way to get a sense of the size is to look at the individual product images on the product pages. All our lights fold down to approximately 1 cm thick and pop open into different sized cube volumes.

How bright are Solight Design lights?

Solight Design lights vary in brightness and performance depending on which product you have. The standard unit of measurement for brightness is "lumens" and this is indicated on the individual product pages, or in a chart on the respective product page. We measure the lumens of our lanterns by 3rd party testing centres.

What is my light made of?

Solight Design lights are made of durable and recyclable materials. The SolarPuff™ uses PET (polyethylene terephthalate). It is the same material used in making sail cloth and engineered for extreme weather and conditions. It is highly durable and resiliant. The Solar Helix and the Twilights are made with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). This material is 100% PVC-free and phthalate-free. Each light contains a high-efficiency monocrystalline solar panel, LED circuit, and a lithium-ion battery.

What is PVC and why is it important that the Solight Design lights are PVC-free?

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a type of halogenated plastic that contains two known human carcinogens: vinyl chloride and dioxin. These carcinogens are not only emitted in large quantities during production but on the plastic itself. Vinyl chloride is an essential component of PVC that is not used in any other plastic. Dioxin is a bioaccumulative substance that builds up over time in human bodies and emissions from PVC are higher than other plastics. As Solight Design lights are meant to be safe for the entire family and pop open, Solight Design is happy to produce 100% PVC-free lights.

What is the difference between lumens and watts?

Lumens are a standard unit used for measuring brightness of lights, while watts are a unit for measuring the amount of electricity required to power an electrically-powered object. In lightbulbs, watts are used to signify how much energy is required to power the bulb. Therefore, more energy-efficient lightbulbs may use fewer watts to produce the same number of Lumens (brightness).

As our Solight Design lights are solar-powered, and do not depend on an electrical grid, it is more relevant to provide the number of Lumens that our lights produce. That way, we may explain how bright the light they produce is, and how large of a space they can illuminate. Our SolarPuff™ and Solar Helix are our highest-performing light, and can easily illuminate a 10 x 10 sqft space at 90 lumens on its brightest setting. Many of our customers find it comparable with battery-powered lanterns, and easier to maintain.

How do I adjust settings or turn my light on/off?

Each of our lights has a green power button in the center of the solar panel. Press this button firmly to turn your light ON, cycle through brightness settings, and turn it OFF. This button is slightly inset to ensure that your light will not be turned on by accident and lose charge.

Is the Solight Design waterproof? Can I submerge it?

Yes, Solight Design lights are all waterproof and dustproof! They can be submerged up to 1 meter (FL 1 STANDARD IPX-67) and can float.

What temperatures can my light operate under?

Solight Design solar lights contain lithium-ion polymer batteries, similar to the battery inside most cell phones. The Solight Design light has two temperature ranges: 1. Temperature range to recharge in sun which is 32 degrees F to 113 degrees F and 2. Temperature range to turn on lantern which is -4 degrees F to 140 degrees F. Temperatures lower or higher than that can damage the battery and reduce overall battery life. To increase longevity of the battery, it is best to avoid recharging your light in temperatures below freezing. If you do need to use your product in sub-zero temperatures, we recommend recharging it when it is warmer and using the Medium or Low setting when in sub-zero temperatures to get the most run time hours out of your light before needing to recharge it again. If you need to recharge it and only have sub-zero temperatures, we recommend placing it in a sunny window or for a few hours each day during peak sun hours outside. It will take a few days longer to fully charge.

Can I recycle my Solight Design light?

Solight Design lights are made out of completely recyclable parts. You can recycle a Solight Design products anywhere that cell phones, digital cameras, or iPods are accepted for recycling.

Why is my light not lasting very long?

Solight Design lights have multiple brightness settings and each setting has a corresponding run time. The low and flashing settings have the longest run times. If you are recharging on an overcast day or did not have enough sun to fully recharge the battery, we recommend using the Low or Medium setting in order to maximize the run time. For more details on run times for each setting, the individual product pages list the run times in hours. Some Solight Design lights have a Bright setting which is the brightest mode. This mode is perfect for those moments when you need the brightest lantern possible for things like task work or emergencies. The Bright setting has the shortest run time because the LEDs are extremely bright.

What happens if my light doesn't turn on?

There are a few possible reasons why it may not be turning on. The most likely reason is that it needs to be recharged. Below are a few steps to see if this may be the issue. After going through these steps, if it still isn't working after recharging, please notify us via our Contact Us page.

1. Turn your light to the OFF position 2. Find a sunny spot outside and leave the product outside with the solar panel facing up in direct sun light for a full 2 days (in order to top off the battery and completely recharge it). Windows block light, so it is important to put it outside and avoid shady areas.

If the product still does not turn on after recharging, please notify us via our Contact Us page. We have a worry-free 1-year warranty and want to make sure all our customers are happy with their lights.

Do I need to inflate my lights?

Solight Design's patented inflatable LED technology was designed to create a lightweight, portable lantern that could pack down flat for easy storage and charging, and then pull open to diffuse the bright the LEDs. The diffuse, glare-free lighting is great for lighting up a tent, reading at night, or taking on a walk to light up your path. The pull open component of the Solight Design invention avoids any oral inflation by mouth and protects against spreading germs. It’s flat packability also responds to the distribution challenges of humanitarian aid organisations. One carton of SolarPuffs™ consists of 120 lights and weighs just 13 kg reducing shipping costs and improving portability for often hard-to-reach communities in need of light.

How do I inflate my Solight Design light?

Solight Design lights do not require any oral inflation. Just pull the light open into a cube. They will hold their shape due to the excellent design and recyclable materials used.

How do I charge my light?

Solight Design lights all have a high-efficiency monocrystalline solar panel that recharges the built-in battery when exposed to direct sun. To recharge your light, turn to the OFF setting, place the light in direct, outdoor sun light with the solar panel facing the sun. Windows block light and significantly slows down charging. For optimum charging, place the light outside in an area away from shadows or shade. Charge times vary depending on time of year, location, and product.

How do I know if my Solight Design light is recharging?

While charging, the solar panel may get warm. It is the reaction from the sun to the solar panel. To ensure the solar panel is recharging the battery, place your Solight Design light outside in direct, outdoor sun away from shaded areas. You will be able to tell by the intensity of the light. The light will dim as it loses power.

Can I recharge it in a window or on cloudy days? What about the winter?

The Solight Design will charge on overcast or cloudy days, but you'll see the most efficient charging times with direct sun. Windows block light and significantly slow down charging. For optimum charging, place the light outside in an area away from shadows or shade. Charge times vary depending on time of year, location, and product. In the winter, you will see slower run times because the sun is not as strong and there are fewer hours available for direct sun.

Is the battery replaceable?

The battery does not need to be replaced as it is easily recharged by the solar panel on the front of the light. The lithium-ion polymer battery is built to be long-lasting and is high-performing for 1000+ recharges. It performs at 100% for 500+ recharges and at 90% performance for another 500+ recharges for a total of 1,000+ recharges at high performance. Our worry-free warranty lasts for one year after purchase but our lights are made to last for 5+ years of use.

How long will a full charge last in my light?

All Solight Design lights use a lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery, similar to the battery in most cell phones. Once fully charged, the battery will hold a majority of its charge and light up after over a year of being in storage. Like all rechargeable batteries, it does lose a small percentage of charge over time when it is in storage and not being used. In order to ensure the product is fully charged when you need it, we recommend that you recharge the light in direct sun every 6-8 months.

How long does a Solight Design light hold a charge in storage?

Solight Design lights contain a lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery, similar to the battery in most cell phones. Once fully charged, the battery will hold a majority of its charge and light up after over a year of being in storage. Like all rechargeable batteries, it does lose a small percentage of charge over time (approximate 2% each month) when it is in storage and not being used. In order to ensure the product is fully charged when you need it, we recommend that you recharge the light in direct sun every few months.

How can I support Solight Design's Give Light Programs?

Making light accessible for all is what drives Solight Design forward. Our Give programs allow you to join our mission and get involved by helping sponsor safe, solar rechargeable lanterns for those in need. We have a number of programs. Please use our Contact Us page to request additional information.

How can I contact you via phone?

Our team works hard to respond to inquiries within 48 hours. Our contact form via the Contact Us page is the quickest and most efficient way for our team to provide you with the best service.

Do the lights come charged?

The lights will arrive partially charged. We recommend that upon receipt, that you charge fully by following the steps below.

Instructions

To charge the lights:

• Turn the light to the OFF setting

• Place in direct sun light with the solar panel facing the sun

• Leave it in the sun for 8 hours for a full charge.

• If you can only charge for 3 hours you will get 3 hours of light on the low setting, charge for 5 hours you get 5 hours of light, and so on.

My light isn't working. What do I do?

Our lights are the best solar lanterns on the market. We have .04% defective rate.

If, for some reason, your light is not working please following these steps:

• Turn the light to the OFF setting.

• Remove from the package.

• Place in direct sun light with the solar panel facing the sun.

• Leave it in the sun for 2 days for a full charge.

• After 2 days in direct sunlight, the light should work perfectly. These steps will work 99% of the time in correcting the problem.

 Shipping and returns

For shipping and warranty information please see our Customer Service page or use our Contact Us page.

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