Solar Light Update: Winter

Remember that solar light that we calculated we would have to use as a night light for 10 years in order to break even?  I think it’s now 15 years!  During the winter, it doesn’t get quite enough light, so we’ve had to leave it out for two days in a row.  (No, my time is apparently not that valuable!)

Anyway, now that it is bitterly cold, I’ve kept it inside.  I just hated going out and fetching it.  I discovered via a little on-line research that solar cells can be charged from regular artificial light.  It isn’t efficient at all, but it is better than nothing.  So between leaving the solar light out on the table in the sunny dining room and having it continue to charge from the regular lights (which would be on anyway—we aren’t leaving them on just to charge it), we’re still able to use it every other night.

This is silly, I know.  But I am obsessed with solar power stuff right now!