@tx_flower_child
Before I knew you could buy solar batteries, I used regular AA batteries. They only come on when it is dark. Also if your solar panel gets turning a smokey color, you can paint it with clear fingernail polish, it will again start charging the batteries. I brought in a bunch of solar lights that I need to go through and put new batteries in them to see if they will still light up. I will use a few solar batteries that I have on hand and then will use regular AA batteries. I put in the regular batteries and take them into the dark closet to see if they will light up. If they do, then I can put the rechargeable ones in and stick them outside to charge. I hope this helped.
