review – Fairy lights are all the rage. You can think of them as the backdrop for a Zoom meeting, in outdoor photos on Instragram, in catalogs of all types, in movies, and just about every Pintrest board. But not all fairy lights are created equal. This is especially true for solar fairy lights. Despite its low price, the Ollny LED 80ft Warm White Solar String Lights Set is beautiful.
What is it?
The Ollny LED 80ft Warm White Solar String Lights is a set of 240 fairy lights on an 80ft long string light powered by sturdy solar panels and a sizable built-in battery. The set has 8 light settings and 3 timer settings.
What’s in the box?
- 80-foot string of 240 LED lights
- solar panel/battery/control
- panel mount
- ground pegs
- manual
Hardware Specifications
- Number of LEDs: 240LED
- Lamp length: 80 feet
- Power cord: 6.6 feet
- Solar Panel Dimensions: 4.53 x 3.74 inches
- Connecting Post: 2.36 inches
- Picket: 4.72 inches
- Item Weight: 13.7 oz
- Color: warm white
- Wire color: transparent
- Waterproof grade: IP67
- Material: copper + plastic
- Solar panel can be rotated: 180° can be rotated
- Rated Voltage: 5V Low Voltage Solar
- Light Mode: 8
- Timer Mode: 3
Design and Features
I have used many different fairy lights over the years, most of them are very flimsy and poorly made. Ollny LED 80ft Warm White Solar String Lights Set makes a difference. This string of lights is thickly insulated, making the unit more sturdy. A slight downside to thicker wires is that daytime lights don’t disappear into the background like thinner wires.
The solar panel is large and fully charges the battery in about 6 hours in sunlight. When fully charged, the battery can power the lamp for up to 18 hours. So you should be able to get through at least one cloudy day, or more depending on the timer settings. The solar panel houses the batteries and has controls on the back. Controls include a power button and a timer button, as well as several LED indicators. The power button also lights up to indicate functionality.These controls allow you to scroll through eight light settings, which are Steady, wave, sequential, slo-glo, chasing flash, fade, flickering flash and combination.
The lights have a photocell that turns them on at dusk, and a timer can be set to keep them on for 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, or until the photocell detects light again (set from dusk to dawn). The whole set is waterproof, and the light string can even be submerged in one meter of water.
Performance
Installing fairy lights can be a chore. I installed the Ollny LED 80ft warm white solar string light on a lattice wall with a bouquet of honeysuckle growing on it. I did everything I could to keep the light together as I was going in and out of the lattice, but it inevitably fell apart and then turned into a cluttered squirrel nest. Unfortunately, that’s the fate of all fairy lights. This set of heavier insulation makes unraveling the mess a little easier. Another thing that makes installation a little challenge is that each LED is like a mini GRope hook, grab everything along the way. All in all, it takes about 30 minutes to thread an 80-foot light onto the lattice.
I installed the control/solar panels on top of the patio roof with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. The panel mounts well, although no mounting screws are included. I didn’t use mounting pegs, which would come in handy for ground mounts. I set the mode to steady on and the timer to 6 hours.
Just after dusk, the Ollny LED 80-foot warm white solar string lights came on. The brightness is consistent throughout the entire time the light is on. Brightness is great for ambience, but I don’t intend to use these lights for actual lighting.They are much dimmer than some other fairy lightsI have used hts. Of course, lighting may also depend on how dispersed your installation is.
what do I like
- big solar panels, big batteries
- easy control
- Clear and well-written brochure, including color photos
- Strong insulated wire
- Optional timer function
what would i change
final thoughts
As with most other fairy lights I own, I consider them to be disposable. Wires can break, LEDs can stop working, or solar panels/batteries can corrode. I don’t think this will happen with the Ollny LED 80ft Warm White Solar String Set. It seems to be better built and doesn’t cost much. Add to the ambience for just $23, and it’s worth spending a few minutes straightening out the messy wires you’re going to install.
price: $22.99
where to buy: Amazon or Olney
source: Samples for this review provided by Olney
