Solar Christmas Wreaths: Will One Stay Lit on Your Front Door?

A solar Christmas wreath stays lit on a front door only if its panel gets several hours of direct sun each day. Many doors sit under a porch roof or face away from the sun, where a built-in panel barely charges in December. For shade, choose a panel on a lead or a battery wreath with a timer.

Why front doors are hard for solar wreaths

Front doors are hard for solar wreaths because a door is rarely the sunniest spot on a house. Porch roofs, overhangs, storm doors and nearby trees all shade it, and December sun is low and short. The Department of Energy notes that Denver receives nearly three times more solar energy in June than in December.

Solar lights also need more sun than many people expect. Hoselink’s manual for its solar string lights asks for a panel spot with direct sunlight, preferably 6 to 8 hours a day. A wreath has a small panel and little room for a big battery, so a shaded door hits it twice.

Built-in panel or a panel on a lead

A built-in panel or a panel on a lead is the main choice when you shop. Sharper Image sells a 24-inch solar LED wreath with an integrated solar panel and rechargeable batteries that switches on at dusk and off at dawn. Its listing describes it as designed for indoor use or covered outdoor spaces and mentions a backup charging option for low-light days. A built-in panel keeps the look clean, but under a porch roof it sees little direct sun, so check how the backup charging works before you rely on it.

A panel on a lead lets the wreath hang in shade while the panel sits on a railing, post or gutter in the sun. Garden Fun’s solar garland takes the other route and mounts its panel inside the greenery, which again means the garland has to hang in sun. Before buying a wreath with a separate panel, measure from the door to the nearest sunny spot and compare it with the lead length in the listing.

What to check in a solar wreath listing

A solar wreath listing tells you most of what you need in five lines. Look for:

1. Panel position: built in, or on a lead with its length stated.
2. Weather rating: an IP number for the lights and the panel, or a plain statement of covered-only use. Our guide to waterproof solar Christmas lights explains each rating.
3. Battery: rechargeable, and ideally a standard size you can replace later.
4. Modes: dusk-to-dawn, steady or twinkle, and any timer.
5. Size and weight: diameter for the door, and weight for the hanger.

Some solar light sets come with a remote. Hoselink’s manual for its solar party garland lights, a string of bulbs, says to point the remote at the solar panel and lists 3-hour and 6-hour switch-off delays. A timer that turns the lights off at bedtime saves charge for the next night.

Plow & Hearth has sold a 4-in-1 solar fiber optic critter wreath through QVC that works as a tabletop piece, a hanging wreath, wall decor or a yard stake. Pieces like this let you move the wreath to the sunniest spot instead of fixing it to the door.

Getting the most light from a solar wreath

Getting the most light from a solar wreath comes down to placement and a full first charge. EnergySage reports that brands recommend 8 to 12 hours of sunlight before first use, and run times of 8 to 14 hours on a full charge, with shorter nights after cloudy days.

• Charge it before hanging. Leave the wreath or its panel in full sun first, following the maker’s first-charge instructions.
• Keep the panel away from porch lights. Gama Sonic warns that nearby lights shining on the sensor can stop a solar light from turning on.
• Wipe the panel. Dust, frost and snow cut charging.
• Use the timer or a short mode. A few bright evening hours beat a dim glow at 3 a.m.

When a battery wreath is the better choice

A battery wreath is the better choice for a covered entry, a north-facing door or an apartment door off a hallway. It needs no sun, and a built-in timer keeps it on for a set number of hours each evening. The trade-off is buying and changing batteries over the season.

For the bigger picture on going without an outlet, read Christmas lights without electricity. For more solar pieces for the yard, see solar Christmas yard decorations and potted solar lighted Christmas trees for either side of the door, and for the full range of light types, start at best solar Christmas lights.