Do you own a solar-powered watch? Are you wondering how to charge a solar watch without the sun?
In this article, I will tell you about different ways that you can use to charge your solar watch if it is a cloudy day. Not only this but I will also tell you if it can be done with artificial light or not, how long it takes to charge, and how long its battery lasts when fully charged.
So keep reading!
Quick Navigation
- Quick Takeaway
- Can You Charge A Solar Watch With Artificial Light?
- Do Solar Watches Charge On Cloudy Days?
- How To Charge Solar Watch Without Sun?
- How Long Does It Take To Charge A Solar Watch?
- How Long Does Solar Watch Battery Last?
- Can You Overcharge A Solar Watch?
- FAQs
Quick Takeaway
Your solar watch will keep charging as long as there is light around you. It will still charge if it is a cloudy day. Having said that, it will take a longer time to charge if there is no sun outside. You can even charge your solar watch with artificial lights like an electric bulb, but again it will take a longer time to charge.
Can You Charge A Solar Watch With Artificial Light?
Yes, you can charge your solar watch with artificial light. However, the charging time will be high.
Can you charge a solar watch with artificial lights like a light bulb? This is the first question that comes to everyone’s mind when they are considering buying even a cheap solar watch or a solar-powered smartwatch. After all, very fewer people spend their day in bright sunlight and the majority of them spend their day in their offices or homes.
So is it possible to charge a solar watch from a tube light or light bulb?
Yes, a solar watch can get charged by any form of light including artificial lights.
Do Solar Watches Charge On Cloudy Days?
Yes, solar watches get charged even if it is a cloudy day.
The best source to charge a solar watch is the sun. But what can you do if there are clouds all over the sky and you can’t even see the sun?
Well, you do not have to worry, your solar watch will get charged even if the clouds are covering the sun. If there is some light outside and it is not totally dark then your solar watch will keep on charging. Having said that, its charging pace will be really slow.
This however does not mean that your watch will charge even at night time. There has to be some form of light around your watch to be able for it to charge, be it artificial or natural.
How To Charge Solar Watch Without Sun?
Let me now tell you how you can charge a solar watch if there is no sun outside.
1) Artificial Lights
You can make use of light bulbs or tube lights in your house. Yes, the light emitted by these artificial sources can also charge your solar watch.
The thing that you need to keep in mind is that your watch will take considerably longer to get charged from these sources. And the closer your watch is to the light source the quicker it will get charged.
2) Natural Light
As discussed, if it is not totally dark and there is some light outside then you can charge your solar watch. So just place your watch by the window or in the garden to charge it. It will take a longer time to charge but will not die for sure.
Having said that, if you want to charge your watch at the night then this option is not suitable.
3) Solar Watch Charger
Yes, there are solar watch chargers available in the market. You can buy one if you do not go outside in the sun much. These obviously emit an artificial form of light but some claim that they charge the watch at the same pace as if you have placed your watch by the window on a bright sunny day. This makes them a very good option because it takes out the dependency on the sun for charging your watch.
How Long Does It Take To Charge A Solar Watch?
How long it takes your solar watch to get charged depends on various factors and varies from company to company. Therefore it is hard to generalize the time taken to get charged for the solar watch.
However, let me give you an idea of how much more time will your watch take if you charge it from an artificial source.
The charging time of your solar watch depends on the intensity of light that is falling on its dial. Needless to say, the intensity of light from the sun is the highest. So it will take your watch the least amount of time if you place it in the direct sun on a bright sunny day.
According to this Seiko article, the artificial lighting in a general office is only about 0.7% of the intensity of the light emitted by the sun. It’s not even 1 percent but let us round it off to 1% for easier calculation.
Therefore, if your watch takes 1 hour to get charged on a bright sunny day then it will take around 100 hours to get charged under normal office or home lighting. However, this number will come down to 10 hours if you keep your watch at a distance of not more than 5cm from the 30W table lamp.
And if it is cloudy outside then also your solar watch will take around 10 hours to get charged from the natural light. Therefore, it is safe to say that a cloudy day is anyway better than office or home lights.
How Long Does Solar Watch Battery Last?
Solar watch battery can last from 6 months to 1 year once it is fully charged. This varies from watch to watch and depends on the battery cell capacity and the company of your solar watch.
Now that you know how to charge your solar watch without the sun, the question you must be wondering about is: How long can its battery last once it is fully charged?
Well, the advantage of solar watches over automatic watches is that you do not need to charge them frequently. And if you are in light every day then they can last you like forever.
Solar watches generally come with an inbuilt battery cell, which gets charged from solar energy. This cell can hold a charge for up to 6 months and even more once fully charged. Therefore, once you have charged your solar watch fully then you will not have to charge it again for at least 6 months even if you live in total darkness.
And if you’re wondering how long this battery cell lasts before replacement then let me answer that as well. The battery cell used in solar watches are quite durable and can last for 5 years or even more. Therefore you need not worry about the battery of your solar watch for at least 5 years.
Can You Overcharge A Solar Watch?
No, you cannot overcharge a solar watch. They come with an auto-cut mechanism that cuts the charging once the battery is fully charged.
You do not know much about the intensity of the light that you are using to charge your solar watch. And you also do not know exactly how much time your watch takes to get charged. Therefore it is natural to be worried and wonder if you are overcharging your solar watch.
However, you do not have to worry as solar watches these days have a mechanism that does not let them get overcharged. This mechanism cuts the charging of the battery cell of your solar watch once it is 100% charged.
FAQs
How Long Does A Solar Watch Take To Charge?
The charging time for solar watches varies from watch to watch and depends on the following factors: 1) Company of the watch 2) Intensity of the light falling on its dial 3) Capacity of its battery
Will Any Light Charge A Solar Watch?
Yes, a solar watch can get charged by any form of light.
Do Solar Watches Need Battery Replacement?
Yes, solar watches need battery replacement after around 5 years.
Do Solar Watches Need To Be Charged Daily?
No, solar watches don’t need to be charged daily. In fact, they can last for at least 6 months once they are fully charged.
Can You Charge Solar Watch On Cloudy Days?
Yes, you can charge a solar watch on cloudy days as well. As long as there is some light outside, your solar watch will keep on charging.
