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I found this light on a discount website for $3.50. The picture showed a bright glowing stake. The listing promised eight hours of run time. I bought two.
The box arrived with no brand name. Just a model number. ZH-048R. Printed on a white sticker. No manual. No warranty card. Just the light and a plastic stake.
I did not expect much. Three dollars and fifty cents does not buy a lot. But I needed path lights for a rental property. Cheap was the point.
Let me tell you what happened over the next six months.
What comes in the box
The solar light ZH-048R is a simple stake light. You see these everywhere. A round plastic top with a small solar panel. A plastic body with a few LEDs inside. A plastic spike at the bottom to push into the ground.
The one I received had five warm white LEDs. The solar panel measured about one inch by one inch. Tiny. Smaller than a postage stamp.
The battery was a single AAA size. Rechargeable NiMH. 300 mAh. That is a very small battery. Most decent solar lights use 600 to 1200 mAh. This one had half the capacity.
The whole thing weighed almost nothing. Cheap plastic. You could feel it flex in your hand.
No switch. No ON and OFF button. That was the first red flag. A solar light with no switch means you cannot turn it off to save battery. It just tries to charge and run forever.
First impressions
I put the light in direct sun for two days. That is my rule for any new solar light. Let the battery fully charge before first use.
On the second night, I brought it inside. Turned off the lights. The glow was weak. Very weak. I could read a book by it if I held the light two inches from the page. From three feet away, it was barely visible.
The five LEDs produced maybe ten lumens total. For comparison, a single birthday candle puts out about twelve lumens. This light was dimmer than a candle.
I put it in the garden anyway. Along a dark path. The light created a small dot of glow on the ground. Not enough to see your feet. Just enough to know something was there.
The listing said eight hours run time. That was a lie. On a full charge, the light lasted about three hours. Then it died.
One month later
I checked the light after a month of nightly use. The plastic had started to fade. The white housing turned slightly yellow. UV damage from the sun. Cheap plastic does that.
The solar panel looked cloudy. Not from dirt. From the plastic itself breaking down. A cloudy panel charges slower. The battery never filled up.
By the end of month one, the light ran for about two hours at night. Then nothing.
I moved it to a sunnier spot. South facing. No trees. Full sun from 9am to 5pm. The light improved slightly. Back up to three hours. But still weak.
Three months in
Something rattled inside the light. I shook it. Heard a small piece of plastic moving around. One of the internal clips had broken. The light still worked but it felt loose.
Then rain came. A normal spring shower. Nothing heavy.
After the rain, the light stopped working. I opened it up. Water had gotten inside the battery compartment. The cheap rubber gasket had failed. The circuit board had green corrosion on it.
I dried everything out. Cleaned the corrosion with alcohol. Put it back together. The light worked again. For about a week. Then the rain came again. Same problem.
The seal on the ZH-048R is not waterproof. It is water resistant at best. A light mist might be fine. A real rainstorm kills it.
Six months later
The light is dead now. Has been for a while. The plastic housing cracked near the stake. The solar panel is so cloudy I cannot see through it. The battery will not hold a charge.
I threw it in the recycling bin. Not the trash. I took the battery out first and dropped it at a battery recycling box.
The other ZH-048R I bought died around the same time. Same problems. Water damage. Cloudy panel. Dead battery.
Three dollars and fifty cents bought me six months of very dim light. That is about 58 cents per month. Not a terrible deal. But also not a good light.
Who should buy this light
Honestly, almost nobody.
If you need a light for a dark corner of your yard, spend a few more dollars. A $10 light from a hardware store will last years. The ZH-048R will last months.
If you are buying in bulk for a party or a wedding, these could work. You need twenty lights for one night. They will last that long. They will look fine from a distance. And you will not cry when you throw them away.
If you are testing a concept. Maybe you want to see if solar lights work in a certain spot before spending real money. Buy one of these. See what happens. Then buy better lights.
For everyday garden lighting, skip this model.
How to make it last longer
If you already bought the ZH-048R, here is how to get more life out of it.
Seal it yourself. Open the light. Put a thin line of outdoor silicone around the seam where the two plastic halves meet. Close it back up. Wipe off the extra. Water will have a harder time getting in.
Upgrade the battery. The stock battery is 300 mAh. Too small. Buy a 600 mAh or 800 mAh rechargeable AAA battery. Swap it in. The light will run longer. The bigger battery might not fit. Test first.
Keep it clean. Wipe the solar panel every week. Dust kills charging. Use a soft cloth. A coffee filter works well.
Bring it inside for winter. Cold cracks plastic. Snow blocks the panel. Store the light in a drawer from December to March. It will last twice as long.
Do not leave it in direct sun when not in use. The UV rays break down the plastic. If you are not using the light, store it in a dark cupboard.
What a better light looks like
For 10to15, you can buy a solar light that runs circles around the ZH-048R.
A better light has a larger solar panel. At least two inches by two inches. That panel collects more sun. The battery charges faster and lasts longer.
A better light has a replaceable battery that is easy to access. No prying. No breaking plastic clips. Just a screw.
A better light has an IP44 or IP65 rating. That means it can handle rain. The seal keeps water out.
A better light uses a metal stake instead of plastic. Metal does not crack. It pushes into hard soil easier.
A better light has an ON and OFF switch. You can turn it off to save battery. You can turn it on when you need it.
The ZH-048R has none of these things.
The bottom line
The solar light ZH-048R is a cheap generic light. It costs three or four dollars. It produces very dim light. It lasts about six months if you are lucky. Water gets inside. The plastic degrades in the sun. The battery is too small.
Buy this light only for temporary use. A party. A one night event. A test. Do not buy it for permanent garden lighting.
Spend ten or twelve dollars on a better light. You will get years of use instead of months. You will create less waste. You will be happier.
I learned my lesson. No more three dollar solar lights for me.
FAQs
What is the solar light ZH-048R?
A cheap generic stake light. No brand name. Sold on discount websites for 3to5. Five warm white LEDs. One AAA rechargeable battery. Tiny solar panel.
How long does the ZH-048R last?
About six months. The plastic degrades in the sun. Water gets inside. The battery wears out. Some units die sooner. A few might last a year.
Is the ZH-048R waterproof?
No. It is water resistant at best. Light mist is fine. Real rain gets inside. The rubber gasket fails. The circuit board corrodes. Seal it with silicone yourself.
How bright is the ZH-048R?
Very dim. About ten lumens. That is less than a birthday candle. You can see the light from far away but it does not light up the ground well.
Can I replace the battery in the ZH-048R?
Yes. Open the light. Look for a small screw. Inside is a AAA rechargeable NiMH battery. Swap in a new one. 600 mAh or 800 mAh works better than the stock 300 mAh.
Does the ZH-048R have an ON/OFF switch?
No. Most units have no switch. The light tries to charge and run constantly. You cannot turn it off to save battery.
How long does the ZH-048R run at night?
Two to four hours on a full charge. The listing says eight hours. That is false. The small battery cannot last that long.
Where should I put the ZH-048R?
In full direct sun. South facing. No shade. The tiny solar panel needs every ray it can get. Morning sun is not enough. Afternoon sun is not enough. Six hours of unobstructed direct sun.
Can I leave the ZH-048R outside in winter?
No. The cold cracks the plastic. Snow covers the panel. Bring it inside during freezing weather. Store it in a cupboard until spring.
Is the ZH-048R worth buying?
Only for temporary use. A party. A wedding. A one night event. For permanent garden lighting, spend more money on a better light. The ZH-048R will disappoint you.
Summary
The solar light ZH-048R is a cheap generic stake light. It costs 3to5. It produces very dim light. The battery is too small. Water gets inside. The plastic degrades in the sun. It lasts about six months. Buy it only for temporary events. For permanent garden lighting, spend 10to15 on a better light.
