Can a Solar Watch Be Charged With Artificial Light?

Solar watches are helpful if you like the features a watch offers, but don’t want to worry about taking it off and charging it or getting the battery replaced. They are also good if you are somewhere without electricity since you can charge them with natural sunlight. But can a solar watch be charged with artificial light?

A solar watch can be charged with artificial light. The charging speed will not be as strong or fast since artificial light is not as strong as natural sunlight. The closer you can get the watch to the artificial light, and the brighter the light is, the faster your watch will charge.

This article explains how to charge a solar watch with artificial light and some tips you can use to efficiently charge your watch. There are also some recommendations for good solar watches, all of which you can charge using artificial light.

Charging a Solar Watch With Artificial Light

Luckily, you can charge a solar watch with artificial light, so you don’t have to rely completely on the sun or wait for a sunny day with a dead watch. This kind of technology allows watch wearers to use their watch for longer periods and without needing any kind of charging wire.

Any type of artificial light works to charge a solar watch, but the brighter, the better. If you aren’t wearing your watch, place it directly in the light to charge. If you are using a ceiling light, place the watch anywhere where the light hits it to charge. If you have a lamp or other smaller lighting, place your watch directly under the light so it charges as best as possible. The closer you can get the watch to the light, the better and faster it will charge.

Now, let’s look at some pros and cons of charging a solar watch with artificial light compared to natural light.

Pros

There are some benefits of charging a solar watch with artificial light, including:

You have more opportunities to charge a solar watch with artificial light because you aren’t relying on the weather. You can charge your watch even if it is dark or raining.
There are a lot of forms of artificial light you can use to charge your watch, like lamps, ceiling lights, LED lights, flashlights, and anything else that shines a light on the watch.

Cons

Unfortunately, there are also some downsides to charging a solar watch with artificial light compared to charging them with natural light, such as:

Charging with artificial light takes longer than natural light since the light is not as strong as sunlight.
You have to have access to electric or battery-powered light to use artificial light to charge solar watches.

Tips for Charging a Solar Watch

No matter how you decide to charge your solar watch, whether with natural light, artificial light, or whatever is convenient, there are some tips you can follow to keep your watch charged as much as possible.

Charge when you have light: Whether you are outside or inside with light, make sure your watch gets some light to enable it to charge. You don’t want to neglect your watch when you have light, then realize it is not charged later when you are in the dark.
Be sure to keep the charging area of your solar watch clear. If it gets dirty or dusty, it won’t charge effectively, especially if you use artificial light, which is already slow. Use a gentle, damp cloth to clean your solar watch every so often to ensure it charges, and even more often if you are hiking or doing outdoor activities that can make it dirty.
If you need to use artificial lighting, keep your watch close to the light and keep your watch face up. Be sure to keep your watch uncovered from sleeves and clothing, and keep your hands out of your pockets, so you don’t cover the charging area of the watch. If you aren’t wearing your watch but need to charge it, keep it out and not in a drawer.
Try only charging and using your watch in temperatures between 32 – 140°F (0 – 60°C). Otherwise, it may affect how much the watch can charge, and it may not work as well.

Best Solar Watches

Finally, here are some great solar watches available on Amazon.com that you can charge using any type of light, including artificial light:

Timex Men’s Expedition Gallatin Solar-Powered Watch: The Timex watch comes in three colors. You can use any type of lighting to charge the watch, including indoor and outdoor lighting. Additionally, even if you cannot charge it for some time, there’s a two-month power reserve, so you won’t be without your watch.
Garmin Instinct Solar, Rugged Outdoor Smartwatch: The Garmin Watch also charges using any light. It’s a heavy-duty watch meant for the outdoors, but you can use a flashlight, lantern, or other artificial lighting to charge it if there’s no sunlight. You can even use light from your car if it’s dark outside.
Casio Men’s Solar Sport Combination Watch: The Casio watch charges using artificial lighting. It has an LED backlight so you can easily read your watch even if the light isn’t bright or if it’s nighttime. The watch can last for ten months with no extra charging, so it will still work even if you don’t have artificial lighting.

Final Thoughts

You can charge solar watches with artificial light, and it’s nice to have the option to do so. You can even charge your watch on rainy days and at night using an artificial light source.

Additionally, you can keep your watch charged if you wear it inside often and there is constant light, like in an office building. Just remember, the brighter the light and the closer to the watch the light is, the better it will charge. While natural sunlight is best for charging a solar watch, artificial light works just as well, it may just be a little slower.