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What Are the Different Types of Rechargeable LED Candles?
There are many types of rechargeable light-emitting diode (LED) candles available. They provide a safe alternative to traditional candles, while also being able to incorporate some innovative designs that would be impossible with actual flame candles. Some candles incorporate into the body of the unit a rechargeable battery that is removed when it needs to be charged. Other types of rechargeable LED candles have conductors on the base of the candle so the entire piece can be plugged into a socket or charging base. One of the convenient aspects of using rechargeable LED candles is that an LED light requires very little electricity to operate, meaning less time is necessary for charging and more time is available for illuminating.
Some of the most popular types of rechargeable LED candles are votives. These are usually small, flat cylinders with a faux flame or LED light in the center of the top. When they are placed inside a larger container or candle holder, they tend to emulate the light from an actual votive candle very well. Most of the rechargeable LED candles of this type are designed to sit on top of a base to recharge and usually contain a very small lithium ion (L-ION), nickel cadmium (NiCAD) or nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery inside.
Larger types of rechargeable LED candles can be produced to look like a tall, tapered candle or a thick decorative candle. The LED light can be enclosed inside the unit, where it shines through translucent walls to give the effect of a real flame burning in a wax candle. These units can incorporate full-sized rechargeable batteries inside that are removed and recharged in a separate unit plugged into a wall socket. Alternately, the units can have an actual charging mechanism inside that can be attached to a cord so it charges directly from a socket.
One variety of rechargeable LED candles that is especially popular for holiday events includes those designed to look as if they are contained in a candle holder or other base. Often known as windowsill candles, these sometimes have a convenient recharging mechanism that relies on solar power. A small solar panel is build into the base of the candle, where it charges the battery as it sits in a window during the day. A small light sensor may activate the candle automatically once it gets dark. These candles also can be attached to a small solar panel mounted elsewhere so they can charge even when the sun is not directly hitting them.
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Discussion Comments
I work at a restaurant, and one of my duties is remembering to recharge the LED candles every week. We place these little votives on every table during the three hours that we are open every night for dinner, and after six nights, they need to be recharged for eight hours.
I have a few recharging stations that hold eight candles each. The stations were pretty expensive, but we can use them forever, so the price was justified.
If I forget to charge them, then they start to look like they are dying, and that is depressing to our customers. So, I have an alarm set on my phone to remind me to do this. All I have to do is slip them into their slots, and the station does the rest.
I love rechargeable solar candles with LED lights. My neighbor has one, and she hangs it out every time that she has a cookout at night.
She has a black metal pole with a hook that holds the candle, which looks like a small lantern with a yellow light inside. It's the most elaborate LED candle that I have seen.
She leaves it out during the day so that it can get its charge from the sun. Even on cloudy days, it gets recharged a little.
If I were ever going to invest in solar candles, I would get several like my neighbor has and hang them up all over the yard. They look really cool, and they are so low maintenance.
@lighth0se33 – My cousin has a rechargeable candle like the one you described. The flickering is achieved by three different LED lights instead of just one, though the candle is made to look like it only has one bulb.
What is so cool about the candle is that the different lights are controlled by a circuit that tells them when to switch off and on. The pattern is not monotonous. The lights mix things up in order to achieve a more realistic flicker.
When the light starts looking weak, she removes the battery and places it on the charger. It lasts for a really long time before needing a charge, though.
I have often wondered how rechargeable LED candles flicker. Is there just one bulb inside turning off and on repeatedly?
I have never owned one, but I have seen them in friends' houses, especially around the holidays. In fact, I walked up to one candle to blow it out before we were about to leave for the night, and I was astonished to find that it didn't have a real flame!
The constant flickering had me convinced. What was really cool was that it didn't seem to have a certain rhythm. It didn't just switch off one second and on the next.
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