Solar powered lights, adding more batteries etc

[grant965]

Hi, wondering about adding more panels or batteries and charger to a set of solar powered lights.
Looking at something like this:
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/50-multi-coloured-solar-fairy-lights-n75gg
But experience from solar powered lights is that they are poor, so how hard is it to add more lights or batteries (how do i know how much a panel can charge?
Also, I have a family doo coming up, can I connect up a large battery, say a bike battery for that night or would it mess them up?
I've done electronics at school but only basic stuff like making a small circuit board for LEDs and buzzers etc.
Thanks, Grant
____________________
Ex bikes: 05 Suzuki En 125, '98 Yamaha Thundercat, '08 Honda cbr125, '05 Kawasaki z750, '03 Triumph Daytona 600, '91 Kawasaki ex250, '03 Hyosung Comet 125
Current Bike: '02 Suzuki TL1000R

[G]

Why not just get mains powered lights?

By far the cheapest / easiest / simplest solution.

[grant965]

[moonzoomer]

Input = output, putting extra storage might work on really bright days but in the real world it will not work as the solar panels are not capable of charging the extra batteries.

[G]

But you have indoor power?

Best option by far is an extension cable outside.

Much cheaper and less hassle.

If you're really insitent on having battery powered, get a working car battery from a scrap yard and some 12v LED lights to go with them.
Charge in the house, then take outside.

But an extension lead would do the same job without faffing with a battery, be cheaper and mean you don't have to keep a battery charged to keep it in good nick, replace it occasionally and so on.

There are cases where Solar makes sense - but for the most part main power makes a lot more sense. And that's definitely the case when batteries are involved - solar panels on houses that sell back to the grid avoid the battery bit, of course.

[angryjonny]

I've never seen solar lights that offer more than a dim grey glow for a couple of hours after dark, given a standard day of UK daylight as a power source. They remind me of that green paint they put on watch faces.

Get a sparky in and he'll have your garden lit like Old Trafford for a couple of hundred quid. We'll be doing exactly that to replace our single inadequate mains light with something that goes "dmmm" for second or two when you switch it on.