FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To provide faster online help, we have
attached a list of frequently asked questions.
If you have a question which isn't on our
list, e-mail us and we'll be happy to assist
you. Click
HERE to send us an email.
Shopping Information
How do I order online?
We strive to make it as easy as possible
for you to order online. When shopping,
simply add an item to your shopping cart
from any product page, selecting a quantity,
continue shopping by adding further items to
your shopping cart then, when you are ready,
check-out. Enter your details and payment
information and the order is complete. If
you prefer, you can always order by phone by
calling us at 239-461-5522 or 239-461-5520
between 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday -
Thursday (US Eastern
Time). We are closed on all US public holidays.
For more detailed information, please see
How to Order or click on 'INFO' at the top
of the web page or click
HERE. Most
of our products have a discounted price
shown for all on-line (internet) orders.
Telephone and mail orders doe not attract
those discounted prices and instead our
regular product price is applied, as
advertised.
Is the credit card information that
I submit when ordering online secure?
Absolutely. Every page in the Solar Illuminations
online ordering process that requests credit
card information uses Secure Socket Layer
(SSL) encryption. We encrypt your personal
information, such as your credit card number,
when transmitting over the Internet using
SSL. SSL renders information unreadable
should anyone try to intercept it. See our
Security and Privacy Policies for more information.
Can I return something I bought online?
It's easy to return a faulty item for a
repair, exchange or replacement subject to
meeting the terms and conditions of our
Returns Policy. Our Returns Policy is
available upon request or it can be viewed
by clicking on the 'INFO' button at the top
of the web page or click
HERE. If a product fails within
90 days from the date of purchase simply
let us know and we will advise you what to
do next. We do not refund products that have
been 'used' or 'installed', otherwise there
is a
restocking fee applied and shipping charges are non-refundable,
regardless.
A valid RMA number is required for all
returns regardless of reason for return. Our Returns Policy
& Returns Instructions will provide you with
detailed information on this subject.
What if can't find the product
I am looking for so how can I search for it?
The Search button is located on the left
of every page. You can search for product
names and descriptions that are featured
in our online store. You can also search
for products within a pre-defined price
groups.
What if I want a product but it is out
of stock? How will I know and how can I
still order it?
Usually, if a product is not in stock we
will advise customers of this fact by
displaying a message within the product
description. We may also provide an
indication as to when the product is
expected to arrive back in stock. This is
only an estimate. We try and update stock
notices whenever new information arrives
that is relevant. Sometimes we can sell out
of a product very quickly or out of hours so
it is not always possible to display an
'out-of-stock' notice in the product
description immediately. We try and keep
customers informed of these kind of
situations in advance so everyone is fully
aware before an order is placed. If the 'add
to cart' button is visible then an order can
still be placed and it will wait pending
arrival of new stock. Our system will
automatically charge a customers credit card
at the time of placing the order. If you
wish to order a product that is not yet in
stock but do not wish your card to be
charged until the product is available and
ready to ship, then please telephone us and
we will manually take your order. However,
usually we have no further information as to
when a product is arriving other than what
is display in the product description. As
soon as a product arrives back in stock, all
pending orders and pre-orders will ship out
quickly, as a priority to all waiting
customers.
What should I expect to happen once
I place an online order?
When your order is received, it will be
processed and shipped normally within 5
business days (excluding US public holidays)
but usually within 1-2 business days.
If there is any problem with your order
we will advise you as soon as possible.
If an item is ordered that is not in stock
then it may be back ordered for you. This
may mean part shipping of an order
initially. Usually, if a product is not in
stock this will be mentioned at the product
description on this web site. Sometimes an item may be out of stock even
if this is not stated on the web site. We
will try to advise you of any delays as
soon as possible. Special orders and large
orders take extra time for us to prepare.
Orders received at peak periods and during
the festive season may take longer to
prepare. We are closed on Friday, Saturday, Sunday
and all US public holidays so if you submit an
order during these periods it will not be
processed until the next business day.
Which credit cards do you accept?
We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American
Express, and the American Express Optima
credit card. Please ensure that you enter
you details correctly as we use AVS
(Address Verification System) to
authenticate cardholder's addresses. We also
use CVV2 (Card Code) details to ensure the
credit, debit or charge card is to hand.
This code can be found as the last 3 digits
on the back of your Visa, Mastercard or
Discover card on the signature strip or the 4 digits on an American Express
card shown on the front of the card on the
right, just above the card number. Please telephone us if you have any
transaction authorization problems.
Can I pay by check or money order?
Yes, you may proceed by placing your order
on-line. There will be a section about
payment methods available and you will need
to select the 'Mail Check' option. Complete
the check-out process and print off your
order confirmation which will show the total
order value and shipping which will be the
total amount payable. You will then need to
mail in your check or money order made
payable to 'SOLAR ILLUMINATIONS' within 7
days. Please ensure that you also supply
your invoice/order number with your check or
money order. Mail to: Solar Illuminations,
14965 Technology Court, Units 3-6, Fort
Myers, Florida, 33912. Please
allow appropriate postal time for us to
receive your check or money order and then
appropriate clearance time with our bank.
Only when the check or money order has
cleared will order processing begin.
Presently we are only able to accept a check
or money order in US$ drawn upon a US bank
with the exception of a Western Union money
order which may be mailed to us
internationally in US$ currency only.
Do you accept Paypal?
Yes, we gladly accept Paypal. At checkout
ensure you select Paypal. You are then automatically
directed to the secure Paypal site where
you can enter your payment details. You
may find this facility most useful as it
provides a large choice of payment methods
including making payments from your bank
account without the use of a credit, debit
or charge card.
Why isn't my browser working with your
site?
Ordering from our site requires the use
of an SSL-compliant browser. We recommend
using Netscape 3.02, or Microsoft IE 3.02
(or more recent versions of either). Version
3.01 of both browsers incorrectly displays
"transfer interrupted" when retrieving
information from our databases. For AOL
users, either the 3.0 or 4.0 AOL client
for PCs or the 4.0 AOL client for Macs is
recommended. Also, your browser preferences
must be set to accept "cookies."
Why is my order empty?
Your browser could be configured to refuse
"cookies." This site uses cookies
to keep items added to an order "attached"
to the correct shopper. Cookies also save
you from having to type in all of your billing
information every time you order an item.
In your preferences, you can change your
browser option to accept cookies.
How is sales tax calculated on orders?
Sales tax is charged only on orders sent
within the state of Florida at the current
rate of 6%. Sales tax charged on orders
sent within the state of Florida is calculated
on your merchandise total. Sales tax is
not charged when orders are sent to any
other USA state. If you are making a
purchase for resale within Florida or have
exemption then we will require a faxed or
mailed signed & dated copy of your Florida
Sales Tax Resale Certificate or Exemption
Certificate.
Shipping/Delivery Information
How are shipping and handling charges
calculated?
Shipping and handling charges are based
on merchandise total value and/or merchandise
total weight, for each delivery address.
We normally ship products by UPS Ground
service. In-stock orders should normally
arrive within 2-10 business days depending
upon delivery location. You can also choose
to upgrade to UPS Three Day Select, Two Day
Air or Next Day Air to ship the next business
day. International orders usually ship via
USPS and a choice of services are offered in
the check-out pages. For more information, see our Delivery
section by clicking at the top of the web
page on the 'INFO' button or click
HERE.
Can items be shipped internationally?
Yes. Shipping charges will vary accordingly
and additional and appropriate transit time
must be allowed. We are not responsible
for any local taxes, duties, fees or charges
applicable due to their import to your country.
You are responsible for these additional
costs and these would normally, where charged,
be paid locally. We recommend USPS Global
Express Mail for small to medium size/weight
order or USPS Global Priority Mail for small
lightweight
orders.
Can I have my order shipped to an
alternative address?
For security reasons we will usually only
ship to the credit card holder's billing
address. This is the address where the
credit card statement is received as held on
file by the credit card company. This is so
that we can be sure that the cardholder
receives the order without dispute. The
cardholder will need to sign for the order
and UPS forwards a copy of the delivery
confirmation and signature to Solar
Illuminations. We may make exception to PO
box addresses because UPS does not deliver
to a PO box. When placing an order at our
web site please only enter the credit card
billing address even if this is a PO box.
Then, once completed and the transaction is
authorized, if you provided a PO box address
then send us a brief email with your name,
regular street address, zip code and your
order/invoice number and we will make the
adjustment. There may be an exception to the
alternative shipping address in certain
circumstances so if you have a question
please call us or send us an email.
How will I know when my order has
shipped?
Usually, we request that UPS is to email you
a tracking number. This is provided that we
have a valid email address for you and that
we have used UPS as the courier. Also, the
tracking number will only be emailed once
the shipping data has been entered by us
into the UPS system. When we enter the data
the UPS system assumes the order is being
shipped that same day. This is not always
true because sometimes the data is entered
after UPS has collected from our warehouse
that day or when we are busy, sometimes
shipping data is entered in advance of the
order being packaged and considered ready to
ship. Only when the order has been collected
does relevant tracking information commence
and an estimated date of arrival can then be
calculated. Sometimes an error can be made
inputting the data into the UPS system and
this may result in us voiding that shipment
and re-entering the data to create a revised
shipment. As these shipments will be issued
with different tracking numbers you may
receive a tracking number by email, then a
void notification and then a new (revised)
tracking number. This should not be a
concern as this is the standard process in
these circumstances. We are not responsible
should you not receive a tracking number by
email as this service is provided by UPS and
we cannot guarantee the arrival of a
tracking number by email. Please note,
international orders may be shipped by USPS
(US Postal Service) and therefore a tracking
number may not be supplied or be made
available.
Security Information
Is the credit card information that
I submit when ordering online secure?
Absolutely every page in the Solar Illuminations
online ordering process that requests credit
card information uses Secure Socket Layer
(SSL) encryption with AuthorizeNet. They
encrypt your personal information, such
as your credit card number, when transmitting
over the Internet using SSL. SSL renders
information unreadable should anyone try
to intercept it. See our Security and Privacy
Policies for more information.
Will Solar Illuminations sell or rent
my e-mail address information to other companies?
Solar Illuminations does not share, sell
or trade e-mail address information with
other companies. Our policy is to protect
this information and use it for communication
purposes only. We are committed to ensuring
our customers' privacy. See our Security
and Privacy Information.
Product Information & Use
How easy is it to install solar lighting?
Our products are very easy to install.
Usually it is just a matter of opening
the box and placing the fixture in the garden
in your chosen location. No real skills
are required and often the only tool necessary
is a screwdriver. Operating instructions
come with every product. Often a fixture
is fully charged and ready for use straight
out of the box. However sometimes the
batteries may be discharged or low and 1 or
2 days of full sunshine is necessary before
normal use.
Will the light work immediately?
Usually, our lights work straight out
of the box. However, if the batteries are
discharged or low, upon receipt, we recommend that the light is left to
fully charge for up to 1-2 days before first
use. If the product has an on/off switch
then it's best to leave it in the 'off'
position until it has had its first initial
charge. After this time the switch may be
left on and the light will operate without
further attention.
Will the light turn on automatically?
All our solar lights turn on automatically
at dusk and operate throughout the hours
of darkness. Each light has a small photocell
device built-in to the the fixture. This
component knows when the light level is
low and switches the light on. Make sure
there are no other strong light sources near
by that can affect the photocell because if
it is not dark enough the fixture may not
automatically switch on.
How long will the light illuminate
for?
This depends on many factors. Your
state or country, season and weather
conditions all affect solar powered
products. Usually for most months throughout
the year there is sufficient sunlight to
recharge the batteries daily. Just daylight
conditions have some charging effect. The brighter
and sunnier the weather the more charge is
applied to the batteries and the brighter
and longer the light will illuminate for.
Many of our lights are capable of operating
for up to 8 hours or more. Our 'Superior
Collections' and our recessed deck & dock
lights will normally operate from dusk to
dawn every day even after several days of
poor weather or little or no sunshine,
subject to location and seasons.
Can the batteries be changed and is
this easy to do?
Most of the products we sell use regular
AA type rechargeable batteries. These are
inexpensive, commonly found and easily purchased
from any good battery retailer. We recommend
that they are replaced every 1-3 years or
as required. Replacement is quite easy to
do and instructions provided give more information
on this procedure. Our 'Superior Collection'
of lights and our recessed deck & dock
lights have very high performance, high
capacity batteries fitted that are usually
good for about 10 years. The solar security
floodlight that we sell has a 6v 4A/hr sealed
lead acid battery which is easily replaced
and available from good battery retailers
or from us, if required. Other floodlights
may also be fitted with a large, sealed,
lead acid battery of which replacements can
normally be bought from us or possibly an
appropriate store near you.
How bright are the lights?
As solar outdoor lighting uses batteries
as the sole power source and the bulbs are
usually one or more LED's there is a combination
of trying to achieve a light output that
is as bright as possible but to last as
long as possible (from one charge). Solar
lighting has become much more reliable and
efficient over the years. This type of product
is usually used for accent or decorative
lighting with a typical light output
between 1 to 3 watts. The solar security floodlight
that we sell is fitted with a 10 watt halogen
bulb but can be replaced with a 20 watt
version, if required. Our LED floodlights
(fitted with 24 or 32 LED's) are quite
bright for a solar powered fixture and their equivalent
output can be found in the product
description. As solar lights generally do
not produce as much light as an electrically
powered light, better effects are noticed
when located in no ambient light conditions.
If you place a solar light in a partially
illuminated or well lit area then the effect
would not be so good. For spot lights,
floodlights and flag pole lights, the less
ambient light, the better the effect and the
more noticeable the results. We recommend
that a customer carefully reads the product
description and technical specifications for
the product of interest to determine that
the light output will be suitable. We
generally provide approximate light outputs
(measured in 'Watts') for each product.
Can the bulbs be replaced?
Almost all of the solar lights we offer
use LED's as the light source. An LED is a
Light Emitting Diode. It's not really a
light bulb but an electrical component that
emits light. These are
proven to be highly reliable components,
give off almost no heat
and have a life expectancy of up to 20 years.
Being an electrical component, LED's are
soldered into place onto a circuit board or
module, as replacement is not normally
required. The solar security floodlight
that we sell has a JC/G4 type halogen bulb
that can be easily replaced and you can
purchase these from us, when required.
How does a white colored LED
visually appear when illuminated?
Solar lights fitted with white colored LED's
are the most popular these days. With many
solar accent lights the LED, when
illuminating at night time, can appear to
have a very slight blue tint. This is
perfectly normal and is often more
noticeable when other electrically operated
lights are on nearby. Then, by comparision,
the LED may appear white but with a very
slight blue tint. Electrically operated
light bulbs will often burn with a slight
yellow or orange color which everyone takes
for granted, as does a regular car headlamp
bulb. An LED often illuminates at the other
end of the white color spectrum and to some
people it lights with a slight blue tint
just like the very latest Xenon car headlamp
bulbs and often appears more noticeable when
you look directly at the fixture rather than
at the light being emitted. The light output
is really still white. For more information
about LED's please click on the left orange
button marked 'Information about LED's' or
click HERE.
Can other lights nearby affect solar
light fixtures?
Sometimes a strong, nearby light source
can prevent a solar light from switching
on because it is still detecting what it
thinks is daylight. To overcome this problem,
if your fixture has a visible photocell,
just apply a very small patch or black adhesive
tape over part (typically about half) of the photocell (a 1/4" round
panel found on the top of most fixtures).
Please click
HERE for more information.
I think I may have a problem with
one or more fixtures, do you have a fault
finding or troubleshooting guide?
Yes, please click
HERE for more information.
I have a question that is not found
above can you help?
We will gladly answer any questions or
queries you may have. Please telephone us on
239-461-5522 or 239-461-5522 any time Monday
- Thursday
10am - 4pm (US Eastern Time). We are closed on all
US public
holidays. Alternatively you can email us
by clicking at the top of the web page on
'CONTACT' or click
HERE to send us an email. We will reply to your email as
soon as we can.
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