Folks, 

Solar Christmas Lights 25m (the standard stuff you get from the red shed)

• Few years old
• last year, I repaired a broken wire 
• this year, I soldered that same wire as the trusty tape failed
• This year, I removed the AA rechargeable and charged it with my charger (but only to about 80%)

now, it’s flashing away even though the suns clearly shining on the solar panel !

am I right in thinking the solar panel connection is buggered and it’s just working off the stored battery at the moment  (I did see a flimsy wire but there’s not enough length to solder that from where it enters the housing.

yes I know I should just bin the thing, but I had already placed onto the tree and the family has come along and now decorated said tree.  (Same tree also has another set of solar lights on it plus another set of mains powered lights, so I’m not overly fussed but it just annoys me).

edit: I do suppose if I desoldered the wire I think it’s the problem, soldered on an extension it could breathe it new life and then after Christmas….bin it.

and yeh, I’m leaning towards just giving up…  prefer not to have a fire but with an AA NiCad which also feels like it’s on its way out….I think the risk is low.  (The solar panel is outside).