FAQ

Before using your Little Sun Original for the first time, charge it for 8 hours in the sun, to ensure battery lifespan. Please note that for all subsequent charges, you only need to charge the device for 5 hours in the sun.

Yes, but it will run out of charge faster.

To maintain battery life, charge your Little Sun Original at least once a month.

There is no charging indicator. Charging your Little Sun Original for 5 hours in direct sunlight produces 50 hours of soft light or 4 hours of bright light.

Yes, though it will take longer to reach full charge.

Yes. If your Little Sun Original gets wet in light rain, it’s not a problem.

No. Little Sun Original is weather resistant, but not waterproof. It should not be submerged in water.

Little Sun Original is extremely durable. It can handle the normal wear and tear of daily life.

Little Sun Original contains a rechargeable IFR 14500/14505 LiFePO4 battery that will last for up to 5 years when used daily.

Yes. The battery can be replaced, however it is important that you replace it with the same type of battery as specified above (3.2 V with 400mAh). Please dispose of the old battery in accordance with the recycling standards of your country.

You can replace the batteries using a TX9 screwdriver. Please see our detailed Battery Replacement Guide here.

Designed in close dialogue with users in Ethiopia, Little Sun Original is the first solar lamp to incorporate aesthetic and practical feedback from off-grid African regions. The lamp’s unique design was inspired by the Ethiopian meskel flower, a national symbol of positivity and beauty.

Before using your Little Sun Charge for the first time, charge it for 10 hours to ensure maximum battery lifespan – either in direct sunlight or charge on the grid with a USB connection. Please note that for all subsequent charges, you only need to charge the device for 7.5 hours in the sun.

Yes, but it will run out of charge faster.

To maintain battery life, charge your Little Sun Charge at least once a month.

Yes, there is a charge indicator. When charging, the charge indicator shows the current battery level. All lights blinking: low charge. All lights steady: full charge.

Yes, though it will take longer to reach full charge.

No. Little Sun Charge is weather resistant, but not waterproof. It should not be submerged in water since there is also the risk of electric shock.

Little Sun Charge is durable, but might break if it falls and should be handled carefully.

Little Sun Charge contains two high-quality LiFePo4 rechargeable batteries that will support 5 years of daily use before they need to be replaced.

No, the batteries are custom-made for the Charge and need to be replaced by LittleSun GmbH. If your battery stops working during the 2 years warranty time, you get it replaced for free. After the 2 years have passed, we are still happy to exchange the battery for you for the price of the battery + shipping.

For further info, please get in touch with support@littlesun.com.
Shipping address for exchange:
LittleSun GmbH, Haus 4. Christinenstr. 18/19, 10119 Berlin

Before using your Little Sun Diamond for the first time, charge it in direct sunlight for 8 hours to ensure maximum battery lifespan. Please note that for all subsequent charges, you only need to charge the device for 5 hours in the sun.

Yes, but it will run out of charge faster.

To maintain battery life, it is best to charge your Little Sun Diamond at least once a month.

There is no charging indicator but charging your Little Sun Diamond for 5 hours in direct sunlight produces 5 hours of bright light (22lm), which then fades to long-lasting soft light.

Yes! However it will take longer to reach full charge.

Yes. If your Little Sun Diamond gets wet in light rain, it’s not a problem.

No. Little Sun Diamond is weather resistant, but not waterproof. It should not be submerged in water.

Little Sun Diamond is extremely durable. It can handle the normal wear and tear of daily life, so it’s fine if you drop it.

Little Sun Diamond contains a rechargeable 3.2V LiFePO4 battery with 300mAh that will last for up to 5 years when used daily.

The difference between Little Sun Original and Little Sun Diamond is that the screws holding together Little Sun Diamond are placed behind the solar panel. The solar panel is glued on the lamp. We decided to do this because it makes the sealing easier and the production more cost-efficient, as we use less material. This means the Diamond is sturdier. Although this makes it more difficult for users to exchange the batteries, this ensures that the batteries will actually last longer.  For our customers in Sub-Saharan Africa, this is a valuable change, as batteries are often less affordable and accessible than solar lamps, which means they have to buy a new product when the old one stops working. Thus, our goal is to produce the most long-lasting, but still affordable solar lamps.

Read all about the Little Sun social business here.

You are making a global impact by using sustainable solar energy. And you are helping bring solar power to those without electricity – every Little Sun sold delivers one Little Sun to an off-grid African community at a locally affordable price.

Yes, they can. And though it is an initial investment for some, in the long term, Little Sun actually saves users money. Most people in off-grid areas use kerosene lanterns or flashlights for light after sunset. Kerosene fuel and the batteries used in flashlights are costly weekly expenses. An investment in Little Sun lamps is recovered in 2 to 3 months. Off-grid users then have free light for 5 years. Switching to solar power means off-grid users’ monthly energy costs are reduced to zero, as energy from the sun is both sustainable and free.

In some off-grid areas, Little Sun distributors work with users to set up flexible payment plans, allowing them to pay for their solar products in small monthly installments.

Little Sun is not a charity, but a social business that believes in the
power of young African entrepreneurs to shape the future of Africa. Rather than a short-term fix of donating solar products to areas without electricity (which distorts local markets), we focus on the longer-term goal of building profitable local businesses that distribute Little Sun light and energy. We work with Little Sun sales agents in off-grid areas, providing business starter kits and micro-entrepreneurial training. Little Sun addresses the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits off-grid communities, by spreading light as well as livelihoods.

In response to the global refugee crisis, Little Sun is donating products more regularly to those in disaster situations or refugee camps.

LittleSun GmbH is a social business. By buying a Little Sun product, you help us strengthen communities from the inside by creating local jobs and generating local profits through our local partners and network of young, African entrepreneurs.

If you prefer donating money, you can donate to the Little Sun Foundation – it’s Little Sun’s charitable entity, founded by Olafur Eliasson as a part of the Little Sun project. The core mission is to deliver solar energy to the most vulnerable communities – children who live without access to electricity as well as refugees and internally displaced persons.

Yes. Click here to order Little Sun products through our website (Europe and USA only), or browse through our selection of sales locations around the world (some of which have their own web shops where it’s possible to order Little Sun products online).

Currently Little Sun products are available in over 10 African countries, including in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal – as well as in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United States.

Click here to order Little Sun products through our website (Europe and USA only), or browse through our selection of retail shops and partners around the world.

Definitely. Be the first to know when we become available in additional countries by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or by signing up for the quarterly Little Sun Newsletter on our website.

If you are in a part of Africa where we are already operating, please contact our distributor in the country in which you are located.

If you are in any other part of the world, please write to us at business@littlesun.com.

Yes. For information about larger contributions, company packages, or bulk orders, please contact us at business@littlesun.com, and we’ll be happy to help you.

Yes. For company presents, weddings, and other special events, it is possible for you to place a bulk order of Little Suns and customise the lamp or lanyard accordingly. Contact us at business@littlesun.com for details.

Other solar-powered products with additional features are currently in development and will be available soon.

Mainly in Shenzhen, China.

As a social business and global project, we are extremely concerned with ensuring impeccable quality management and working conditions in every part of our supply chain. This involves working only with production partners (in China, Europe, and elsewhere), who can prove their compliance with international quality and security standards as well as with social directives such as ISO 9001 (quality management), the BSCI Code of Conduct (working conditions, including child labour regulations) and GSV (safety procedures throughout the supply chain). The compliance to these standards is monitored and verified on a continuous basis.

It is important to us to make solar-powered products that are easily affordable and most of all, have the longest possible life span. Plastic is the only material that has the appropriate cost/durability ratio, allowing us to make a high-quality product for the most affordable price.

For Little Sun solar-powered products, we chose a recyclable ABS plastic, which is durable, highly weather and UV-resistant. This makes our products robust and durable and gives users the possibilty to enjoy solar energy for the longest possible time. We are keeping up-to-date with current research on sustainable materials, and we hope to be able to implement new solutions if and when they become viable in the future.

Little Sun products are made of ABS plastic. In general the granulate material used is at least partially composed of recycled materials. Our manufacturer sells leftover material and faulty parts back to their vendor to be reused.

For Little Sun Original: here
For Little Sun Charge: here
For Little Sun Diamond: here

Electrical devices and electronics must be separated from household waste after their lifespan and disposed of separately.