I love solar powered string lights. We have them all over our deck and around our pool
I bought this set for my Mom. I'm sure by May when we open the pool one of the sets we've already had outside for 2-3 years will have died (they only last so long).
These arrived pre-charged, although I put them outside in full sun for a few hours since they'll be in storage until May. They came right on when I clicked the on/off button. Once it got dark, I went outside and checked out all the different modes. You can put them on solid lighting, blinking, fading, half-on/half-off, and a few other choices. It's nice because it brings some variety to your decorations.