Solar Floating Pool Lights: Do These Sealife Balls Deliver?
I unboxed the 15-inch Pooldecor solar floating pool lights with sealife pattern projection. Here's what's in the box and how the colors cycle.
Reviewed by
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The pitch is simple: leave them in the sun all day, drop them in the pool at dusk, get up to eight hours of color-cycling glow with zero cords and no battery drawer to raid. I wanted to know whether the reality matched that. So I opened the box, worked through the setup, and button-tested every color mode before they ever touched water.
Quick Verdict
Push the button once and it cycles through seven colors, no cord, no battery swap. These are 15-inch inflatable solar pool lights that charge in the sun and float. Out of the box, they look fun and the color modes work exactly like the instructions say.
Buy if you:
- want pool decor with zero cords and no battery swaps
- throw pool parties and want color-changing floats
- have kids who’ll like the sealife pattern in the water
- want two lights in one pack for above or inground pools
Skip if you:
- don’t own a small inflation pump, since one isn’t included in the box
- want a light you can leave sealed and never inflate
- need bright task lighting instead of ambient color glow
| Size | 15 in inflatable balls |
|---|---|
| Pack | 2 lights per pack |
| Power | Solar, auto-charge |
| Run time | 5-8 hrs at night |
| Color cycle | 7 colors, fades every 8s |
| Material | Vinyl, saltwater safe |
These pool lights charge in the sun and cost you nothing to run
Right away the box has instructions on it. Inflate the ball. Lift the protective color cover. Two light modes, a constant one and an alternating one. Seven colors. So the basics were laid out before I even pulled a ball out. And these solar pool lights are the kind of thing you throw in the water and forget about, which is the whole appeal.
What’s in the box and how the ball works
Two 15-inch inflatable balls, and each one has a button right on it. You can see it clearly on the ball. That button is how you cycle everything. There are four package sections inside, and the instructions cover inflating, lifting the protective cover, and switching between the two light modes.
The first thing I wondered was how you air these up. Is it something you blow up with your mouth, or can you use a pump? Turns out it’s a typical little valve, the standard type you’d put a pump on and blow it up. So a small pump handles it in seconds. Heads up though, the pump isn’t included, so you’ll need one on hand before you inflate.
Here’s the run of specs from the listing to give you the full picture.
Pushing the button cycles seven colors on the spot
The color test worked instantly. I took off the protective cover, and I’ll be straight with you, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to peel the whole thing off. I said “I hope I’m supposed to take that whole thing” out loud because it wasn’t obvious. Once it came off, I pushed the button and could see the colors it’ll run through.
Every time you push it, it goes off. Push it again, it jumps to a different color. That’s the manual way to see the range. One of them flashes, which is the alternating mode the instructions mention. The other mode holds a constant color. So between constant and alternating, you’ve got two ways to run it, plus the seven colors it fades through every 8 seconds when it’s doing its thing at night.
At 15 inches, they’re big enough to actually read across a pool, not the tennis-ball-sized gag you might expect at this price. The button test takes five seconds: press once, color on; press again, next color. What you can’t know until dark is whether the 5-to-8 hour solar run holds up after a single day of charging, and that’s the real question.
The protective cover left me guessing
The one thing that tripped me up was the protective cover over the light. The instructions say lift it, but I couldn’t tell if you’re meant to leave that protective cover on the ball or take it off completely. My guess is you’re not supposed to leave it, but the box doesn’t spell it out clearly, and every time you push the button underneath it flashes anyway.
Peel the cover completely before you inflate, leaving it on dims the output and you’ll waste time wondering why the light looks weak. The instructions say “lift,” which is ambiguous enough that I second-guessed it out loud. Just remove it, test the button, then drop it in the water.
Get it now
Floating Pool Lights
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Who these floating pool lights fit
These are for anyone who wants ambiance, not task lighting. If you’ve got a backyard pool and you like the idea of color drifting across the water at night without running an extension cord or fishing out dead batteries, this is the low-effort route. Two lights in the pack means you can space them out across a bigger surface.
Families with kids are a natural fit because of the sealife pattern the listing says projects into the water. Pool party hosts get an easy setup, just throw them in. And since they work in both inground and above ground pools, plus ponds and even hanging in a garden or patio, they stretch past just the pool if you want them somewhere else.
Solar floats vs corded underwater pool lights
Corded or wired pool lights win on brightness, solar floats win on hassle. If you want serious illumination built into the wall of an inground pool, a hardwired underwater fixture is the stronger pick and it’ll never fade at hour six the way a solar charge does. That’s the trade.
But these floating pool lights sidestep the whole install. No wiring, no batteries, no monthly power draw. You leave them in the sun, they auto-charge, then they auto-run for 5 to 8 hours. For decoration and mood rather than lighting up the whole pool for a swim, the solar float is the easier and cheaper way in. Different jobs, and these are firmly on the ambient decor side.
What I’d tell you before you buy
Have a small pump ready before the box arrives. The valve is the standard little type, so any hand or electric pump works, but there isn’t one in the package. Blowing two 15-inch balls up by mouth would be a chore you don’t need.
Give them a full day in the sun before you expect a good night run. Solar means the charge is only as good as the daylight they soaked up. And peel that protective cover off to test the light before you decide how you like it. When you’re done for the season, the listing notes there’s a small tube to deflate them so they fold down and store flat, which beats leaving big balls taking up a shelf.
Pros
- Button push instantly cycles through the seven colors, easy to preview
- Standard valve inflates fast with any small pump
- Solar charging means no cords and no battery swaps
- Two lights per pack, nice 15-inch size for a real pool
- Two modes, constant and alternating flash
Cons
- Instructions don’t make it clear whether the protective cover stays on or comes off
- No pump included, so you need one before you can inflate
- Ambient glow, not bright enough to light a pool for swimming
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the pool lights need a pump to inflate?
Yes, you’ll want a small pump, and one isn’t included. The valve is the standard little type, so any hand or electric pump attaches and fills each 15-inch ball in seconds. You could do it by mouth, but with two balls that’s a slog.
How long do they stay lit at night?
The listing says 5 to 8 hours per night after a day of solar charging. Run time depends on how much sun they soaked up that day, so a bright day gets you closer to the top of that range.
Do solar pool lights work in saltwater pools?
Yes. The vinyl is rated for saltwater and heavy rain per the listing, so a saltwater pool is fine. They’re also built to handle sun, rain, and freezing temps.
Will they blow out of the pool in wind?
They’re designed not to, thanks to a weighted bottom and a tether point. The tether lets you anchor them so a gust doesn’t send them across the yard.
Can I use them somewhere other than a pool?
Yes. The listing points to ponds, plus hanging them in a garden or on a patio. They work in both inground and above ground pools too, so they’re flexible if you move them around.
Is there an app or subscription to run them?
No app, no account, no subscription. They auto light up at night and cycle colors on their own. The only manual control is the button on the ball for switching modes and colors.
How do I store them in the off-season?
Deflate them using the small tube the listing mentions, then fold them flat. They pack down small so they don’t eat up shelf space over winter.
Do the colors change automatically or only with the button?
Both. At night they auto fade between colors every 8 seconds. During my test, pushing the button manually stepped through the seven colors one at a time, which is handy for previewing the range before dark.
Are these bright enough to light my pool for swimming?
No, treat these as decoration, not task lighting. They add color and mood to the water surface. If you need real brightness to actually see while swimming at night, a hardwired underwater fixture is the better tool.
Clicking takes you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — pricing and availability subject to change.
Get it now
Floating Pool Lights
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place — these are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ 15in Solar Floating Pool Lights Sealife Pattern Projection Inflatable Balls — check price on Amazon →
About the reviewer
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
