Frequently Asked Questions

Neither and both. WakaWaka is a “social enterprise.” That means we balance profit and impact: a consumer brand that shares access to energy with those in need throughout the world.

In a legal sense, WakaWaka consists of both a foundation and a company. In developed economies, WakaWaka operates as a business and proceeds from products’ sales to empower the foundation and make solar lights and chargers available for free to communities affected by natural disasters and/or living off-grid.

Social venture, sustainable enterprise, benefit corporation… There are many ways to describe how WakaWaka works. We believe that the combination of business and aid is the most effective way to generate impact and we have committed ourselves to harnessing the power of business for social good.

WakaWakas are designed and engineered in the Netherlands and manufactured in China. It’s an absolute priority for us to guarantee that our products are made in fair and sustainable conditions.

WakaWaka has a strict Code of Conduct for its suppliers and we see to it that all local regulations and laws are respected. We evaluate suppliers for their negative practices or regulatory non-compliance (e.g. no child labor) and also for their positive practices beyond what is required by regulations (environmentally-friendly manufacturing process; excellent labor practices, etc.) They are subjected to regular quality assurance reviews and audits.

Yes, the heart of WakaWaka is well patented. The ‘Intivation Sunboost IC’ has a worldwide patent. WakaWaka is also a registered trademark and the design is globally protected by copyright under the Berne Convention.

A part of the light emitted by the sun consists of the visible light that we can see with our eyes. Beyond this visible light, sunlight also contains components that we cannot see, for example ultraviolet (UV). Your WakaWaka charges with this UV-light.
Please note that daylight is not sunlight and therefore is not UV-light.

Depending on the season, the weather condition (fog, cloud), altitude, dust in the atmosphere, the distance from the equator and other variables, it can be more difficult to fully charge the WakaWaka with solar power. For example, an hour of sun in the winter gives less UV-light than an hour of sun in the summer. When it is not very sunny or when the WakaWaka is behind (double) glazing, the charging efficiency decreases by 70%.

The solar cells in our WakaWaka products are produced by SunPower, one of the best solar companies in the world, with HQ in the US. The kind of solar panel we use is a Mono-crystalline solar panel with an efficiency of 22%, which means that 22% of all the energy that the solar panel absorbs is converted into electricity which is then stored in the lithium polymer battery.

From sourcing raw materials to end-of-life WakaWakas, we strive to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible.

The WakaWaka housing is made out of 100% cadmium-free recycled PC-ABS. Our suppliers have extensive policies regarding humanitarian circumstances, environmental safety, health and ISO14001 certification.

During assembly, no pollutant adhesives, toxic glues or chemicals adhesives are used. Not only does this result in a healthier work environment, but this also means that at the end of the WakaWaka product life, it can easily be disassembled and recycled.

All our packaging is made out of FSC certified paper. For retail purposes, blister packs with recycled plastics are being used. We are working towards phasing these out altogether.

Show your clients or employees a token of your appreciation while helping someone in need. Spread a sustainable and fair message with a (branded) WakaWaka.

Interested? Get in touch at sales-support@waka-waka.com

We love working with partners who share our passion for improving lives. Get in touch at sales-support@waka-waka.com

The further you are from the equator, the longer it will take to fully charge the WakaWaka via the sun. Hence, it requires some patience to charge it via the sun in Europe.

The best way to charge it is by putting the solar panel face to direct sunlight and without anything blocking it. Try to turn the solar panel along with the sun during the day so it will always face it.

If you put your WakaWaka behind a glass, it will lower the charge efficiency drastically.

To fully charge

• Your WakaWaka Light, it takes 5 to 10 hours;
• Your WakaWaka Power+, it takes 18 hours;
• Your WakaWaka Power5, it takes 4 to 8 hours;
• Your WakaWaka Power10, it takes 6 to 12 hours.

Your WakaWaka Light has three light modes. According to the light mode you choose, it will shine as follows:

• Bright: 10 hours
• Medium: 20 hours
• Energy save: 40 hours

Your WakaWaka Power+ has four light modes:

• Super bright: 13 hours
• Bright: 45 hours
• Medium: 100 hours
• Energy save: 200 hours

Your WakaWaka can charge your smartwatch, action camera, smartphone, tablet… and many more devices.

The battery of the WakaWaka Power+ has a capacity of 3000 mAh, this means that devices with a smaller battery capacity can be fully charged with it. If your device has a capacity beyond 3000 mAh, a Power+ can also charge it but not fully at once.

The battery of the WakaWaka Power5 has a capacity of 5000 mAh, and the Power10 has a capacity of 10000 mAh.

If you want to know whether your device can be fully charged with your WakaWaka, just take a look at the battery capacity (mAh) of your device.

If you own a Solar Panel & Link, plug your device into the Solar Link while the panels are lying in the sun (no capacity limitation).

The 4 lights on top indicate the battery status. They will light up when you press the round black button once and when you charge your Power+ via the grid.

• 4 green LEDs = 75-100%,
• 3 green LEDs = 50-75%,
• 2 green LEDs = 25-50%,
• 1 green LED = <25%.

If the battery status shows only one light, it could be that your Power+ doesn’t have enough power to charge your phone. However, you can still use the flashlight function perfectly fine.

The single light on the top of your device shows if your Power+ is charging from the sun. A single blink means that your WakaWaka is charging slowly (but surely), two consecutive blinks means it is charging faster already and three means it is charging optimally. If it blinks 8 times in a row, it means that it is fully charged.

You can tell it is charging when the single light on the top blinks. A single blink means that your WakaWaka Light / Power+ is charging slowly (but surely), two consecutive blinks means it is charging faster already and three means it is charging optimally. If it blinks 8 times in a row, it means that it is fully charged.

You can place the solar panel towards the sun or hold it under a strong lamp to check if the light is blinking and functioning properly.

The green light indicators show the battery status. They will light up when you press the round button once and when you charge your Power5 / Power10 via the grid.

The red light indicators shows if your Power5 / Power 10 is charging from the sun (plugged to the Solar Panel).

If a blue LED turns on the top right of the light circle, it means your WakaWaka is too warm or the battery is over discharged.

You can tell it is charging from the grid when the green light indicators in the circle light up.

It is charging from the sun when the red light indicators turn on.

The Power5 / Power10 does not have an integrated solar panel, it can only be charged via the sun if you combine it with our Solar Panel & Link.

Thanks to its attached cable, connect the Solar Panel to your WakaWaka Power5 / Power10 by plugging it into the very left port with a little sunshine on it.

If the sun is shining it will automatically detect your Power5 / Power10 and switch on the power.

It takes 4 to 8 hours to fully charge your Power5 / 6 to 12 hours for your Power10 in the sun.

Depending on the weather conditions and the region where you live, it can be more difficult to fully charge your WakaWaka. It is important to put the solar panel face to direct sunlight and without anything blocking it. Try to turn the solar panel along with the sun during the day so it will always face it.

Keep in mind that the further you are from the equator, the longer it will take to fully charge the WakaWaka via the sun. Hence, it requires some patience to charge it via the sun in Europe.

If you put your WakaWaka behind a glass, it will lower the charge efficiency drastically.

You can tell it is charging from the sun when the single light on the top blinks (WakaWaka Light & Power+). A single blink means that your WakaWaka is charging slowly (but surely), two consecutive blinks means it is charging faster already and three means it is charging optimally. If it blinks 8 times in a row, it means that it is fully charged.

You can place the solar panel towards the sun or hold it under a strong lamp to check if the light is blinking and functioning properly.

If you think your WakaWaka is defect, please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com mentioning the name of the product, the (approximate) date of purchase, the type of defect and the country where you live.

We advise you to frequently use your WakaWaka to keep the battery active.

Sometimes, when the WakaWaka has been stored for an extended period or when it has not been used for a while, the battery can become drained. No worries! This isn’t harmful and can be resolved easily by charging it with a micro-USB through the AC grid. This gives it an energy boost that normally does the trick!

You can check if your WakaWaka is charged enough by pressing the on/off button once.

On the Power+, the battery status indicator lights on top will light up and indicate how full is the battery:

• 4 green LEDs = 75-100%,
• 3 green LEDs = 50-75%,
• 2 green LEDs = 25-50%,
• 1 green LED = <25%.

If the battery status shows only one light, it could be that your Power+ doesn’t have enough power to charge your phone.

On the Power 5 & 10, the green indicator lights around the button will light up:

If your WakaWaka does not fully charge your device, please check its battery capacity (mAh).

The battery of the WakaWaka Power+ has a capacity of 3000 mAh, the WakaWaka Power5 5000 mAh and the WakaWaka Power10 10000 mAh.

If your device has a capacity beyond the WakaWaka’s capacity, your WakaWaka can charge it but not fully at once.

Keep in mind that it requires more energy from the WakaWaka to charge your device from 0-20 % and from 80-100%.

Please check also if you’ve used a functioning cable. You can try to use another USB cable and/or device and see what happens.

If you think your WakaWaka is defect, please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com mentioning the name of the product, the (approximate) date of purchase, the type of defect and the country where you live.

Unfold the panels and position them at a 90° angle with the sun. Make sure nothing is blocking any of the panels. Partial shading of any panel will stop all of them from working since the series are connected.

If you put your WakaWaka behind a glass, it will lower the charge efficiency drastically.

To charge a device using the solar panel, start by connecting the cable attached to the Solar Link. Plug it into the round entry port. Be careful not to plug any other devices into this port, it can damage your Solar Link.

The Solar Link does not have an integrated battery. To charge a device, connect it to the Solar Link through one of the two USB ports. You can of course use both at the same time to charge simultaneously two devices. The output generated by the Solar Panel will be divided between the two devices connected.

If you want to stock the energy, connect the Solar Panel to the WakaWaka Power5 or Power10. You can also plug your WakaWaka Power+ to get a greater charging capacity than its integrated solar panel.

It takes 4 to 8 hours of full and bright sun to fully charge your WakaWaka Power5 / 6 to 12 hours for your Power10.

The battery of the WakaWaka Power5 has a capacity of 5000 mAh / Power10 has a capacity of 10000 mAh, this means that devices with a smaller battery capacity can be fully charged with it. If your device has a capacity beyond 5000 mAh / 10000 mAh, a Power5 / Power10 can also charge it but not fully at once.

If you want to know whether your device can be fully charged with the WakaWaka Power+, just take a look at the battery capacity (mAh) of your device.

The battery inside your WakaWaka Light is a high-temperature LiPo battery.

A solar powered device should be able to withstand the sun! That’s why we designed the WakaWaka Light to be capable of withstanding temperatures up to 80°C (175 °F) without problems. When it reaches higher temperatures, the internal system will shut down to protect itself. If this happens, best thing to do is to put it in the refrigerator to cool it down.

The LiPo battery cannot be charged when the temperature drops below freezing (0°C) so you won’t be able to charge your WakaWaka Light in these conditions. But between 0 and -20°C it can still be used as a flashlight.

However, please keep in mind that the battery performance will be temporarily degraded below freezing, the amount of energy available will be decreased compared to a use under normal temperatures (around 25°C).

Your WakaWaka is not waterproof, only water resistant. It can withstand some drops for sure, but don’t leave it in the rain.

If you want it to be fully protected against water, put it inside our waterproof pouch (suitable for the WakaWaka Light and WakaWaka Power+).

Keep in mind that travelling with your WakaWaka by air confronts you with custom regulations. WakaWakas have a LiPo battery, which falls under specific regulations at customs. Please check airline baggage regulations for the exact regulations of your flight.

In a few countries, e.g. China and Thailand, the customs may ask you for information on the specifications of the Lithium Ion battery of your WakaWaka. If they do, please provide them with the following information:

WakaWaka Light

• Battery capacity (mAh): 500
• Volts (V): 3,7
• Watt hours (Wh): 1,85

WakaWaka Power+

• Battery capacity (mAh): 3000
• Volts (V): 3,7
• Watt hours (Wh): 11,1

Input

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

Output

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

Power5

• Battery capacity (mAh): 5000
• Volts (V): 3,7
• Watt hours (Wh): 18,5

Input

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

Output

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

Power10

• Battery capacity (mAh): 10000
• Volts (V): 3,7
• Watt hours (Wh): 37

Input

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

Output

• Volt (V): 5,1
• Current: DC
• Amps (A): 2,1
• Watts (W): 10,7

These information do not apply to the WakaWaka Solar Panel & Link that does not have an integrated battery. Bringing it along with you is as easy as taking a pair of socks!

You can share the sun with your WakaWaka for 6 to 7 years! So be nice to your WakaWaka, it’s going to be around for a long time.

Note that the LEDs will run for at least 50 000 hours (based on 4 hours per day = 30 years).

1. Limited warranty: WakaWaka warrants to the original purchaser that WakaWaka products will be free from defects in workmanship and material under normal consumer use during the applicable warranty period identified in Paragraph 2, below, subject to the exclusions set forth in Paragraph 4, below. This warranty statement sets forth WakaWaka’s total and exclusive warranty obligation. We will not assume, nor authorize any person to assume for us, any other liability in connection with the sales of our products.
2. Warranty period: The warranty period for the WakaWaka product is 2 years. The warranty period starts on the purchase date by the original purchaser. The sales receipt from this purchase, or other reasonable documentary proof, is required in order to establish the start date of the warranty period.
3. Remedy: WakaWaka will replace (at WakaWaka’s option and expense) any WakaWaka product that fails to operate during the applicable warranty period due to a defect in workmanship or material.
4. Exclusions: WakaWaka’s warranty does not apply to any product that is misused, abused, modified, damaged by accident, or used for anything other than normal consumer use as authorized in WakaWakas then-current product literature.

Please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com mentioning the name of the product, the (approximate) date of purchase, the type of defect and the country where you live.

Unfortunately, we do not have a repair center as we are a small company with limited capacity. We know it’s too bad and we’ll work on it once we have enough capacity.

If you purchased your WakaWaka less than 2 years ago we’ll replace it, granted that it was not misused, abused or damaged by accident.

Unfortunately, we do not replace spare batteries. International as well as local transport companies are not too happy with sending Lithium batteries since some incidents have happened with other Lithium batteries.

This frustrates us as much as you, as a new battery could prolong the lifetime of a WakaWaka significantly!

You can find the manuals on each product page and here.

A WakaWaka is powered by solar energy and can also be charged via the grid for some of our products.

Let’s take the iconic Power+: when the sun hits the solar panel energy is created, the output is amplified thanks to the patented SunBoost technology and stored in a battery. Then you just need to press the big button to light up the darkness or plug an electronic device to charge it.

If you want, you can also charge your Power+ via the grid as you would do with any power bank.

To learn more about how our other products work, please visit this page.

The WakaWaka Power+ is a powerful, compact solar power bank and flashlight for every outdoor situation. You can charge it under the sun or via the grid.

The WakaWaka Light is a compact, highly efficient solar powered flashlight. Just position it under the sun and press the button to light up the darkness!

The WakaWaka Solar Panel is a powerful, foldable solar charge station. Its dual USB ports let you charge two devices at once. If you want to store the energy for later, combine it with one of our power banks.

The WakaWaka Power 5 is an efficient electrical power bank. Charge it via the grid and take it with you everywhere you go or link it to the Solar Panel to charge it with clean sustainable energy you can store and use when you want.

The WakaWaka Power10 functions as the Power5 but it is even more powerful! It has enough juice to charge a typical smartphone up to 5 times.

To read all the product specifications and get your own WakaWaka, visit our webshop now.

If you’re going out overnight or want to light up your outdoor adventures, go for the WakaWaka Light. It takes only 5 to 8 hours of sun to fully charge and it will light you up for 40 hours.

Want to stay connected during your outdoor trip as well as lighting up your nights? The WakaWaka Power+ is very convenient, you can take it anywhere as it is compact and lightweight. You can easily hang it from your bag pack for example. It also withstands any adventure thanks to its rugged, scratchproof design.

Positioned under full sun, it will take approximately 18 hours to fully charge and will enable you to charge appr. the equivalent of 1,5 phones. This product is optimal when you have access to the grid now and then (3 hours to fully charge via the grid) and you use the sun as a top-up when needed.

When barely having access to the grid but wanting to stay connected, go for our WakaWaka Solar Panel + Power 5  or WakaWaka Solar Panel + Power 10. You can charge up to 5 devices at the same time, so none of them will end up as deadweights in your backpack. You’ll get your Power5 fully charged in 4 to 8 hours under the sun, and your Power10 in 6 to 12h. On the move? Simply fold the panel to a compact, convenient size.

No, not every WakaWaka has a solar panel to charge it with solar power. The WakaWakas with a solar panel are:

• WakaWaka Light,
• WakaWaka Power+
• WakaWaka Solar Panel and Solar Link

The best way to charge your WakaWaka is by putting the solar panel face to direct sunlight and without anything blocking it. Try to turn the solar panel along with the sun during the day so it will always face it.

If you put your WakaWaka behind a glass, it will lower the charge efficiency drastically.

Depending on the season, the weather condition (fog, clouds), the altitude, the dust in the atmosphere, the distance from the equator and other variables, it can be more or less difficult to fully charge the WakaWaka with solar power. For example, an hour of sun in the winter gives less UV-light than an hour of sun in the summer.

The further you are from the equator, the longer it will take to fully charge the WakaWaka via the sun.

It takes approximately 18 hours of direct sunlight to fully charge your WakaWaka Power+, 5 to 10 hours to fully charge your WakaWaka Light, 4 to 8 hours for your Power5 and 6 to 12 hours for your Power10.

When your WakaWaka is almost completely out of charge, it can take a lot of time to charge the first 25% (from 0 to 1 light). This is also the case for the last 25% of charge (from 3 to 4 lights). This is to protect the battery of your WakaWaka. In short, charging between 25% and 75% is relatively quicker than charging to 25% or beyond 75%. Therefore, we advise you to not let your WakaWaka drain completely before recharging.

Our mission is to provide solar power to families caught in crisis and living without access to electricity. We want to reach as many people living off-grid as possible and we work together with carefully selected partners to help us reach that goal.

You can only donate to the projects that we have carefully selected. We have chosen to only distribute WakaWakas in emergency aid programs / humanitarian crises, such as refugee camps and natural disasters, or through established structural programmes. The reason why we do this is because we do not want to spoil the existing solar market in those countries.

Plus, we distribute the donated WakaWakas in large batches so the logistical costs are low. The lower the costs, the more WakaWakas we can distribute.

We warrant that WakaWaka products will be free from defects in workmanship and material under normal consumer use for 2 years.

The warranty period starts on the purchase date and the sales receipt from this purchase, or any other reasonable documentary proof, is required in order to establish the start date of the warranty period.

We will replace any WakaWaka product that fails to operate during those 2 years due to a defect in workmanship or material. The warranty does not apply to any product that is misused, abused, modified, damaged by accident, or used for anything other than normal consumer use.

Visit our webshop. At the moment we ship to the following countries:

• Belgium
• France
• Germany
• Netherlands

If you live in Switzerland, you can order from our distributor Thali.

You can also check on Amazon, they deliver some of our products in a few countries.

But if you don’t find one through this mean, unfortunately we cannot ship individual units to a country that is not on our shipping list, so you’ll have to wait to get your own WakaWaka. 🙁

Shipping costs vary per country:

• Belgium: € 6,99
• France: € 6,99
• Germany: € 6,99
• Italy: € 16,99
• Netherlands: € 6,99 – free shipping if you order for €29,95 or more
• Spain: € 16,99
• United Kingdom: € 6,99

If you order before 15.00 hours (GMT/UTC+1 or +2 depending on the season), we’ll send it the same day on its way to you.

You’ll receive a ‘track and trace’ number automatically when the order leaves the warehouse. With this number you can follow the journey of your WakaWaka to your house.

If you live in the Netherlands, delivery will take place within 2-5 business days maximum; if you live in another European country, let’s say 2-7 business days just to be sure but you can expect it within 3 working days.

Did you check you spam box? If you did, then please contact your bank to see if the payment went through.

If so, please contact us and send us a screenshot of your payment at support@waka-waka.com and we will make sure to send your WakaWaka on its way.

Please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com with your name, the discount code and the order number. We will check the information and process the refund if this is correct.

Please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com mentioning your name and the correct delivery address.

If you live in the Netherlands it can take up to 5 business days between the order and the delivery; if you live in another European country, up to 7 days.

You can track where your WakaWaka is with the DPD ‘track and trace’ number you received by email.

If you think the delay is irregular, please send us an email at support@waka-waka.com.

This exclusively applies to products purchased on our webshop. For all other purchases, please contact directly the retailer/distributor you’ve purchased from and follow their return policy.

We accept products in new condition and in their original packaging, within 14 days from the date of purchase. To return your product please contact us at support@waka-waka.com as soon as possible and mention your order number and the product(s) you want to return. We’ll send you the information on how to return your order. Once we receive it, we’ll refund the total amount you’ve paid for the product(s). Please allow up to 14 days for the return to be processed.

If you prefer an exchange, you can then simply order the new WakaWaka on our webshop.

If you ordered before 15.00 hours (GMT/UTC+1 or +2 depending on the season), we ship your WakaWaka the same day as you ordered it. Otherwise we ship it the next day.

Please contact us at support@waka-waka.com as soon as possible with your cancellation request mentioning your name and the order number, so we can find out if we can still cancel your order.

We try our absolute best to deliver high-quality items. We are very sorry to hear that we could not deliver according to that promise.

Please contact us at support@waka-waka.com so we can figure out if there is something wrong with it. If we conclude it is indeed defect, we will replace your WakaWaka.

Even if there is nothing wrong with it, you can always send it back to us within 14 days after your purchase.