Yes. Lockin’s Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face are described as able to charge in low light on cloudy or rainy days. The important qualification is that cloudy-day charging is still light-dependent: Lockin’s product guidance says solar charging begins only when the battery is below 90% and the panel receives at least 1,000 lux. So cloudy daylight may help replenish the battery, but a deeply shaded or enclosed entry may not provide enough usable light.
What cloudy weather means for a Lockin solar smart lock
Clouds do not automatically stop solar charging. Diffuse daylight can still reach the built-in solar panel, and Lockin describes both Veno Solar models as using ABX3™ Perovskite Solar Self-Charging that can charge in low light on cloudy or rainy days.
That does not mean every cloudy day produces the same result. The amount of usable light at the door can change with cloud cover, rain, an awning, trees, nearby buildings, door recesses, season, and the direction the entry faces. Treat the feature as solar-assisted charging that can reduce routine charging—not as battery-free or permanent power.
The two checks that determine whether charging starts
Lockin’s current Veno Solar product guidance gives two practical conditions:
| Check | What Lockin says | What it means at home |
|---|---|---|
| Battery level | Solar charging triggers when the battery is below 90%. | A fully charged lock may show no solar activity because the system is protecting battery life, not because the panel is faulty. |
| Ambient light | The panel needs at least 1,000 lux to begin harvesting energy. | A bright-looking day can still be insufficient if the panel is in deep shade or behind an enclosed entry. |
When both conditions are met and the panel is actively charging, Lockin says a charging icon appears on the device status page in the Lockin Smart App. That app indicator is the most useful first check; do not judge charging only by whether the sky looks bright.
Does a covered porch or shaded entry still work?
It depends on how much natural light reaches the panel, not simply whether the lock is technically outdoors.
- Open entry with some direct sun: Usually the easiest environment for solar assistance, although daily exposure still changes by season.
- Bright, open-sided porch: May be suitable if the panel receives enough ambient light. Check the app rather than assuming.
- Deep awning, alcove, trees, or nearby walls: These can lower the light at the panel below the activation threshold, even on a bright day.
- Interior apartment or condo corridor: Treat this as a higher-risk fit for solar charging because natural daylight may be limited.
- Nighttime: The panel is not collecting sunlight, so the lock relies on stored battery power.
Lockin’s product guidance also warns that covered or heavily shaded placements may not be recommended for solar charging. If your entry is dim at midday, choose the lock based on the full power plan rather than solar assistance alone.
How to check your doorway before buying
Use this short, model-specific check before choosing Veno Solar Palm or Veno Solar Face:
- Observe the lock position in the morning, around midday, and in the late afternoon. Shade can move substantially during the day.
- Look for blockers such as a deep porch roof, storm-door enclosure, trees, walls, or a recessed doorway.
- Repeat the observation in the season when your entry receives the least daylight. Winter sun angle and shorter days can change the result.
- Account for household use. A busy family door may draw more stored power than a rarely used side entry.
- After installation, let the battery fall below the documented threshold and check the Lockin Smart App for the charging icon when the doorway has usable light.
- Keep the current manual and emergency-power instructions available before relying on the lock for daily entry.
If you cannot provide a reasonable amount of daylight at the panel, compare a non-solar Lockin model or plan for more active charging instead of assuming cloudy-day charging will cover the difference.
What happens if cloudy weather lasts for several days?
The lock continues to operate from stored battery power while the solar system has less usable light to collect. Several cloudy days may therefore reduce the rate at which the battery is replenished. The result depends on the actual light at your door and how often the lock is used; Lockin does not provide a universal cloudy-weather runtime guarantee in the product guidance used here.
Monitor the battery in the Lockin Smart App and respond to low-battery alerts. Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face list USB-C emergency power, and their documented unlock options also include a mechanical key. Those are contingency methods, not a reason to ignore a declining battery.
For the exact emergency-power sequence, use the current Lockin user-manual library and the Lockin FAQ. Product fit and current model details are on the Veno Solar Palm product page and Veno Solar Face product page.
Bottom line
Can a Lockin solar smart lock charge on cloudy days? Yes, Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face are documented to support low-light charging on cloudy or rainy days. But the useful answer for your home is conditional: solar activity requires the battery to be below 90% and the panel to receive at least 1,000 lux. Check the doorway’s real daylight, confirm the charging icon in the app, and keep USB-C or mechanical-key backup instructions ready. That is the practical way to get the convenience of solar assistance without treating it as guaranteed, battery-free power.
Frequently asked questions
Will a Lockin solar smart lock charge in rain?
Lockin’s product information says Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face can charge in low light on cloudy or rainy days. Rain, shade, and enclosure can still reduce the usable light at a specific doorway, so verify the app’s charging indicator under the conditions at your home.
Why is my Lockin solar smart lock not showing a charging icon on a sunny day?
First check the battery level and light at the panel. Lockin says solar charging begins below 90% battery and at 1,000 lux or more. A battery above 90% or a panel in deep shade can prevent activation even when the surrounding day looks sunny.
Is a Lockin solar smart lock battery-free?
No. Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face use a rechargeable battery with built-in solar assistance. At night or when the entry receives too little usable light, the lock relies on stored power.
Should I choose a Lockin solar model for an indoor apartment hallway?
Only after checking the actual daylight at the lock and the model’s current placement guidance. An enclosed hallway may not reach the light needed for solar activation, so solar charging should not be the sole reason to choose the lock.