Strength of Solar Returns

My question is how much of ones year is determined by the solar return vs how much is determined by transits?
For example I've read angular solar returns have almost all their action in first 4 months after the bday. Succeedent have most action 5-8 months after the return and cadent house SRs are delayed in action until last 4 months before the next SR year.
So this year I had a succeedent house SR and it is true that a lot of the themes of the SR began showing up right after my bday but the main action didn't kick in until 5 months after my bday.
However that was also due to a heavy Pluto transit beginning 5 months after the return which had an 8 house stellium and Scorpio on the ASC.
This year, well in 2 days, is my next solar return which is a 5 house one. Capricorn is on the ASC though and about 6 months after my bday this year I will have the Saturn opposite Venus transit.
So I know that may impact me deeply. Hopefully in a positive way but I know that's unlike Saturn's nature to be too positive .
Just curious how long the SR impact lasts. I know some wall it lasts all year, bday to bday, but when is it strongest?

Hi.

Please post the natal+solar charts from astrodienst so we can see.

How it seems to work from my experience is that the solar return determines the general themes that you are likely to encounter during the year and the transits trigger specific events that agrees with the general symbology of the planets involved, as well as work to actualize the general themes of the times.

As to how long the solar returns are operative, I have always seen them run the entire year, and the next solar return usually takes precedence on the day of the sun conjunct sun transit. One year where this was striking to me was on my 18th birthday where the SR was emphasized along 7th/5th house lines (romance). Literal hours after the changeover I exchanged numbers with a girl that I would go on to have a relationship with. This year's SR is emphasized along 3rd, 4th,2nd and 10th house lines with a particularly nasty aspect that would affect my home life. This aspects "promise" would manifest quite late into the year.

Nailing down exactly when the SR is "strongest" might not be particularly helpful. If you're motivated, you could use other timing techniques like transits, progressions etc to pinpoint the likely days/weeks to expect an event transpire. e.g. a recent progression was exact on the day of an event that was clearly outlined in my solar return.