Solar Fountains at Home | Solar Pumps to Power Water

The sound of water trickling in the background can give one an immense sense of peace and tranquility. What better than to create this with a small fountain or with a trickling waterfall. I can remember a couple of times in the past when I have had to bury many feet of waterproof cable in order to have just that in my goldfish pond - and the problems I had with the submersible pump I will not go into.

The advent of the photovoltaic cell has made installing a fountain in your garden into a simple everyday task. A great number of solar fountains come complete - what I mean is that you do not have to go to all that trouble of digging out a pond - the plastic lining, the laying of concrete - well, it goes on. There a large number of very appealing solar fountains to choose from, and all you need to do is to find a small space in the garden in which to set it. One thing is important though - remember that this is a solar fountain, and the solar panel, which usually comes with about 15 feet of cable, needs to be set in complete sunlight.

There are basically two types of solar fountains - those with and those without a battery. The difference is this - the fountain with no battery will only work when the Sun is shining on the solar panel. If something prevents sunlight falling on the panel, the flow of electrons will stop and so will the fountain. It is therefore worth considering the added expense of purchasing a fountain with a battery. In this case the function of the solar panel is to provide a trickle charge to the battery, and the battery runs the fountain pump. If something temporarily blocks off sunlight from the panel, the fountain will continue to work. This second type of fountain will continue to work after dark, but it is a good idea to switch it off when not needed in order to conserve battery charge.

There is one other type of solar fountain worth mentioning. That is the sprinkler fountain with self-contained solar cells. This fountain can be left to float freely on the surface of a pond or can be anchored. Wherever it floats, it sends up a pleasing spray of water.

Care should be taken during wintertime. During freezing conditions, although the pump should continue to function providing the solar panel is in sunlight, great care should be taken since the pump could become damaged if water inside it is frozen. The fountain should be disconnected in wintertime except during bright sunny days.