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Should You Install a Solar Fountain in Your Garden?
See more in Garden Design
Solar powered home electronics, like water and pool heaters become more and more popular in recent years. People, who are concerned about our environment buy solar powered home heaters, and of course solar powered garden fountains. There are many benefits to buying a fountain that is solar powered, but there are some things you have to be aware of as well.
How do solar powered garden fountains work?
Usually solar powered garden fountains are simple to put in. Like other solar powered devices they use solar panels with Photovoltaic (PV) cells to collect energy of the sun. Since a fountain pump doesn’t need a lot of energy, the panels are small.
There are two kinds of solar fountain. First are fountains where solar panels are incorporated in the design of the fountain itself. This type is the easiest to install, but you have to make sure that you place your new fountain in a sunny spot otherwise it isn’t going to operate properly.
The second type of solar fountain has remote solar panels, which can be positioned several meters away from the fountain. If you chose this type, it doesn’t matter whether your fountain is in a sunny or shady spot as long as the panels are exposed to the sun. Most solar fountains with remote panels come with easy to set up mounting system for the panels. Usually you can mount them on the wall, use grass stakes to position them on the loan or use a tall wooden stake to put your panel high up above all the plants.
Advantages and disadvantages of solar powered fountains
There are many plus sides of getting a solar fountain for the garden rather than the electric one. The most obvious advantage is that the energy is free. An electric pump won’t add much to your energy bill in a day, but if you want your fountain to work all summer, you can save a lot by using sun energy instead of electricity or batteries.
Another advantage is that you are not limited by proximity to a power source when selecting a place for your fountain. This is particularly important for people with large gardens. You can place your fountain in the farthest corner from the house, as long as the solar panels are on a sunny spot.
Also solar fountains are very easy to install. Fountains with panels built into a body of the fountain don’t require any special installation at all. This type is perfect as a solar pond fountain that sprays water from your pond. Since there is no cord the fountain can just float on the surface.
The main disadvantage of a solar powered garden fountain is its dependence on the sun. Most pumps will still work on a slightly cloudy day, but if it is really overcast the flow of water will be much less. And, of course, your fountain won’t work at night.
Also, it is best to disconnect your fountain from December to March. It would work fine on a sunny day without snow, but snow and frost can damage your pump.
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