Solar Garden Fountains – Things You Need to Know
August 31st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Solar powered home electronics, like water and pool heaters are gaining popularity recently. Many home owners get solar powered water heaters, and of course solar fountains for the garden. There are many advantages to buying a fountain that is solar powered, but there are some things you’ve to be aware of as well.
How do solar powered fountains for the garden work?
Usually garden fountains with solar pumps are easy 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 usually quite 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 will not work.
The second type of solar fountain has remote solar panels, which can be positioned several meters away from the fountain. If you selected 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 simple to set up mounting system for the panels. As a general rule 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.
Terrific Landscaping Ideas For Your Garden
The benefits and downsides of solar fountains
There are many plus sides of getting a solar garden fountain rather than the electric one. The most obvious advantage is that you do not have to pay for the energy and the environment doesn’t suffer. An electric pump will not 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’re 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 home, as long as the solar panels are on a sunny spot.
Also solar fountains are very simple to install. The ones with panels built into a body of the fountain do not 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 will not work at night.
Also, it is best to disconnect your fountain in winter. It would work fine on a sunny day without snow, but snow and frost can damage your pump.
Like this post? Publish It On Your Own Blog
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
Sarahs Easy Guidelines To Abide By When Purchasing Solar Garden FountainsWhen You Need to get Solar FountainsTips on Buying a Solar Garden Fountain
