Solar Fountains - review

Solar fountains are powered by solar energy. They do not require any mains wiring and, unless they use a battery, do not operate unless the sun is shining. This is not altogether a bad thing: on cold dull days the sound of water dripping into a fountain pool can sound too much like rain drops, making one think the weather is worse than it really is.

The solar panel which provides energy for the fountain can be:

• part of the fountain base - this tends to look clumsy
• a separate panel located at some distance from the fountain - preferably in a location which catches the sun all day and all year

A significant attraction of solar fountains is that they are NOT wasting non-renewable fossil fuels on garden luxury. Quite the reverse: a solar fountain can be seen as an exploration of the laws of nature in design. Their associations are good.

Some small pumps can be connected directly to solar panels but it is better to use the solar panel to charge a car battery and then use the battery to operate a 12 volt DC submersible fountain pump.