Solar Powered Garden Fountains
Author: Bob Gambrell
Solar powered garden fountains are a relatively new type of solar product on the market today, but products that make perfect sense. A fountain is merely a reservoir of water and a pump that keeps the water flowing. If it is an AC fountain there is usually a power supply attached to the 110 volt cord that plugs into the wall. Solar Fountains use a small solar panel that generates enough energy to power the pump, so no AC cord is needed. Newer solar fountains are using a small battery to store the energy, so the fountain will even work at night.
The solar panel for the fountain can be mounted in a couple of different ways. Some manufacturers use a patented, integral, underwater solar panel. It would be incorporated in the top part or bowl of the fountain and would face directly up towards the sun. Still other fountains use a remote solar panel that has a roughly a 10 foot cord attached. This allows greater flexibility when considering where to place the solar panel. The remote solar panels can be mounted on a wall or using the stand provided, on a flat surface. They can also be stake mounted into the ground.
The solar panel needs to be positioned in direct sunlight for the fountain to operate properly. If you have a shady spot where you want to install it then a fountain with a remote panel would be the best choice. The fountain could be mounted in the shade but the solar panel in the direct sun. If the solar panel is mounted in the top of the fountain then it would need to be located where it would get direct sunlight. Proper placement is critical to the operation of these products.
Solar Powered garden fountains are usually constructed of glazed ceramic, terracotta or stone cast resin. The stone cast resin material will have a grey stone, black iron or bronze finish. Some of the fountains are made of more exotic materials like slate or copper. There are also several types of solar fountains to be considered. Two tiered and three tiered are very popular but there are cascading fountains and pouring fountains as well. Solar powered birdbath fountains are very attractive and have also become quite popular. All of them will create the soothing sound of running water using power from the sun.
Solar fountains are really not all that complicated so installation is a breeze. There are no costs to operate these fountains because they use the sun’s energy. They require no external electricity, are environmentally friendly and enjoy a very long life. To maintain them just clean the fountain with a mild soap and water solution from time to time.
Prices range from $79 to $250 and there are not a lot of extra options to worry about. One such option is an AC adapter so they can operate in the winter or at night. Not all solar fountains have this option but it is a consideration for the ones that do. Solar powered garden fountains provide the sound of running water creating a cool, relaxing atmosphere. They do this at a reasonable price with virtually no operational costs, all in all another great use for solar power.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/solar-powered-garden-fountains-984095.html
About the Author
Bob Gambrell has been in the past a manufacturers representative for Inverters, Battery chargers and wire. He has been involved with alternative energy products for over 10 years. Since 2008 Bob has owned and operated www.UniqueSolarProducts.com For more information on SolarPowered Garden Fountains go to www.UniqueSolarProducts.com/solarfountains.html
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