My mother-in-laws boyfriend decided to put a fountain in the
side of his yard where there was only dirt and his pool filter before.He had a stump removed and pavers laid down
to cover the entire area which look really nice.He then had a small planter built up against
the wall and a metal and wood fence put up around the pool filter.He then bought a fountain called the four
seasons which is just a clean and simple fountain.There was already water on that side of the
yard from a spigot but the electricity for his pool filter was 220v AC which
really surprised me.
He asked me if I would do a takeoff from the pool filter box
for him so he could run the pump on his fountain.I told him I would but that he should
consider a solar fountain setup so he wouldn’t have to pay for running the pump
at all.I know the economics of it fall
a little short but it is worth the effort to use as many renewable energy
sources as we can.He agreed to allow me
to set it up with a small solar panel and a deep cycle battery.
I mounted the 12v panel on his new fence and placed the
battery on a small box inside the enclosure.He got a 12v pump to lift the water and installed it in the
fountain.I really do know that this was
a very small step but ever step we can make will make a difference down the
road.Not only that but the more people
we can get used to using solar power for any job no matter how small will help.
The solar panel keeps the battery charged and ready so the
pump can be run at night when he is entertaining and has enough power to keep
the pump running all day and still charge the battery.I hope that anyone considering putting in a
fountain will consider going solar.I
have even found solar fountain kits online that can lift water up to 4 feet
night and day for less than a couple hundred bucks.Ours was a homemade solution but there are
complete self contained kits for those less inclined to put something together themselves.
Small steps can make a big difference.And really there is nothing more soothing for
the soul than the sound of a fountain late in the evening while nothing else is
going on.Build your own solar fountain
today and enjoy your evenings in the backyard instead of inside using more
electricity.
