Benefits of Solar Powered Fountains and Their Drawbacks

The greenest way to give your garden a water feature is with solar powered fountains. These environmentally responsible water fountains add serenity both visually and audibly to your garden, home, or even office. That’s because they are powered by solar energy and require no electricity from the grid to run. This is the perfect way to enjoy the benefits of the sound of running water from a fountain without feeling guilty for using electricity or having to pay for it either.

There are several other benefits to solar fountains. Perhaps the most popular feature is that a solar powered fountain does not need any electrical cords of sockets nearby. This enables you the freedom to use it inside or outside your house anywhere you want. You can set it up in your office too and in addition to the visual interest and peaceful sound, it has an added benefit of increasing the humidity of the air around it. It’s like getting a free humidifier (which is great for your skin) without having to buy one (or paying extra for one too). Use it outdoors anywhere you want, even in the furthest reaches of your home. There is no worry about electrical wiring or the necessity of a socket nearby.

Freedom of placement is provided by the solar panel. This is the only source of power that is used by the fountain to generate the energy to power the water pump.

Solar fountains come in many different styles, colors, and shapes so there is a fountain to suit every discerning taste. They look very much like conventional fountains that you often find at your local hardware or garden store and are virtually indistinguishable save for the solar panel that it ships with.

The solar panel requires sunlight and best functionality is achieved if you place the panel directly in the sunlight. Solar panel technology has advanced greatly from its early development stages but energy can still be lost. Since the panel is unable to harness all of the sun’s energy, it needs to have a clear path to sunlight in order to work at peak performance. There are panels that are built directly into the water fountain and others that are detachable and movable. This allows you to place the panel in a different location from your water fountain where it can be in the sun.

As with solar power plants, a solar fountain will not work well in a climate that is not sunny. This is the perhaps the greatest drawback of solar powered fountains and solar energy in general. There will be no issues if you live in a mostly sunny climate but those who don’t get as much sun during the year may want to rethink fountain options. A conventional electricity powered fountain may be better suited instead. If you live in an area that snows, you may want to detach the solar panel to prevent any damage as the temperature can affect its long term performance. Another drawback is that solar powered fountains will not work at night when it is dark as this is how solar works, but this not as big a problem as most people are too busy sleeping to enjoy the sounds of their fountains.

Solar water fountains are very easy to hook up and actually require very little maintenance. Some models allow you to place the solar panel up to fifteen feet away, essentially allowing you to hide it from sight or give you more placement options just in case there are only a few sunny spots in your garden or home.

While considering the pros and cons of solar powered fountains, the cost savings is usually the biggest factor that makes them very attractive alternatives to traditional water fountains. There are a number of benefits including low maintenance costs and “wireless” freedom of placement. It won’t work at night, but you can consider that an auto-off feature built right in! The other drawbacks include performance dependency on locale and climate as well as fragility of the solar panel itself. Fountains are a beautiful addition to any home and garden and the sound of running water is considered to be one of the most peaceful sounds on Earth. With solar powered fountains, you’ll be able to enjoy this and more while at the same time protecting the environment with a green garden.