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If you have been thinking of making a more eco-friendly garden, have you considered getting a solar powered pump birdbath? Actually, have you thought of making one yourself?

What are the benefits of having a solar powered pump fountain?

The Advantages Are:

a: The water will not go stagnant since the pump is keeping it flowing

b: The fountain is wireless and does not have to be plugged in

c: The pump runs on DC power, so no inverter is needed.

d: It requires little power (about 6 volts) so you only need a few small solar panels.

e: No batteries are required, since the pump only really needs to operate during the day when the sun is out and the birds are in the garden.

f: It is possible to make the entire system your yourself, helping you save money

g: The birdbath is wireless making it very portable.

And what does it take to make a solar powered pump birdbath?

The most basic method is to buy a working birdbath with fountain, and then wire up the solar panels.

The cheaper, more labor intensive approach would be to get a birdbath with the right holes drilled for the fountain to be installed. And then add on the pump, fountain attachment, irrigation and power supply.

If you want to save money, and build your own system, then you will need:

The Birdbath:

Here you have a choice of cascading fountains, copper fountains, terracotta birdbaths, resin fountains, or the conventional ceramic birdbath. Just make sure a pump system can be installed on the birdbath.

The Fountain Attachment:

Depending on whether you want the water to trickle or spout out the top, you can get the right attachment from most hardware stores or garden centers.

Small Fountain Pump:

The next part is buying the small dc pump. A typical 6 volt pump should be adequate, but you may need to go bigger, if the birdbath or water feature is larger than normal.

Tubing for irrigation:

This tubing generally should be narrow enough to keep the water pressure high, so that the water can be pumped properly. My advice would be to visit the nearby garden center and have a look at what piping is used.

Silicon Sealant:

Silicon sealant helps fill any cracks where water could escape, such as where the tubing enters the top of the birdbath. It can also be used to insulate any bare wires.

Solar Panels:

This is what sets this off-grid system apart from conventionally powered birdbath fountains. The pump will help determine how many solar panels you need. For a 6 volt DC pump, you will need at least a 6 volt solar panel, but rater double up on the solar panels for times when the sun is weak.

NB: For the solar panels, there are two options:

1 : Buy a small commercially available solar panel from any outlet, such as Wallmart.

2: Make your own solar panel. This is actually much easier than people make it out to be. With the right instructions you could build your own panel in an afternoon. If you want to go the diy way, then keep reading…

To get the maximum sunlight, the solar panels need to be fixed in simple frame, and be south-facing (if you are in the northern hemisphere).

How easy is it to put it all together?

Once you have all the components and tools at your disposal, putting the system together shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours. And within an afternoon you could have a fully functional solar powered pump birdbath.

If you want you could also add some type of power storage to the system. That way the batteries can store power, which can be used to operate the pump 24 hours a day. To have this option you will need:

1) The right battery:

Since the system is small, a 12 volt battery should be enough. This will be wired up between the charge controller and the pump.

Charge Controller:

This is not that important, but to protect the battery from over-charging and to maximize it lifespan, you should a charge controller that sits between the solar panels and the battery.

The nice thing about about building a solar powered pump birdbath yourself is that it is not only cheaper, but once you know how, you can make as many as you want. It could also make a great gift for an energy conscious friend or family member.