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If you are thinking of doing a few upgrades to your garden, have you ever thought of getting a solar powered pump birdbath? In fact, why buy one, when you can make it?

So how will a solar powered pump birdbath benefit you?

The benefits are:

a: The moving water in the fountain stop its from going stagnant

b: The pump does not have to plugged into your power supply

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

d: Only a few inexpensive solar panels are needed to produce around 6 volts

e: The fountain usually operates during the day when the birds are out in the sun, so batteries are not essential

f: You can save more money by making the entire birdbath and fountain yourself, even the solar panels.

g: It is very portable since it has no wires.

So, what do you need to make your own solar powered pump fountain?

The easiest way is to simply buy a birdbath with a pump and fountain already fitted. Then all you need to do is wire up some small solar panels.

The more inexpensive, but do-it-yourself method would be to buy a birdbath that is capable of housing a fountain. Then all you need to do is buy the pump, tubing, wiring, solar panels and batteries (optional).

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

A Birdbath

There are a variety of birdbaths to choose from – cascading, copper, terracotta, resin, or ceramic. It does not matter what you get, just as long as it is ready for a fountain to be installed.

The Water Spout:

This is optional, but it makes the water spout out the top, instead of just trickling out. It can be found at your local nursery or hardware store.

Small Fountain Pump:

Depending your birdbath size, the volume of water to be pumped and how high you want to pump it, will help you decide on the voltage and size pump needed. For your average, medium-sized birdbath, a small 6 volt DC pump will suffice.

Thin, Flexible PVC Pipe:

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.

The Solar Panels:

This is what make the solar powered pump birdbath portable and wireless. The number and power capacity of the solar panels needed is determined by what pump you bought. If it was the average 6 volt DC pump, then you will need 6 volt solar power. But it better to get solar panels with more power capacity than this for times when the sunlight is poor.

NB: To get the solar panels, you have 2 choices:

1 : Buy a small commercial portable solar power kit from a department store such as Target.

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 maximize the efficiency of the solar panel, it could be mounted in a simple frame with the ability to be angled towards the sun.

How simple is it to build?

If you have all the tools and materials and any diy experience, you could have a working solar powered pump birdbath within in a matter of hours – that’s if all goes to plan…

A nice added extra is to hook up some batteries to the system. That way you can store any excess power, and the pump could run all day and night. If you do want the fountain to operate for 24 hours, then you will need the following:

1) 12 volt battery:

Because the pump is only 6 volts, a 12 volt battery is more than enough. It should be a deep cycle battery (car battery) that can store the power for a longer time.

Solar charge controller:

This is not essential, but it prevents your battery from over-charging. So it can really extend the life of the battery. It will be wired up 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.