| Solar Pumps and Solar Lights for Ponds | | | | This is too bad. We have really wanted solar |
| | | | to work, but it has so far not panned out, |
| As the president of a company that sells a | | | | not well anyway. We really caught on to this |
| lot of fountain pumps, and who also receives | | | | when we noticed that some companies were |
| a lot of OEM inquiries, I've been around the | | | | taking credit cards for everyting but their |
| block on solar pumps. They seem like such a | | | | solar pumps. This means to us that they do |
| great idea. No wiring needed! No electric | | | | not want to have to be faced with chargebacks |
| bill! I tried to sell solar pumps to major | | | | and returns. Customers are too often |
| fountain manufacturers but never got a sample | | | | disappointed in the product and demand their |
| to one of them that could pass muster. | | | | money back including shipping both ways. It |
| | | | gets to be too much. |
| Many customers believe that we are just too | | | | |
| lazy to try solar, or we don't want to cut | | | | So here is what we have come to suggest to |
| into a 110-volt market that is already doing | | | | customers: think modestly. If you really |
| well. But the truth of the matter is that | | | | want a solar pump, perhaps think of it as a |
| solar still runs into quite a few problems, | | | | novelty item as much as anything. And also |
| not the least of which has been, in my | | | | make sure you have somewhere to hide the |
| experience, not enough sunlight! | | | | solar panel. In other words, do not plan to |
| | | | install a solar fountain in your front yard. |
| You see, most of the solar pumps out there | | | | The solar panels have to be put in direct |
| are powered by solar panels (many of them | | | | sun and are easy targets for thieves. They |
| quite good quality, by the way) that require | | | | are as easy to steal as a flower or leaf on |
| direct sunlight in order to work. That means | | | | the lawn. So plan someplace in the backyard |
| that they go on and off all day long, | | | | in full sun and don't get bothered if the |
| depending on whether a cloud is passing, | | | | thing goes off and on all day. Also, put a |
| where the sun is in reference to the panel, | | | | pump in a fountain that requires low head |
| and so forth. Some do have batteries in | | | | (height of pumping) and not much volume (from |
| them, for sure, but these units are expensive | | | | 30-80 gallons per hour maxiumum usually). Or |
| and also do not pump very much water at very | | | | better yet, just use solar lights. They work |
| high of head. The truth of the matter is that | | | | and they are cute. Floating solar pond |
| solar is a lot better idea conceptually than | | | | lights are also available these days. These |
| it is in the world when tested. Think of it | | | | can be "thrown" on top of a pond or pool and |
| this way. Those little solar lights in the | | | | work the same as in-the-lawn solar fixtures. |
| yard that are collecting sunlight all day | | | | Floating pool lights and pond lights, we |
| burn only 8-10 hours at night. They typically | | | | predict, will be of great interest in the |
| have enough power to light two tiny LED | | | | next few years. They are the easiest way to |
| bulbs. Worse yet, when it comes to pumps, the | | | | create ambience that will last for years with |
| DC pumps used for solar fountains don't last | | | | no maintenance. They are usually available in |
| the kind of hours that a normal magnetic | | | | different colors for seasonal effects (red, |
| rotor pump lasts. | | | | white, and blue for July 4, for example). |
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