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 why would you want to make a solar powered pump birdbath?

The pros to getting one are:

a: Fountains circulate the water, keeping the bird bath 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: 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: You could learn to make your own solar panels, reducing the cost even further.

g: The birdbath can be placed anywhere in your garden, without the need for unsightly wires.

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

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 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:

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:

When buying the irrigation for the fountain, it is best not to get piping that is too wide, otherwise the right water pressure will not be maintained and the pump will not work properly. So before you buy the wrong tubing, get advice from your local garden center and see what they use in similarly sized birdbaths

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 makes this birdbath unique to your average water fountain. Depending on what size pump you buy, will need to get enough solar panels for the fountain to work properly. A a typical 6 volt pump, you will require solar panels with a capacity of at least 6 volts. But is better to be on the safe side and get a 12 volt solar panel instead, for times when it is cloudy and for late afternoons.

NB: You have 2 alternatives for the solar panels:

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 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 simple is it to build?

With the right tools and parts and a the right attitude you could have a fully functional solar powered pump birdbath in an afternoons work. It really depends on your level of experience, but many of our friends (even housewives) have managed to make their own fountains.

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) Deep cycle 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:

It is not vital , but if you want the battery to last longer, a charge controller will protect the battery from over-charging. It is wired from the solar panels and then to the battery.

Over and above it being affordable to build, what I like about putting together my own solar powered pump birdbath, is that once the first one is finished, making the second or third one just gets easier. It could even be a fantastic gift for a close friend or newly wed.