Your Solar Pool Fountain: What To Look For
A solar pool fountain is an attractive addition to your back yard landscape and can be a fun addition to you pool for children. There are two main types of fountains. There are those that float on the surface of the water and those that are attached to the side of the pool. Normal pool fountains are connected to the pool's pump and so draw current from that device. Solar fountains supply their own electricity via built in photovoltaic solar panels. 
While the fountain may not draw a large current to operate, saving this expense over a long period of time will have a positive effect on your power bill. It is also worthwhile investing in a quality solar pool fountain rather than a mains powered one as each such purchase further encourages the commercialization of solar energy.Floating Solar Fountains These come in many sizes and styles, from simple floating bowl-like fountains to elaborately decorated units resembling large lily pads. The features of all these units are the same however. They contain solar panels, an anchor weight, a water inlet and a a pump to spray the water out of the nozzle at the top. They may or may not have the capacity for battery backup. All these elements are built into the one unit.
Fixed Solar FountainsFixed position solar fountains are usually attached to the side of the pool or pond. The solar panel is connected to a submersible pump that drives water up the spout of the fountain. As the solar panel is not attached to the other elements save by an electricity cable, it can be positioned in the garden to receive maximum sunlight. Other Effects The fountain will have two other effects on your pool. The circulating and splashing water will help keep the water aerated which will assist in keeping algal growth to a minimum. While this may not be an issue for a pool in use, the fountain can also be placed in a pond where these benefits are useful.
Secondly the fountain will cool the water of your pool. It does this because more of the water is exposed to the air. Since the air is usually cooler than the water, it will lose heat. Some sellers advertise this as a benefit. However as pool warming is an issue even in some tropical climates, it makes sense to take this into account when deciding whether or not to leave the fountain on at night.Return from Solar Pool Fountain to Pool Solar Heaters or return to the Green Planet home page for more Solar Power Facts.
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