Solar Powered Water Feature

Installation Instructions

Water, especially running water, attracts and hydrates pollinating insects and is a critical element in a pollinator habitat.  The solar powered water feature in the Teaching Garden's Pollinator Garden consists of a reservoir, screening, a solar powered water pump and stones to camouflage the mechanics.  It is important to procure a solar panel that is large enough to pump water even on cloudy days.  The materials listed are what were used in the Teaching Garden's Pollinator Garden, but the list is flexible to a certain extent.  Since light interferes with night-flying insects, our solar pump does not include a battery or an integrated light.

Materials:

•  7 gallon rubber reservoir (this can be larger or smaller depending on how often the water level will be monitored and the weight of rocks used to camouflage the reservoir)
• Galvanized hardware cloth, ¼ inch mesh (any strong metal mesh may be used that would support the rocks used for camouflage)
• Window screen material or any smaller mesh screen to place over the hardware cloth
• Flat camouflaging rocks like flagstone, in graduated sizes (larger ones for the bottom graduating to somewhat smaller ones near the top of the feature).  Choose rocks that have depressions to catch water and some flat open surfaces for landing spots for insects.
• Solar water pump.  The solar powered water pump used in the Pollinator Garden is the Lewisia 5W Solar Fountain Pump for Pool Koi Pond Bird Bath Garden Decoration Submersible Water Pump Kit with the following specifications:

• Solar Panel: 12V/5W
• Brushless pump input: DC 4.5-10V
• Maximum water flowing: 380L/h
• Maximum lift: 4ft / 1.2m
• Maximum water height: 2ft / 0.6m
• Cable Length: 10ft / 3m
• Solar Panel Size: 6 x 5 inch / 15 x 12.5cm (this size is important for the pump to function on cloudy or partly cloudy days as well as sunny days)
• Water Pump Size: 1.8 x 1.6 x 1.4 inch / 4.6 x 4 x 3.5 cm with filter bag
• Without on/off switch
• Extra waterproof cables if the solar cell is to be mounted away from the water feature.  We used Lewisia Solar Extension Cable 10 Feet Extension Cords Waterproof IP65 22AWG, one pair for a total of 20 feet to reach the solar pump
• Tools: shovel, tin snips, screwdriver, drill, screws, possibly a mounting bracket if the cell is placed on a pole or fence post, a big syringe for priming the pump, a small bucket of water
• Rubber tubing to increase the height of the water column and direct it up through the stones.

 Construction of Water Feature:

1. Dig a hole in the ground that will accommodate the reservoir. Leave 1-2 inches of the reservoir rim above the level of dirt to keep dirt from washing into the reservoir.
2. Using tin snips, cut a piece of hardware cloth to fit over the reservoir with enough overhang to fold the hardware cloth over the rim to keep out critters and debris.  Cut a hole in the hardware cloth in the position you want the pump to emerge (our hole was cut slightly off center and slightly bigger than the pump for easy insertion/removal). See Figure 1. 
   
                                      
3. Cut a piece of window screening to fit over the hardware cloth and cut a hole in the window screening to match the hole in the hardware cloth (note that there are two layers of hardware cloth in this picture but we updated it to use window screen for the second layer).  
4. Layer rocks on top of the support layers, making sure that they angle in so that the water recirculates in the reservoir.   Otherwise, the volume of water will be quickly depleted and that will make the pump fail.  Continue layering rocks up to the desired height (ours is about a foot, but the taller you make it the harder the pump has to work to lift the water).  Position the rocks so that not too many have to be removed to put the pump away for the winter. 
   
5. Once most of the rocks are in place, connect the extra tubing to the pump.  Before submerging the pump, make sure that it pumps water by submerging it in the small bucket of water and connecting it to the solar panel which is under lights or sunlight.  You may need to prime the pump by pulling up some water in the syringe through the tubing.  When you have verified that the pump works, cover the pump with the filter bag or filtering material.  Submerge the pump into the reservoir through the hole making sure that the cable to be connected to the solar cell is left out of the reservoir.
   
6. Bring the cable from the pump over the lowest level of rocks and bundle the excess so the connector is accessible to the cable from the solar cell.
7. Dig a trench from the water feature to the post that on which the solar cell will be mounted.
8. Attach the solar cell to the mounting post, angling it at approximately 45 degrees and facing the south.
9. Attach the cables to the solar cell.
10. Verify that the pump is working and the water is ending up back in the reservoir.
    

Winterizing the Fountain:

• Disconnect the pump cable from the solar cell.
• Remove enough rocks so that the pump can be removed from the reservoir.
• Clean the filter bag and pump and store dry, in a frost free location.
• The solar cell does not have to be removed, but you may choose to do that.
• Clean up any debris or rodent nests on the screening and replace the rocks, covering up the pump hole to prevent debris from entering the reservoir during the winter.

Other comments:

• Place the water feature in sunlight so the insects, especially butterflies, can dry their wings and rest in a warm place.
• Most pollinating insects do not fly when it is raining or too cloudy or cool, so a back-up battery in the solar cell is not necessary.  Having a battery makes the cell more complicated (the one we tried with a battery failed early).
• This water feature was designed to minimize monitoring water level.  However, if it is hot and dry, check the water level in the reservoir frequently enough to make sure the pump does not go dry.  Also, make sure that the stones are placed such that the water does not make its way past the edge of reservoir instead of back into the reservoir.
• The double screening keeps out most debris, but eventually the feature will have to be disassembled to clean out the reservoir.