Solar powered fountain/herb garden

Here is a simple garden fountain utilizing a $20 solar panel/pump combo, some sewer pipe, bamboo, and a strawberry pot. The fountain will only run in direct sunlight, but the herbs will thrive in the same conditions.

This one isn't hard to do, and again doesn't require any special tools. Everything should run you about $50

Step 1: Gather the Materials

Floating Solar fountain Harbor Freight Tools
Bamboo
Clear Spray Lacquer
Strawberry pot
4" ABS pipe (2' segment)
4" end caps (2)
3/8" vinyl tubing
shrink tubing
wire
epoxy
ABS pipe cement

Tools:
Drill
Saw (handsaw, bandsaw, jigsaw, or miter saw)
Router (useful)
Lathe (optional)

Comments

[the pvc bike guy]

I like it, now how did you keep the plants watered and what type were thy?

[TOCO]

I couldnt see much in your video. Could you post a new video that makes it easier to see it in action.

[sleighbedguy]

This one has since been dismantled. The video was only there to show the pump in action. With the 24" of lift at maximum, the water trickles out of the bamboo spout as intended. If you are going to do this, just make sure the vinyl hose that carries the water does so all the way up to prevent the bamboo from rotting.

[TOCO]

why did you take it apart?

[sleighbedguy]

I moved to Texas and couldn't fit the whole thing in the back of the truck. I took the the panel and the pump and gave the rest to my neighbor.

[grooooovy]

Wow, this is a great idea- you could use this a lot in landscaping. If you're something of an artist, painting the pot would be neat, or using other embellishments.

[sleighbedguy]

I've built just one since, but it still works really well. Using pvc drain pipe and drain fittings for the top eliminates the machining part of it. I'll have to update it.

[TheDragonlady]

I couldn't see from the instructable how you keep the dirt in the planter separate from the fountain, or how you keep the fountain water from just pouring out into the dirt. I would love some pictures of that part of the assembly. Aside from that--mega cool!

[sleighbedguy]

There is a piece of ABS pipe in the center sealed at one end that supports the fountain and keeps the dirt out of the water.  I made a second one last year and had more success using PVC drainage pipe (~$7 10') and actual drain covers.  Then it was just a matter of cutting the bamboo to fit between the slots in the drain cover.

It works a great deal better and doesn't require any machining for drainage.  There was a pretty hard winter here (Houston) so I have to replant nearly all of the plants, but the pipe held up well.

[starshine71]

I was poking around for alternatives to busting open the floating solar pump and it turns out Harbor Freight now offers one that you won't have to dismantle.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66093
Makes this easy project even easier!

[rauly_zang]

Hola, he hecho una fuente con rueda de agua, si te interesa aqui dejo un link de video.
Hello, I made a fountain with a waterwheel, if you interested this is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nB3lZklvmE

[skincage]

I want to thank you for posting this. I just did an instructable that includes a re-purpose fountain, but I have to plug it in. There's a Harbor Freight in town so I will check it out and see if I can adapt my rig to include the solar fountain.

[Tom_n_6bzone]

Could you have fit the solar panel(s) inside one (or two) of the pockets of the strawberry jar?

[sleighbedguy]

The solar panels that came with the fountain are just about 4" X 5" each. The pockets are much smaller than that. I currently have the panels sitting on the roof and the pot on a table. There is well over 10' of wire and everything seems to run very well.

[Handsome-Ryan]

I'm curious to know how powerful the pump really is when using the solar panels. I build a lot of hydroponic gardens and might be able to modify this idea to grow the herbs hydroponically using a solar pump. I hope you'll update with more pictures when you get the solar hooked up and some herbs planted but you get a +1 from me for the great idea.

[sleighbedguy]

Believe it or not...I got roughly 27" of lift in direct sun. I wouldn't bank on that all the time, but let's say I had to redesign a little to keep the water in the fountain. Sorry it took so long to get a response. I should have just picked up the new fountain at the store instead of waiting for the mail...

[Handsome-Ryan]

thanks for the update! I hope your fountain give you many hours of peaceful relaxation.

[rAsTaManN240]

dat ryte there is a new thing man itz most appreciative to have this in my knowledge yaddaddmean????? ok well post a hydro 1 for me >>> ok then ..........................................

[matseng]

Nice.... I think that I'll need to pay a visit to my local Ace hardware store in the next few days. "Direct sunlight", yea, we got a lot of that here in Dubai :-) Even the parking ticket machines are driven by solar cells here...

[Penny]

Do you s'pose this could be used to grow watercress and other water-lovin' herbs?

[sleighbedguy]

I think just about anything could be grown in the fountain. Changing out the top sewer cap for a plastic screen could conceivably allow for a miniature water garden or suspended hydroponics. The flowing water might be a issue, but that can be changed about altering the spout design. Does that make sense?

[Lftndbt]

Nice instructable!! I made a similar project but with a dish instead of the pebbles... Reticulating water supply for a very fussy rednose pitbull.. She refuses to drink stationary/stagnant water so now she has her own little waterfall running all day!!! One happy pup!

[Mr. Rig It]

This is akin to a long term project I am working on. I searched Harbor freight for a solar powered pump and nothing came up. But now that you have provided the link I can get back in business working on it. You made this look really nice, good job.

[sleighbedguy]

The Harbor Freight site can be a little finicky. Search for "fountain" if the link is not working. There aren't that many items. As to the actual pumping height, I'll have to wait until the new fountain gets delivered. Sometime during my project delay, I lost the impeller and can't seem to find it. I will post pictures/info of the deconstruction, and if possible video of the pump in action as soon as possible.

[gmoon]

Yeah, you really need to add the solar panels to complete this project...