Introduction: Satellite Bird Bath/Pond and an Update

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About: relaxed pic

What to do with an old TV Satellite Dish? Make a "Satellite" Bird Bath with Spray. I had an old satellite dish that needed to be repurposed, rather then just going to the scrap metal bin.

Here is a link to the base I made for it:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Octagon-Stand-for...

Step 1: Materials Required

Satellite dish, electrical submersible pump, hose to fit pump, spray paint, overflow tube ( I used a extension piece used for in ground lawn sprinklers) not pictured 5 gallon plastic bucket, spray nozzle that came from another pump set

Step 2: Tools Used

Flat blade screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, pocket knife, hacksaw, electric drill, stepped drill bit, a 3 foot level, respirator with combination HEPA / Chemical cartridges.

Step 3: Construction

Find the center of the dish, mark it and drill appropriate size hole for your overflow tube that you are going to use

Step 4: Construction Cont. Disassembly

Disassemble the LNB with blade screwdriver and pocket knife. Remove the feed horn and amplifier and keep for a future project. The bracket holding the LNB was screwed together with two Philips screws.

Step 5: Construction Cont. Painting

Parts were spray painted. It only took about 1/2 a can of paint. The brand of paint I used is great, I've used other spray paints from them over the years on outside applications and they stand the test of time (decades). I paid for the paint and I just think they have a superior product. No endorsement implied.

Step 6: Construction Cont, Measuring Height of Overflow Tube.

I put the overflow tube in the drilled hole, using the level I marked where the level is and cut it off below that so that the Bird bath wouldn't over flow.

Step 7: Assembly

I attached the pump adapter and nozzle to the hose. I then threaded the hose through the LNB, set the nozzle just a bit inset from the edge, the hose is then held in place with narrow Ty rap, clip the LNB housing back together. Then attach the LNB back into the mounting bracket, thread the hose down the arm and then attach the mounting bracket to the dish arm.

The hose then attaches to the pump and is put into the filled (with water) 5 gallon bucket. I had to slightly modify the bucket so that the Satellite mounting bracket would fit level on the bucket.

Step 8: Testing and Checkout

Fill the dish with water to just below the overflow opening. Make sure the bucket and dish assembly is on a level surface such as a deck or patio.

Using an extension cord plugged into a GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) socket. Then plug the the pump cord into the extension cord and enjoy.

When I get this permanently set up out side I hope to be able to post pictures of birds enjoying it.

Step 9: Update, It's Installed in Its Permanent Location.

In the first picture if you look very closely in the upper right hand corner you can see part of my first Instructable:

https://www.instructables.com/id/From-Washroom-to-...

Plants grow up around it in the summer, but its nice to see it running in the Spring.

But back to the new bird bath,

I dug a hole about a third of the height of the 5 gallon bucket, padded it with sand put the bucket in and leveled it, then filled around the outside with more sand to stabilize it. I whetted down the sand as well.

Filled the bucket, installed the pump which is Ty-rapped to a piece on limestone block ( that I had on hand), placed the dish, put in some Amethyst and Quartz, and plugged it into a GFI protected outlet, in my garage.

We just have to wait for the birds to discover it now.

Water Contest

Runner Up in the
Water Contest