Water features do not work at night because the solar panel needs direct sunlight.
Before buying solar water features fountains, you must understand how it works. It generally works like any other solar product, but a high horsepower pump makes the difference.
A fountain needs a 500 GPH to a 2000 GPH flow rate, which is not possible in the darkness because the solar panel uses photovoltaic cells to generate power under direct sunlight. In the absence of sunlight, it cannot generate enough power. Still, you can run the system if you have a battery power backup.
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How Does a Solar Fountain Work?
A solar fountain works just like any other solar product. It comes with a solar panel that captures direct sunlight and generates electricity. The electricity helps the pump to generate enough force to push the water from the fountain. It needs more GPH than regular pond pumps to complete the working process. If the product does not get direct sunlight, it cannot produce the power to push the water effectively.
You can install a battery to get sufficient power backup to run it without sunlight.
Electric Fountain Vs. Solar Fountain
Many people have the question of whether customers should buy an electric fountain or a solar fountain. Please read this article to get a clear answer to this question.
As the name suggests, electric fountains use on-grid electricity, whereas solar fountains use solar power. Both of these products have pros and cons.
On-grid electricity is indeed more powerful than solar energy. You should not use solar products with an electric power supply.
You may find many online resources where the author suggests using an on-grid power supply in the absence of sunlight, which means you can use the energy at night. However, I do not support this logic because I know that it leads to overheating and potential burnout.
Main Advantage of Solar Water Features
It is an eco-friendly solution and does not emit greenhouse gasses like electric powered fountains, which uses coal energy.
Main Advantage of Electric Fountain
You can run the system anytime. Unlike a solar fountain, it does not depend on the season or sunlight. Solar items may not work in winter on cloudy days, but you can run electric items without any trouble.
That is why many people prefer electric fountains. If you want an eco-friendly renewable product, you should switch to solar items sooner or later.
The biggest difference is in ROI. I am not talking about cheap quality products, but if you buy a branded solar fountain, it saves a big amount in a year, especially for commercial premises like lodging or restaurants.
Can I Use Battery Power Backup at Night?
Yes, you can use battery power backup at night. If your solar fountain runs on batteries, then you can use batteries in the absence of Sunlight. Otherwise, you can buy a solar battery and connect it with a cord to supply power to the system.
The best part is if you want to decorate the place with LED lights, you can use the backup power of a battery to supply power all around the place. You have to connect these LED lights with the battery.
Should I Use On-grid Electricity to Run a Solar Fountain at Night?
You should not use on-grid electricity to run a solar fountain at night.
Coal electricity is more powerful than solar. The system is not adaptable to higher power inputs. It will run for a few hours, but you can easily detect the overheating of the system.
That is why if you use on-grid electricity, then it may lead to potential burnout and complete damage to the system.
I would encourage you to buy solar fountains only if you want to use renewable energy sources as an alternative to coal energy. Besides that, it also saves a few bucks (more than the amount you invest) in utility bills. That means you are getting the product ‘free of cost.’ If you need to run the system only at night, a solar fountain may not be worth the investment. You should buy an electric fountain.
