Solar fountains are the perfect accent for your garden or pond. They are cheap and surprisingly easy to use – just unpack them and put them in the water!
You don’t have to search for exits and lay lines to the pond. In fact, most do not even come with cables, because the solar panel, the pump and the electrical components are integrated into a single unit. We investigated the market for the top five solar wells on the market.
Take a look at our top 5 solar wells and pump packages for 2020 to find the perfect solar well for you.
Top 5 best solar panels for 2020
- Cocofit solar wells: Best total value
- Cosscci solar well water pump: Best value
- Azitine 5W Sunwell: Best solar cell for ponds
- Solatec solar pit: Best Sunbird Bath Fountain
- Intelligent ceramic solar fountain: Best Patio Fountain
In the search for the top five options, products with insufficient customer response, poor service or too high prices are sorted. With our short list in hand, we have focused on features, dimensions and aesthetics to find the best sun fountains for you.
Below you will find something to suit your needs, whether you want to decorate your terrace, a small bird bath or a large pond – or you are just looking for a good price.
Let’s take a look at the specifications, the characteristics of the different products and the customer declarations.
Solar well report
The Cocofit Solar Powered Fountain Pump is our choice for the best solar-powered water cooler. It is powerful and very visible, at a very fair price compared to similar products.
Like most of the fountains in our list, this product combines solar panel, pump and equipment in one floating unit. Just put it in a pond, basin or birdbath and you’re ready to go. If you’re worried about a floating fountain, don’t worry! He only weighs seven ounces, less than half a kilo.
With 2.5 W, the solar panel is about twice the size of many solar water coolers, and a 2.2 W pump can pump water 20 to 24 inches into the air. If you are looking for a smaller fountain, take a look at the Solatec solar fountain below, which has a 1.4W panel and a much thinner spout and projects only 12 to 20 centimetres of water.
The set contains 6 different nozzles to change both the height and shape of the spray pattern. The manufacturer indicates that the water depth must be at least 1 inch for the cooler to function properly.
When the sun is not visible, the kit includes a built-in 800 mAh Li-ion battery – the standard battery size for most solar water coolers – that can last for about an hour, although some customers happily report that the battery works for several hours when the sun is not available (this only depends on the amount of light available).
The fountain also has an IP68 classification according to the IP Code, which means that it has been tested and found to be 100% watertight when immersed in water indefinitely – a must for submersible pumps and electrical equipment.
A warning: The manufacturer seems to have redesigned the Amazon site for previous products, so there are customer reviews for other products – both positive and negative – mixed with the reviews for the solar water cooler. In general, buyers of the solar well reporting product are durable and work well, but like any electronic device imported into Amazon, some report defective devices that quickly stop working. However, these comments are rare, and a 12-month guarantee helps to alleviate most problems.
Cocofit is not the only manufacturer that produces solar water coolers. The Amazon has a dozen or more fountains with very similar characteristics, up to the size of the batteries and the number of nozzles. The Viajero 2.5 W solar fountain, for example, has a built-in 800 mAh battery, 6 nozzles and a 2.5 W solar panel – almost the same as the Cocofit fountain. Viajero even has fantastic reviews, but if you compare the cost and customer feedback, it will be hard to find a better value for money than the Cocofit solar water heater.
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The Cosscci solar fountain water pump wins our best value for money with excellent feedback and a low price. In fact, it is the cheapest well on our list! But don’t be fooled by the cost. Although it is a simple product, it works just as well as any other product on our list.
How does Kossi make it so cheap? First of all, it’s smaller than the other solar clouds. The solar battery produces only 1.4 W, compared to 2.5 W for the Cocofit fountain above. Second, there’s no battery in this little sun terrace. While the other fountains on our list usually have an 800mAh battery and can run for about an hour, this batteryless fountain only works when the sun is shining.
This reduces costs, but of course you don’t have a working fountain if there is no sun. If you want a smaller solar pit containing a battery, look at the cocophytes above or the aisitin far below.
But if you just want to enjoy cheap sunbathing on a sunny day, Coszzi covers all your needs for the price of a few burgers. The whole unit is only 7 inches wide and weighs only 5.6 ounces, or about 1/3 of a pound. The pump can spray water from 10 to 15 inches and contains three different nozzles for different models. Your pond or bird bath needs about 5 cm of water to function properly, so keep this in mind. If the water depth is a problem, look at the Cocofit fountain above, which only needs one centimetre of water to work.
Many buyers have discovered that the water jet with one of the connected nozzles is just too high for a small bird bath and each wind will push the water out of the tub, quickly depleting your water supply. To solve the problem, a customer simply walked out of the fountain without attaching a single nozzle, creating a fountain and a rattling effect. Another customer went to McGyver and tied a straw to his head and tilted it to the bathtub, creating a slide to bring the water down.
If you have a small birdbath and live in a windy area, you may need to take an extra step or two so you don’t have to constantly replenish the water bath.
The manufacturer does not publish an IP rating (see below) to prove that the fountain is waterproof, but users report that the fountain works surprisingly well, so don’t worry too much. Many even find that the fountain bubbles in low light and partly in shade thanks to the efficient solar panel, which is a bonus given the absence of a battery.
If you want the essential, you don’t want a solarium, the Cosscci solarium is perfection and a very affordable price. If you like the small size, but you want your solar panel separated from the pump, take a look at the 1.8 W Cosscci Solar Fountain. This kit always includes a small solar panel separate from the pump, which allows you to place the solar panel in the sun and run the cable to the pump, immersed in the shade of a pond or bird bath.
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The solar fountainAisitin 5W is certainly unusual if you look at sunny fountains for ponds and aquariums, but it is good.
The first thing you will notice is that the solar panel and the pump are not integrated in the same device as most solar fountains. If your pond is constantly shaded during the day, the typical integrated Solar+ pump simply doesn’t work because the solar panel has no access to sunlight to start the pump and charge the batteries.
With the Aisitin solar fountain, however, you can place the pump in a shady pond and lay the cable in a pleasant, sunny spot where you can install your solar panel. And since the solar panel measures only 11 inches by 7 inches (less than a piece of printer paper), it’s easy to find a small hidden area around the yard where a small panel can fit. And because there are no solar panels integrated in the pump, the pump itself is smaller, making it more aesthetic.
Although this design is more versatile than the other options, it requires a little more customization than the other options on our list, but is not too much involved in the process. As mentioned before, you need to find a good place for the solar panel and lay the wire to the fountain. It’s not difficult, but it’s a few steps more than just launching a solar pump. In essence, Aisitin takes the installation from an immediate process to a process that takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
The solar battery itself is probably the most powerful on our list. It’s just a reduced version of a classic solar panel with an aluminium frame and tempered glass. Solar panels of this type are designed for prolonged and difficult use in cells. He’ll probably survive at the pump and you’ll have years of big green energy.
The set also contains 6 nozzles to change the height and shape of the beam, and a 1000 mAh battery – the largest solar fountain we have seen so far (most contain an 800 mAh battery). With a larger battery, Pump will run for 1 ½ to 2 hours without sunlight, compared to about an hour for most other pumps.
Just like Cocofit – our choice for the best sun fountain in general – the Aisitine only needs one centimetre of water to work properly. The pump is even equipped with a water sensor and stops working when there is no more water.
Although there is not much feedback from customers for this product, the reactions that have been given are overwhelmingly positive. Users say it works well on cloudy days and in partial shade. They also report that it is waterproof and durable.
As this is the largest set on our list, the price of the Aisitin solar pit is slightly higher than most. If you are looking for a solar fountain with a separate solar panel and pump, but you want to spend as little as possible, look at the Cosscci 1.8 Watt solar fountain, which is very similar, although it is smaller and costs about half the price.
If your pond is in a garden too shaded for solar panels, the Aisitin solar fountain is ideal for you.
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Our best choice for small spaces such as bird baths is the Solatec Solar Fountain. Its small size is perfect for entertaining visits to the aviary and it has the highest number of critics among all the products on our list.
Just like the water pump of the Cosscci solar fountain – our choice for the best price – the Solatec fountain contains 1.4 watts of solar energy, so it is the smallest. The water jet can reach a height of 12 to 20 inches and the four nozzles supplied change the shape and size of the jet.
Like the Cossacks above, this well has no battery, so it can’t store energy. So it only works when the sun is shining. On cloudy days, in the shade or after sunset, the solar fountain stops working.
You may wonder why you would spend a few extra dollars on this Solatec fountain if the Cosscci fountain is cheaper and has many of the same features. That’s a good question!
First of all, Casschi doesn’t mention any guarantees for his own good, so if something goes wrong, bad luck. Solatec, on the other hand, offers a 12-month guarantee. Secondly, while the Cossacks have a few hundred critics, the Solatek has thousands. Most of these reviews indicate that the fountain works well as long as it is sunny. Some customers report that on cloudy days the fountain hits with water, but not with the full spray that brings the full sun.
Usually you pay a few extra dollars for a longer guarantee (or warranty period) and a better guarantee that the system works as promised, thanks to excellent reviews.
As with the other solar fountains here, if you live in a windy area, a strong gust of water can blow into the jet of your birdbath and deplete your water supply. Buyers have found various ways to remedy the situation, including simply removing the nozzle and puncturing it so that the water jet is not so high.
In general, this solar fountain is an excellent option for small applications such as bathing birds or small ponds. Simple, batteryless installation should last for many seasons, and excellent reviews and a 12-month warranty ensure peace of mind if something breaks down.
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All of the above sun fountains are only useful if you already have a pond, bird bath, fishpond or other water. If you’ve had a dry life without water in your garden, but still want a soothing, bubbling fountain of water, you’re unlucky! There is a whole world of solar water coolers that combine a solar panel, a pump and a water tank in one set. Our favourite is the Smart Solar Cascading Ceramic Solar Fountain.
This decorative free-standing fountain is ideal for creating the soothing sound of running water on your veranda, terrace or garden. The set consists of five ceramic bowls, each reaching further than the previous one, with a small pump to move the water from bottom to top. The pump is powered by a separate solar panel that is connected to a 3 meter long cable, allowing you to place the solar panel in the solar zone, wherever you want to install the fountain.
The whole unit is 22 inches high and 15.5 inches wide, and the largest bowl is 14 inches wide and 5 inches deep and holds two liters of water. Consider the fountain at this size as an accent element, ideal for a quiet corner of the courtyard or patio.
Five different colours are available – lava red, tangerine, kiwi, blueberry and bamboo green – so you can easily customise your outdoor decor. Customers are happy with both the appearance of the ceramic shells and the design of the structure itself. Some customers have complained that the pump stops too early, but as long as your water is clean (there is no filter in front of the pump) and you make sure the bowl is full, you can easily prevent premature combustion of the engine.
Like any other product, this fountain has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, because it contains more parts than the other wells on our list, it is also more expensive. It is about 3 to 5 times more expensive than any other fountain. Secondly, the set does not contain a battery built into the solar panel, so it is not possible to store electricity for future use. The fountain only works when the sun is shining.
If you like to drink tea and add a fountain to your evening, consider a fountain like the Sunnydaze 3-level garden fountain, which has almost as many good reviews as the smart solar fountain above, but includes a solar panel and a built-in backup battery.
If you don’t have a pond or bird bath in your garden, but still need a water surface, the Smart Sunny Cascade fountain is an excellent option. It’s completely self-contained and looks great – don’t forget to fill it with water for a second or two every day.
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What do you need to know aboutsolar water coolers?
You don’t need to have much knowledge or experience to use the solar fountains, but we have put together some tips to help you get the most out of your new solar system.
Maintenance
The maintenance of the solar wells is very poor. Simply clean the suction and/or spray nozzle long enough for the water to circulate through the pump.
Because solar wells otherwise pump stagnant water, any waste material can clog the pump and render it unusable. Fortunately most of these solariums weigh less than a pound, so it’s quite easy to take them out of the pond and bring them back in for a quick cleaning.
Some customers report that a simple cleaning of the nozzle is sufficient to operate the fountain (use the Q-tip to access the openings), but if the water is dirty or contains algae, the fence can also become clogged. The inlet screen of these small solar fountains can usually be removed, making the cleaning process quite painless.
Your interview shouldn’t take more than a few minutes a month, and it’s a quick and painless process.
Batteriesor not?
Most of our solar fountains above, such as the AISITIN 5W solar fountain or the Cocofit pump fountain, contain a small battery so that the fountain can work even when the solar panel is in the shade. Most solar panels in the fountain are 800 mAh or 1000 mAh, which is enough to run the fountain without sunlight for one or two hours. Batteries are a good option for cloudy days or if you want to enjoy the oasis in your garden in the evening.
Other wells, on the other hand, use the axe battery and rely instead on 100% solar energy to power the pump. Of course, this only limits your pump when the sun is shining and smiling. On a cloudy day, in the shade or in the evening, your sun source simply does not work.
Whether you buy a solar fountain with battery or not – for your personal taste. Batteries allow you to enjoy your solar fountain more often, but they are also more expensive than batteryless kits and wear out faster than other components such as a pump and solar panel.
Integrated or separate solar panel ?
Of the 5 solar water coolers above, three integrate the solar panel and the pump in one unit, while the other two disassemble the solar panel and the pump in two parts connected by a cable.
Integrated Sun+Pump fountains, such as the Solatec solar fountain, are the easiest to install. Actually, there’s no easy way out. Just take them out of the box and put them in the water. Nothing’s easier. They are cheap, robust and easy to use, but they have one major drawback. Since the solar panel is integrated in the pump, these products will not work in ponds or nesting boxes in the shade.
If your pond is under a tree or if your neighbour’s playhouse is shaded for most of the day, you will have to find another solution. Thank God they exist!
Some solar fountains, such as the AISITIN 5W solar fountain, separate the solar panel from the pump so that you can install the pump wherever you want, as long as the cable can reach the pump. This gives you much more versatility, but requires a little more time to set up than these one-piece fountains.
In general, we recommend using an integrated solar fountain+pump if your pond is exposed to the sun for most of the day, as it is easy to install and inexpensive to purchase. However, if your pond suffers from pleasant shade, it is best to choose a kit with a separate panel and a pump.
Conclusion
Solar fountains are an easy way to decorate any garden or bird pond in minutes. They are quick to install, consume clean solar energy and require only a $10 to $30 investment.
Our best choice for the best communal solar well, the Cocofit solar fountain, is an ideal option if you are looking for a simple and inexpensive fountain.
However, our best stones keep your algae pond free and beautiful:
Comparison of the best solar sinks for 2020
- Cocofit solar wells: Best total value
- Cosscci solar well water pump: Best value
- Azitine 5W Sunwell: Best solar cell for ponds
- Solatec solar pit: Best Sunbird Bath Fountain
- Intelligent ceramic solar fountain: Best Patio Fountain
Whatever product you choose, solar water coolers are an environmentally friendly option to give your pond a clean and soothing appearance.
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