Solar-powered water feature

[DIYintraining]

Solar-powered water fountain to add a focal point to the front garden.  Underground solar cables and solar panels mounted on post hidden behind trees so as to be inconspicuous and not detract from the view, yet receive full sun.  Concrete slab base; poly basin; cast iron fountain; solar-powered pump with battery back up; concrete blocks surrounds with removable section for access to cabling.

Materials

Concrete slab: garden edging (https://www.bunnings.com.au/saxon-100mm-x-10m-black-garden-edge_p0111367) and stakes (https://www.bunnings.com.au/growies-50-x-25mm-300mm-hardwood-gardens-stakes-10-pack_p0255912) for in-ground circular form, road base (https://www.bunnings.com.au/ki-carma-20kg-road-base-landscape-stones_p0130552),  Dingo Hi-Strength concrete (https://www.bunnings.com.au/dingo-20kg-hi-strength-concrete_p0760378)

Surrounds: pavers (https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-200-x-100-x-50mm-charcoal-mypave-paver_p3451529) , blocks (https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-eziwall-lite-retaining-wall-block-charcoal_p0028944), Selley's landscape adhesive (https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-415g-liquid-nails-landscape-stone-concrete-adhesive_p1231856 

Solar panel mount: steel post (, 20mm square steel tubing (https://www.bunnings.com.au/metal-mate-20-x-20-x-1-6mm-1m-galvanised-steel-square-tube_p1130463),  and corner brackets (https://www.bunnings.com.au/metal-mate-102-x-102-x-21-x-1-5mm-galvanised-steel-corner-bracket_p11305...)for frames, metal screws, plastic tubing caps (https://www.bunnings.com.au/australian-handyman-supplies-20-x-20mm-black-plastic-cap-insert_p1102479), Dingo Rapid Set concrete (https://www.bunnings.com.au/dingo-20kg-fast-set-hi-strength-concrete_p0760407)

Tools

Mattock

Shovel

Wheelbarrow

Level

Tape measure

Wrench

Spanners

Drill

Metal saw

Hammer

Mallet

Trowel

Steps

Step 1

Concrete slab: dug circular hole 12cm deep and 20cm larger in diameter than basin.  Spread road base on bottom.  Levelled and tamped. Used thick plastic garden edging and stakes to make form.  Mixed concrete with shovel in wheelbarrow (wish I had a mixer!).  Floated and troweled to smooth finish.  Basin and fountain installed once slab cured for about a week.  Pump installed and connected to fountain. Solar cabling run inside water pipe and buried underground.

Step 2

Solar panel mount: dug hole and steel post concreted in. Used 20mm square steel tubing and corner brackets to make frames to hold solar panels (screwed on).  Attached to steel post with recycled satellite dish adjustable angle clamp and adjusted angle for optimal solar input

Step 3

Surrounds: laid and levelled first row of blocks then glued second row on using Selley’s landscape adhesive.  Used pavers for top row, glued on using Selley’s landscape adhesive.  Used cold chisel and hammer to cut last blocks to size and make a removable section to allow access to cabling.  

[KatieC]

Hi @DIYintraining,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community! Thank you for sharing your solar-powered water feature with us, it is definitely a feature in your lovely garden and I am sure will inspire many members. For those who would like to make a solar-powered fountain of their own, do you have any tips or tricks to share? 

Our members are often featured in our Top Ideas articles like the Top 10 most popular projects of the year, you may even find yours in there one day. 

Katie

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @DIYintraining 

How classy does your fountain look! I have been looking at bird baths, fountains even small ponds for years but this one is the nicest one I have seen. I really like how you have hidden the solar panel away from the fountain itself. Where did you get the base container?

Really adds character to your yard.

Dave

[DIYintraining]

Thanks.

Got the basin at The Garden Shed (thegardenshedtamworth.com); they sell the fountain too but got mine online as they didn’t have it in stock.  

Cheers