Fountain pumps

Choosing the right fountain pump

for your landscaping water feature

A fountain pump is simply a small water pump that is powerful enough to feed water at the appropriate pressure. A buyer should be aware of the factors involved when choosing a fountain pump for your fountain or other water feature. In simplest terms, a fountain pump is submersible and has low water output under high pressure. A large volume of water does not need to be moved, just enough to provide the fountain effect that can obtained by forcing water through narrow apertures.

Filtration is also important with these pumps to avoid any clogging of the apertures. This sometimes means a separate filtering unit or sometimes a simple filter screen is installed as an integral part of the pump. Another important thing to think about is the power source. Fountain pumps need electricity. Solar is a good option if a pump with integrated solar power source is available - if not, then the old fashioned way of running wires to the site will need to be done if this is a new installation.

If you go with a pump powered by electrical wire leads, then be sure to follow all applicable safety measures like circuit breakers and proper grounding in the event of a short circuit. If wiring needs to be done, it should be done by a qualified electrician - this part of the job that is not a diy project. There might also be local regulations, codes, or ordinances that dictate doing things a certain way. If your installation is not compliant you risk property and injury, as well as future home inspection for sale.

If you don’t know what size of fountain pump you need, you can easily get a very general idea by measuring the desired flow rate with a garden hose and bucket. Point the hose up and arc the water into the bucket adjusting the your flow rate until it reaches the height you want. Then find out what the flow rate is by filling a bucket for one minute, and measuring the volume of water. The resulting amount of water in the bucket is X gallons per minute.

This wont be completely accurate due to the different orifice sizes and pressure in your water line, but it will give you an idea of what specific flow rates look like coming through your garden hose.

Another important factor to consider is what's called the head capacity of your pump. The head is the distance the pump has to be able to pump vertically. Although a pump might be able to pump 150 gallons per hour, it might not be able to do so if the water has to be pumped up to a ten foot height.

All good pump manufacturers will include this data in a graph of the flow rate for water pumped to various heights. The greater the height, obviously the more of the pumps energy is used to lift the water, and hence the less available to pump volume. In other words, the higher your fountain, the more powerful the pump has to be for the same volume of water.

If you go the route of a solar powered fountain pump, you should be aware that there is a degree of unpredictability in the height and power of the water jet. The power provided to the pump depends on the intensity of the sunlight. As this varies so does the electrical power provided to the pump, and hence its performance will vary.

It is important to know how to choose a fountain pump that will provide the effect that you want. It is easy to pay for more than you require. Smaller fountains generally need smaller pumps. There is nothing to gain by trying to use a powerful pump for small wall fountain. Pumps are available in many sizes, and you should choose one that suits your requirements. The right size pump will also be the most efficient one.