Solar-Powered Pond Pumps

Popular pond pumps with few running costs and rapid delivery

Solar-powered pumps are both energy and cost-efficient.

At Swell UK, we have a variety of these environmentally-friendly pond pumps available for delivery with a range of special features. Many can be fully submerged and powered by an external panel, whilst others float on the pond surface with built-in panels as a contained unit. It's now possible to even get solar air pumps for your pond.

Solar-powered garden pumps are becoming a popular, environmentally-friendly choice among amateurs and professional pond keepers. With the growing power of backup batteries and the efficiency of solar technology, there's now little difference between the performance offered by solar-powered pumps and mains-powered pumps.

Can you get a solar pond pump?

Yes, solar-powered pumps are becoming more and more popular as they offer the same power as a regular garden pump without the need for complex wiring. Solar-powered garden pumps are economical as well, with no running costs, as opposed to a regular pump that needs constant power, adding to electricity bills.

Do solar pond pumps work?

Yes, like most technology, the early solar pond pumps were a little temperamental and stopped working on cloudy days or once the sun went down. This isn't the case for more recent solar pond pump and solar fountain pump models which feature efficient solar technology capable of storing energy in a backup battery for later use - allowing the solar fountain pump to continue working when the sun goes down or clouds block the light.

Is a solar fountain pump as powerful as a regular fountain pump?

Generally speaking, most solar-powered fountain pumps can produce the same flow rate as other fountain pumps of the same size, but there's a limit. If you're looking for a solar pond pump to rival a professional fountain pump you may struggle as the pumps of that size need an incredible amount of power.

The largest domestic pond pumps use a couple of solar panels the size of an A3 piece of paper, anything larger would require a set of much larger solar panels which would take up a large portion of most gardens.

How do I install a solar water pump?

Most solar pumps are a breeze to set up, simply find an area in your garden that gets a good amount of sun during the day and plant the solar panel using a garden spike (these are often included).

Connect the power cable from the panel into the pond pump, LED lights and nozzle. Finally, install the solar water pump wherever you want the fountain to be following the guidance given with the pump.

Are solar-powered water pumps any good?

Yes, for the most part, solar-powered water pumps are just as powerful as regular mains pumps. They are powerful enough to create flow in most small-medium ponds and produce impressive fountain displays.

What is the most powerful solar water pump?

The most powerful solar water pumps stocked by Swell UK are the Bermuda Solar Pump On Demand and the Pontec PondoSolar 1600 Control Fountain Set, both of these fountains have a 1600lph flow rate and a 20W water pump.

Each solar water pump achieves this high flow rate by using two conjoined 10W solar panels. There are few pumps on the market capable of achieving a higher flow rate without a much larger solar array.

How much does a solar water pump cost?

The price of a solar pump varies on the Swell UK site depending on several factors however, the cheapest solar models retail for a similar price to other low-end pumps while the most expensive top out at a similar price to many luxury pumps. The major financial benefit of a solar water pump is that there are no associated running costs, so over time, they will be much more cost-effective than a standard water pump.

What size solar pond pump do I need?

Working out the right size of pump for your fountain is fairly straightforward. It's all about choosing the right flow rate, you can test various flow rates by measuring out the amount of water the pump can move in a minute and pouring it into your pond to see if it would be too fast or slow.

It doesn't matter whether you're using a solar-powered pond pump or a more traditional mains-powered model, just focus on getting the right flow rate for your ponds, fountains and water features.

How do I choose the right solar pond pump?

Finding the best pond pump can be hard. There's a lot of different units on the market and they all offer subtly different features. To keep everything straightforward and easy to understand, we asked aquatics expert Jeremy Gay to create this guide for choosing solar-powered pumps. In the guide, you'll find loads of helpful tips about choosing the right flow rates, battery capacity and solar panel size for your pond or water feature.

What else do I need to buy with my solar pump?

When setting up a garden pond or water feature it's important to lay the right foundation with a pond liner and protective underlay. These will stop the pond from draining and will last for decades, even under sustained UV light.

As well as a liner, it might be worth investing in some edging to create a nice finish and climbable surface for any of your pondlife. Pond liners, underlay and edging can all be bought from Swell UK.

How do I service my solar fountain?

Servicing a solar fountain pump is just the same as any other fountain, the solar panels do not need to be serviced or maintained past occasional cleaning.

The rest of the pump should be cleaned in pond water regularly, occasionally you should also open the impeller house and clean the impeller itself - removing any blockages while checking for damages.

What do I do if something goes wrong with my solar fountain?

If there's a fault with your solar fountain pump and you have followed all maintenance instructions you may be covered by either Swell UK or a manufacturers guarantee scheme - even if you purchased your pump on Amazon.

In each case, you can report a fault or problem with your purchase, send it to the manufacturer or Swell UK and they will be able to replace like-for-like, if not give a refund for your purchase.

How long will I have to wait for my solar fountain to be delivered?

Once you have added your choice of solar fountain to your cart, along with any other purchases, you'll be able to buy all your items through Swell UK and arrange delivery (choosing from a variety of delivery options).

However, some of the products Swell UK sell are made to order and must be shipped across from mainland Europe before delivery. Furthermore, they may require delivery on a pallet if they are too large for standard delivery methods.

How can I compare solar fountain pumps?

At Swell UK, all our ranges can be compared by customer reviews (with a rating in stars), prices, details and core stats on their website page. Once you've decided on the right product for you, simply add it to your basket, arrange any services you need (such as delivery and guarantees) and arrange payment with Swell UK.