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solar bird bath heater

17 years ago

I'm looking for a birdbath water heater (for keeping ice off the bird bath so birds can find water in winter) that is solar-powered. I have looked and looked and can't find one ANYWHERE. (There's a 'solar sipper' bird water provider, but it's not very good.) What I want is something like the link I've provided only solar-powered. Any suggestions? I'm really surprised there isn't something out there. There are solar powered fountains for bird baths. I don't know if any of them store power, so most if not all fountains don't work at night, which isn't a problem. Is the reason there's no solar-powered bird bath heater because it would take too big a panel to store enough power to keep the birdbath free of ice overnight? Maybe someone could figure out a way to have an electric backup switch on to keep the temp above freezing overnight?

Thanks for any help! (I tried to post this to an earlier thread on this topic but it didn't take for whatever reason.)

Val

Here is a link that might be useful: bird bath heaters

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Comments (6)

rachel_frome_ky
17 years ago
Here's one link where they sell a solar-powered heated bird bath

http://www.storesonline.com/site/826320/page/410157
valereee
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi, Rachel! Thanks -- I've seen the "solar sipper," but from what I understand it doesn't work very well. I think it's basically an insulated container with a black lid and a small hole the birds can drink out of. Better than nothing, but not really a de-icer.

It seems like such a no-brainer to offer a solar-powered heater for a bird bath, whether as an insert or as a standalone unit, but since no one is offering one, maybe that means it's not feasible?
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The technology and marketing for solar pump has changed quite a lot along with the time passing by. The cost for solar panels has dropped significantly since the year of 2012. Chinese solar panel manufacturers are accused of dumping their products, so that USA has imposed higher tariff on Chinese solar panel import, while the punishment does not affect the solar pump import since solar pump is more of a pump than a solar panel. The good side of this matter is that the solar pump manufacturer in China can purchase much cheaper solar panel due to the over productivity of Chinese solar panels, therefore the Chinese solar pump manufacturer can sell their solar pump at a much favorable price. We are a manufacturer in China specializing in solar pond/fountain pump kits for water feature, waterfall, fountain and drip irrigation, solar pond air pump kits for pond oxygenation, filters for pond water filtration and associated battery backups. Compared with mains power, solar power is environmentally friendly, easier to install and has no operating cost, but perhaps even more importantly, it is much safer for kids. We have exported our products world wide for more than nine years, mostly to Europe, USA and Australia etc. and established a good reputation. Moreover, all of our products are CE and RoHS certified. If you are interested in our products, we could be your trustworthy supplier. To know more about our company and our products, please come to our web site at http://www.solarever.com. If you need any help, Please contact Mr. Larry Li at larry@solarever.com. Thank you very much for your time. Best Regards, Larry Li, Hangzhou Gene Solar Industries Co., Ltd. T: +86 0571 85020097-801 : F: +86 0571 85020097-806 E: larry@solarever.com W: http://www.solarever.com Here is a link that might be useful: Hangzhou Gene Solar
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Yes, I love the monarda/bee balm, Samuel. I've never been able to grow it very well. What is the secret to growing it? Ken, as the appraisers on "Antiques Roadshow" would say, your bird bath has patina. It's much more interesting and appealing to me that way. Good find. Jim, that is a cute little finch. Do you have a lot of them? We've got many, and they live in the three blue spruce next door. I love those guys and call them the Bickersons. They bicker and chatter up a storm. They like to live in climbing roses, and in my former home, they lived in the ivy that grew on the house. I didn't realize there were nests in the ivy until I got hit in the face with bird poopla that fell out of the nest as I was cleaning the ivy. Live and learn. Diane
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chris8796
17 years ago
A solar powered bird bath heater is not practical. Painting the bowl black would have a bigger effect. It would convert 90% of the sunlight that hit it into heat. Solar PV panels are about 10% efficient (for light to elec to heat), so you'd need a panel 9 times the area of the bowl to have the same effect. It would also be very expensive. I have a thermostated one with a 60 watt heater. I've seen 44 watt ones that run continously, 44 watts x 24 hrs = ~1 kwH a day. My electric is about 5 cents a kwH in the winter (about 10 cents in the summer), so about 5 cents a day to run.

Here is a link that might be useful: 44 watt heater
chinamigarden
17 years ago
Solar powered fountains are not very reliable, and in most of the US they aren't very useful. To the point that the companies that make them, are starting to add a feature where you can also plug them in when the sun isn't bright enough.

During the winter there is even less sunlight and for a shorter time period. There just isn't enough sunlight to make it work properly. I use a heated birdbath that mounts on my porch rail. Its close to the house, and the power. The location makes it easy to get to for filling and cleaning.
planterlady
17 years ago
You really just need to keep the water moving and it will not freeze - we have a large solar powered pump and that should do the trick - just visit the site.
valereee
Original Author
17 years ago
Planterlady, what site is that?

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