Water Fountains and Electrical Safety Considerations
Written by Michael Widner, Vice President of the Independent Electrical Contractors Association (IEC), Southern Colorado Chapter, and The Director of SCC Electrical, Inc., a full service Colorado Springs electrical contractor.
Indoor and outdoor water fountains are an excellent aesthetic addition to businesses, home gardens and indoor locations. They offer a sense of tranquility and touch of design. The peaceful sound of water traveling over each unique fountain surface and ending its journey into the pool below evokes the calming call of nature. In larger elaborate garden fountains, the water’s deep resonance can mask neighborhood noise and provide a personal retreat in the middle of our busy world. Water Fountains operate in a simple manner. Water is placed in a holding basin, an internal electric recirculation pump is turned on and water is drawn from the basin into one pipe or flexible tube and pushed to the fountain’s exit point. This is where the water either free falls to the basin or makes its way over the fountain’s contours until reaching the basin, as commonly seen in water wall fountains. Before you site any outdoor water fountain, be sure to contact your local building department, zoning office or equivalent in your city. These agencies can tell you if there are any restrictions on fountains in your area. There may be ordinances on how close you may place a fountain on the boundary of your property, if a permit is required and other restrictions.
Installing a Water Fountain: Electrical Connection Options
When your new fountain arrives home or at your business - do not rush to install it! Overlooking the proper installation of a fountain’s electrical connection may replace anticipated joy with painful frustration. Improper installation can lead to malfunction and in some cases, pose a serious electrocution hazard to humans, pets and wildlife. Electrical installation of water fountain warrants the following considerations:
Residential Indoor Water Fountains
Indoor water fountains come in all shapes and sizes but they do share one thing in common – all fountains, including wall water fountains, are filled with water and powered by electricity. Water and electricity do not mix well. Ensure your indoor fountain is safe by plugging it into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt (GFCI) protected outlet. The GFCI outlet will cause the pump to shut off and the electrical line from the wall outlet to the water fountain to de-energize if there is a short in the wiring of the pump. Without the GFCI, a person or pet will be exposed to an electrocution hazard when they touch the water and an electrical short exists. A standard outlet can easily be converted to GFCI for under $10.00 in parts. There are also plugs that are placed in a standard outlet to convert them to GFCI protection. If you are not comfortable changing the standard outlet to GFCI, call a licensed electrician for help. Once correctly installed, you will enjoy a worry-free experience with your fountain. Fountain Safety Continued....