figure a how it works - trusted media brands, inc. a the electric pump forces water up through the...

72 APRIL 2005 THE FAMILY HANDYMAN The plastic sump can is simply a water container. It’s sold as a “sump basin” ($25) for a basement sump pump and holds about 20 gallons. A smaller container (like a 5-gallon bucket) would quickly run dry in hot or windy weather. Be sure to use a sump can with a lid that can be screwed on (see Photo 9). Plastic conduit (1-1/4 in.) is normally used to protect permanent wiring, but we used it as an under- ground pathway for the pump’s cord. Conduit is sold in 10-ft. lengths. You’ll also need an elbow and two male threaded end fittings.Your conduit run must be shorter than the pump’s cord. Don’t use an extension cord inside the conduit. Most pumps have 16- or 20-ft. cords. The liner is a waterproof barrier that channels water back into the sump can.We used a 5 x 5-ft. sheet of EPDM rubber ($25), which is tougher than most other liner materials. The underlayment is synthetic cloth that protects the liner from punc- tures. Normally, a single layer is placed under the liner. But because we set sharp stones on the liner, we spread three layers of underlayment over the liner as well.You could save about $50 by using old carpet rather than underlayment. The pump is rated by gallons per hour (gph). This rating, along with the nozzle, determines the height of the water spray. We wanted the water to shoot up at least 2 ft. and chose a 500-gph pump ($100). Smaller pumps worked fine when the sump can was full, but the spray height dropped as the water level in the can dropped. Any kind of stone, arranged in any way, can surround this fountain.We set flagstones on edge, but you could use rounded stones, a stack of stones or a bunch of colorful pebbles spread over the liner. The power supply for the pump must be GFCI protected and shel- tered by an “in-use” cover. The pump uses about as much electricity as a 100-watt light bulb. Fountain of stone 6 7 2 5 4 3 1 1 What you need 2 3 4 5 6 7 How it works The electric pump forces water up through the nozzle. The falling water trickles down between the stones, runs across the liner and drips back into the sump can. Figure A

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Figure AThe electric pump forces water up

through the nozzle. The falling water

trickles down between the stones,

runs across the liner and drips back

into the sump can.

72 APRIL 2005 THE FAMILY HANDYMAN

The plastic sump can is simply awater container. It’s sold as a “sumpbasin” ($25) for a basement sumppump and holds about 20 gallons.Asmaller container (like a 5-gallonbucket) would quickly run dry in hotor windy weather. Be sure to use asump can with a lid that can bescrewed on (see Photo 9).Plastic conduit (1-1/4 in.) is nor-mally used to protect permanentwiring, but we used it as an under-ground pathway for the pump’s cord.Conduit is sold in 10-ft. lengths.You’ll also need an elbow and twomale threaded end fittings.Your con-duit run must be shorter than thepump’s cord. Don’t use an extensioncord inside the conduit. Most pumps

have 16- or 20-ft. cords.The liner is a waterproof barrier thatchannels water back into the sumpcan.We used a 5 x 5-ft.sheet of EPDMrubber ($25), which is tougher thanmost other liner materials.The underlayment is synthetic cloththat protects the liner from punc-tures. Normally, a single layer isplaced under the liner. But becausewe set sharp stones on the liner, wespread three layers of underlaymentover the liner as well.You could saveabout $50 by using old carpet ratherthan underlayment.The pump is rated by gallons per hour(gph).This rating,along with the noz-zle,determines the height of the waterspray. We wanted the water to shoot

up at least 2 ft. and chose a 500-gph pump ($100).Smaller pumps worked fine when the sump can was full, but the spray height dropped as the water level in the can dropped.Any kind of stone, arranged in any way, can surround this fountain. We set flagstones on edge, but you could use rounded stones, a stack of stones or a bunch of colorful pebbles spread over the liner.The power supply for the pump must be GFCI protected and shel-tered by an “in-use”cover. The pump uses about as much electricity as a 100-watt light bulb.

Fountain of stone

23 21

What you need

How it worksThe electric pump forces

water up through the

nozzle. The falling water

trickles down between

the stones, runs across

the liner and drips back

into the sump can.

Figure A

45651_Fountain - F 2/18/05 7:54 PM Page 72