I'm working with a couple of cheap solar-powered fountain pumps, but their cords are a bit short for my shaded yard, which is mainly covered by a giant redwood tree. There are only a couple of sunny spots where I can install the solar panel, but those spots are too far from my fountain. I'm wondering if it's feasible to splice the cords from two or three pumps to create a longer one or if I should just buy longer cords instead. I've searched online, but most of the advice I find deals with solar panels for rooftops, which is definitely not what I'm trying to do. Can I simply splice these wires, and if yes, do you have any tips? Thanks!
2 Answers
You can splice them for sure, but there's a catch: if the cords are too long, you might face voltage drop issues. The longer the wire, the more voltage you lose, which means it might not power the pump effectively. Just keep it within a reasonable distance and you should be fine!
Yes, you can definitely splice the wires. Just make sure to plan where you'll make the splices to keep them to a minimum. Also, match the wire colors at each splice for safety. It’s a good idea to use a waterproof junction box to protect the connections or waterproof wire nuts, which work great for irrigation systems and should be fine here too.
Yeah, but remember that for longer runs, it’s important to use thicker wire to minimize that drop. A wire gauge like 10 AWG will help you avoid significant losses, even over decent lengths.