Solar rain barrel pumps are one of the most environment-friendly and economical ways of supplying water to your ponds, gardens, fish tanks, etc. at a very affordable cost.

The benefits of these barrel pumps are not limited to cost-efficiency and eco-friendliness. These barrels offer flexibility to attach an external pump when the water level becomes low, thus maintaining the water level within them.

All the solar rain barrel pumps that we have listed below are user-friendly, economical, and automated. Today’s modern era demands automated tools that save time, cost, and effort. Thus, the competition between various solar rain barrel pumps is pretty high.

The market offers assortments of pumps to choose from. This makes it challenging for you to decide on the right one that meets your requirements. To help you in making the right choice, we have listed the 10 best solar rain barrel pumps with their specifications, prices, and features.

    Editor’s Picks

    Let’s take a quick look at our top three solar rain barrel pumps.

    Best Overall

    Solariver Solar Water Pump Kit

    If your main purpose behind the implementation of a pump is purely water pumping, then Solariver Solar Water Pump is the best choice. This kit can efficiently pump water for your ponds, gardens, rainwater collection, and greenhouses.

    These are brushless submersible magnet pumps that offer an impressively long life of almost 20,000+ hours, making them highly durable and energy-efficient. The implementation phase of this solar rain barrel pump kit is very easy and involves setting up a 12-watt solar panel at a distance of approximately 16 feet from the pump. In case you desire further distance between this solar rain barrel pump and the panel, you can purchase an extension cord to make the same possible. It runs entirely on solar energy (learn the process of transforming solar power into electricity) and is independent of power batteries. Moreover, its durability exceeds most of the rain barrel pump systems.

    Best Versatility

    Algreen 500 GPH Rain Barrel Pump Kit

    The key feature of this rain barrel pump is that this can be easily coupled with the rain barrels of your choice. This makes it extremely versatile. It is perfect to water your garden.

    The installation kit comprises all the equipment and tools that you would be required for the installation. In order to maintain the cleanliness of the water, it contains a built-in dirt collector that works continuously to maintain water purity. This makes it suitable for streams, fountains, ponds, and waterfalls as well.

    Another best aspect of this barrel pump kit is its capability of controlling the water flow as and when required. This extraordinary facility of such solar energy pumps allows you to do away with the woes of maintaining the water level and water pressure consistently.

    Best Perfomance

    RainPerfect Solar Powered Barrel Pump by Rule

    This solar-powered rain barrel pump is highly efficient in creating pressure and hence, can pump about 100 gallons of water through its amazing pressure of 13 PSI.

    Not only does this barrel pump kit offers easy installation and usage, it also provides great portability as well. Yes, the pump can easily be moved to the location of your choice. In addition to this, the pump helps in the easy and robust flowing of water for the gardens. A great flow along with a portability facility is something you might want to note down.

    Unlike other expensive electrical pumps, its built-in battery can be charged super seamlessly with the help of solar energy. There is no environmental dependency here. It can be used during the daytime as well as nighttime, that too through a single recharge. So, no need to install expensive electrical pumps.

    Best Solar Rain Barrel Pumps Reviewed

    Let’s get into an in-depth review of some of the best solar pumps out there. You can also see our review of different solar panel types.

    Sunnydaze Solar Water Pump and Panel

    Sunnydaze solar water pump is a great automated water pump that comes with remote control. The kit comprises everything that you might require to install this solar-powered rain barrel pump.

    Talking about its environmental dependency, it can work seamlessly under direct sunlight. However, the same might not be possible in the nighttime. During the nighttime, it offers operation for up to 4 hours only. The reason is that during the night time, the pump takes the support of the battery for functioning; especially, during cloudy weather conditions (read our article titled ‘do solar panel function in cloudy conditions?’ for detailed explanation).

    This solar-powered water pump has all the essential qualities that you might find in other expensive electric pumps.

    Let’s understand the pros and cons of this solar-powered rain barrel pump.

    Comes with a long 16 feet cable for portability
    Comes with 2 spray heads
    Provides 1-year product warranty.
    The installation can be a daunting task for a layman with lesser technical knowledge and expertise.

    LedgleSolar Fountain Pump Garden Water Pump

    This solar-powered rain barrel pump doesn’t require the support of an electrical outlet near it for operation. The installation kit doesn’t contain any kind of plugs or screws, making it easy to install.

    This rain barrel water pump is highly demanded by the users due to its user-friendliness and customer service.

    The water pressure offered by this pump is directly dependent on the sunlight- the more the sunlight, the better the pressure. This also means that the absence of sufficient sunlight will adversely impact its functioning and output.

    Also, bear in mind, though the pump is water-resistant, it might get affected due to prolonged contact with water.

    Let’s understand the pros and cons of LedgeSolar Fountain Pump Garden Water Pump.

    Highly user-friendly and ecofriendly.
    The kit contains an assortment of spray nozzles to create user-preferred spray patterns.
    Less availability of sunlight can adversely affect the operation.

    RivenAn Solar Pump

    It’s a highly versatile and efficient solar-powered pump. The RiverAn Solar Pump can be easily used in bird bathing, gardening, fountains, fish tank, small ponds, etc.

    This solar-powered pump doesn’t require any kind of external power batteries or electricity. It is completely dependent on solar energy and hence, stops functioning when there is an absence of required sunlight.

    Additionally, prolonged contact with water can interrupt the functioning. Proper care needs to be taken to avoid such situations.

    Let’s dive deep into the pros and cons of RiverAn Solar Pump.

    It recharges itself automatically when exposed to direct sunlight.
    Highly user-friendly and environmentally friendly.
    Chances of pump damage when the solar panel is kept in continuous contact with water.

    Plow & HearthSolar Powered Rain Barrel Water Pump

    Unlike other expensive electrical pumps, this water pump doesn’t require any electricity or battery to operate. When pumped through a garden hosepipe, it offers great pressure, making it a high-powered system.

    Through a single charge, the water pump can easily pump up to 100 gallons of water. This water pump is highly demanded by the customers for its great pressure and flow capabilities.

    Let’s understand the pros and cons of Plow & HearthSolar Powered Rain Barrel Water Pump.

    The pump works fine in adverse weather situations.
    Up to 100 gallons of water can be easily pumped.
    Offer easy installation and user-friendliness.
    Batteries need to be bought separately.

    Algreen 1350 GPH Rain Barrel Pump Kit

    Its 1350 gph pump makes this Algreen pump kit one of the most powerful and efficient rain barrel water pumps. The reason it contains a high-pressure inducing pump of 1350 GPH, makes it one of the most demanded rain barrel pumps. The kit offered is highly versatile and hence, can be used easily with any barrel type. Also, it would be great to note that it is the first rainwater barrel pump that was manufactured.

    The pump offers great pressure and hence, can water your garden through a great force in comparatively less time. The usage is not just limited to lawns and gardens. The pump can be used to wash the cars as well or for any other activity that requires high-pressure water flow.

    Since the pump is completely dependent on solar energy, it is completely eco-friendly and electricity independent. A very few barrel pumps offer such great water pressure and flow.

    High-pressure pump
    Versatile
    Expensive

    RainRecycle Rain Barrel Pump

    This particular rain barrel pump can be effortlessly used with any type of container or barrel.

    The kit includes everything that would be required for a complete solar installation. The installation as well is pretty easy.

    In case you want to increase the water capacity of the pump, you can connect it to 2 other external barrels. At a very affordable price, you get a very efficient rain barrel pump which is very light on weight- approximately 8 lbs.

    What’s worth noting is its efficiency to pump water in just a few minutes. Yes, the RainRecycle Rain Barrel Pump can pump up to 65 gallons of water in about 10 minutes.

    Also, please note that you would be required to disconnect this solar-powered barrel pump after each and every use.

    All-inclusive installation kit
    Versatile
    High capacity (65 gallons of water)
    Need to disconnect the pump after each use

    Aquabarrel TurboRain Solar Pump Kit

    Aquabarrel TurboRain Solar Pump Kit can be called one of the most powerful pumps available in the market. This pump can effortlessly pump water from a distance of approximately 6 feet.

    Plus, within 60 seconds, it can pump about 3.3 gallons of water, offering great water pumping performance. The kit comes with a solar panel that contains a battery of about 20 watts.

    Read also: What is the Power Yield of Solar panels?

    Powerful pump
    High capacity (3.3 gallons of water per minute)
    Difficult installation

    Buyers Guide

    The above-mentioned specifications of the products will allow you in better decision-making. Whenever you opt for a purchase of a solar rain barrel pump, keep the following aspects in mind:

    1. Eco-friendliness

    Ensure that the product you opt for is green energy powered with lesser to zero dependencies on electricity or external batteries. This also saves you from high power bills.

    2. Durability

    Generally, the solar-powered barrel pumps are durable in nature. Some of them even offer a corrosion-free guarantee. Also, look for pumps that are waterproof or at least water-resistant. This will add to their shelf life.

    3. Efficient Flow and Pressure

    Always keep in mind to check the quality of flow and pressure that the pump offers. This point is actually a dealbreaker for quite a few.

    4. Cost-effective

    In case you can find a pump with the required capabilities and qualities, try not to fall prey to expensive products with similar performance. You might be able to get similar output at an affordable price.

    Read also: Price Associated with Solar Panels

    Final Verdict

    Solar rain barrel pumps are the future due to their eco-friendliness, affordability, and cost-effectiveness. They can offer water supply to your ponds, gardens, fish tanks, etc. at affordable cost and with minimal effort.

    Since, some of them work perfectly in darker environments but do not offer great pressure, while others offer zero support in nighttime but great pressure; it’s crucial to understand their pros and cons carefully.

    Though all the products might look similar, it is advisable to understand them in detail and then make the purchase accordingly. In our opinion, Solariver Solar Water Pump wins the race by a huge margin.

    Read also: Is Direct Sunshine Necessary for Solar Panels?

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How does a solar rain barrel pump work differ from a regular pump?

    As a rule, when the solar cells are exposed to sunlight, they store in them the solar energy they receive. This energy is then converted into DC (direct current) which is stored in the attached batteries. Hence, when the solar rain barrel pump is switched on, it uses this stored current (explore different options for storing solar energy) to pump the water.


    What is the primary differentiating factor when buying a solar pump?

    Pressure dictates the amount of water that flows through the pump. Depending on the purpose of the pump, you can choose the pump with an appropriate pressure. Higher the pressure, higher the flow. Solar pumps that offer higher pressure would be more expensive. So do keep that factor in mind too.


    For what all purposes can a solar rain barrel pump be used?

    Depending upon the pressure offered by the solar pump, you can use the pump to water your garden, fill up pools and fish tanks, or even get a small-sized waterfall working in your garden.


    Editorial Contributors
    avatar for Robert Laswell

    Robert Laswell

    Robert is a renewable energy and sustainability specialist with 10+ years of experience in the solar and renewable energy space. With experience in different organizations in the industry, he works with Today's Homeowner as a passion project promoting sustainable renewable energy ideas and products.

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