Fibreglass Pond
Installing electrical accessories around water is a great way to add motion, sound, and lighting effects.
Imagine the quality of your backyard or showcase area with a waterfall or fountain, special lighting, or any of the other accessories available in the fibreglass pond market!
When you are installing anything electrical near water, however, be sure that you’re taking all cautions, with both the installation process and to ensure that over time your project won’t be a potential danger in your backyard.
- Purchase enough power the first time around
It’s easier to install something properly the first time than have to return to do a re installation.
Having enough power with an accessory is an example of this – if installing a waterfall, look at your current needs as well as those of the future – do you plan on having multiple falls, or potentially a higher output point at any time in the future?
If that is the case, it is best to look at a pump that satisfies these options the first time around. The force can (usually) be turned down, and in the future it is simply a matter of extending a pipe or tubing instead of replacing the pump.
- Ensure proper circuitry
Ensure that any plugs you’re using are connected to a GFI plug (ground fault interrupter)
These are the same type of plugs that you likely have in your bathroom, and may have in your kitchen near the sinks.
These switches work under the idea that if there is an abnormal load placed on them (for example if the circuit is shorted with water) that they will shut off before any serious damage can be done to people.
This is essential with your backyard project, as if there ever is a fault the wiring, the circuit will shut off before there can be any damage.
- Protect cabling
Electrical cabling is fairly rugged, however susceptible to damage from everyday wear and tear, as well as deterioration from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Look to keep the cabling intact with plastic tubing – this will ensure that it is the easily-replaceable tubing that receives the wear and tear, and not the electrical cord.
Tubing can be purchased in various colors, and blended in with your backyard display to ensure that it is as invisible as possible (and much less unsightly than an electrical cord).
– Get Help
While a fibreglass pond can be a great project to do over a weekend or as a family, when dealing with anything electrical, always know your limits and when you should be working with a professional.
When compared with the downside of a mismanaged project, an electrician can be well worth the money.
Consider hiring one if this project is on a level you haven’t attempted before.