| Author |
water butts and rain savers
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| nospam@nospam.org 2006-07-23, 1:25 pm |
| Hello,
Are these rain water diverters that attach your water butt to a drain
pipe any good?
I can see they would be good in light rain, but wouldn't they get
overwhelmed in heavy rain?
Also, what if there is a junction in the drain pipe above? Would the
water fall from the junction at an angle and free fall rather than go
down the side of the pipe into the rain saver?
Thanks.
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-23, 1:25 pm |
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<nospam@nospam.org> wrote in message
news:ne27c2lptm8k0gt2ocdf1lvfqacqk8k2b4@4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> Are these rain water diverters that attach your water butt to a drain
> pipe any good?
They are excellent.
>
> I can see they would be good in light rain, but wouldn't they get
> overwhelmed in heavy rain?
Not until the butt is full. The answer is to have two or more butts attached
to each other.
>
> Also, what if there is a junction in the drain pipe above? Would the
> water fall from the junction at an angle and free fall rather than go
> down the side of the pipe into the rain saver?
I don't understand that.
Mary
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| MadCow 2006-07-23, 1:25 pm |
| In message <ne27c2lptm8k0gt2ocdf1lvfqacqk8k2b4@4ax.com>,
nospam@nospam.org writes
>
>Are these rain water diverters that attach your water butt to a drain
>pipe any good?
>
Mine works now that I've refitted it in the right place.
The diverter needs to be level with the highest water surface you want
in the butt, not 18" above the butt where most people seem to put them!
They have an extra virtue: they don't require a hole in the cover over
your butt, so you don't get mosquitoes breeding in the water.
>I can see they would be good in light rain, but wouldn't they get
>overwhelmed in heavy rain?
Unless you've got a large roof area feeding a chain of several butts,
this is not a problem. A storm heavy enough to overwhelm the diverter
will fill one butt to overflowing anyaway.
>
>Also, what if there is a junction in the drain pipe above? Would the
>water fall from the junction at an angle and free fall rather than go
>down the side of the pipe into the rain saver?
>
A production engineer tells me that if you've found a way to get liquids
to fall down a pipe without touching the sides you should contact her
immediately and not talk about it in the meantime.
(ie, in practice this is not a problem)
--
Sue ];(
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"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44c39138$0$910$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...
>
> Not until the butt is full. The answer is to have two or more butts
> attached to each other.
>
> Mary
I'm thinking of attaching a second butt, but at what level should the
connecting pipe be? Forgive me if it's a stupid question!
Thanks, Eleni.
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| Peter Stockdale 2006-07-23, 1:25 pm |
|
"Eleni" <eleni.c@nospamplease.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:YtNwg.11552$F8.2184@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:44c39138$0$910$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...
>
> I'm thinking of attaching a second butt, but at what level should the
> connecting pipe be? Forgive me if it's a stupid question!
>
> Thanks, Eleni.
I have a battery of three and they connect at the bottom so the water is at
the same level in all three.
Water can either be drawn off from the singe tap at the bottom or be dipping
a can into any butt.
Connecting at any other position will cause problems.
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com
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| Peter Stockdale 2006-07-23, 1:25 pm |
| singe tap - corr - sb single
p
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-23, 5:25 pm |
|
"Eleni" <eleni.c@nospamplease.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:YtNwg.11552$F8.2184@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:44c39138$0$910$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...
>
> I'm thinking of attaching a second butt, but at what level should the
> connecting pipe be? Forgive me if it's a stupid question!
>
> Thanks, Eleni.
The instructions come with the butt. Ours is at the top, they might be
different in different designs.
Mary
>
>
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| Peter Stockdale 2006-07-23, 5:25 pm |
|
"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44c3c678$0$913$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...
>
> "Eleni" <eleni.c@nospamplease.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:YtNwg.11552$F8.2184@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> The instructions come with the butt. Ours is at the top, they might be
> different in different designs.
>
> Mary
A butt is a butt - I cannot see how there can be different designs
affecting different connection positions.
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-23, 5:25 pm |
|
"Peter Stockdale" <peter.jeanne@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:ALWdnVK-dcE4RV7ZRVnyhA@bt.com...
>
>
>
> A butt is a butt - I cannot see how there can be different designs
> affecting different connection positions.
It depends what you want. Our second butt stays full when the first is
empty - they have individual taps. It's very convenient to have independent
butts.
Mary
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|
| Mary Fisher <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> "Peter Stockdale" <peter.jeanne@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
> news:ALWdnVK-dcE4RV7ZRVnyhA@bt.com...
>
> It depends what you want. Our second butt stays full when the first is
> empty - they have individual taps. It's very convenient to have independent
> butts.
>
I prefer that the common connection is at the high level rather than the
low level.
Most of the time they work the same and there's no difference, but if
somebody leaves the tap running and forgets to turn it off, you only
lose one butt full of water instead of the whoile lot.
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"Roly" <Rolyata@Tesco.net> wrote in message
news:1hiy7w9.19lrucohg4i5xN%Rolyata@Tesco.net...
> Mary Fisher <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
> I prefer that the common connection is at the high level rather than the
> low level.
>
> Most of the time they work the same and there's no difference, but if
> somebody leaves the tap running and forgets to turn it off, you only
> lose one butt full of water instead of the whoile lot.
Thanks for all the comments. I've just found this on Harcostar's website:
Harcostar range of Water Butts can be linked together to increase water
capacity. With the aid of low level bung holes and Harcostar Linking kits,
the water levels will decrease together, so avoiding water stagnating in one
barrel whilst the other is continuously emptied.
My current butt has no instructions and no additional hole (it's quite old)
so I think when one butt's full, I'll just disconnect it and connect up the
other one...
Eleni.
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-24, 1:25 pm |
|
"Eleni" <eleni.c@nospamplease.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:SP4xg.14986$b9.10736@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
>
> Thanks for all the comments. I've just found this on Harcostar's website:
>
> Harcostar range of Water Butts can be linked together to increase water
> capacity. With the aid of low level bung holes and Harcostar Linking kits,
> the water levels will decrease together, so avoiding water stagnating in
> one barrel whilst the other is continuously emptied.
LOL! If you have enough stored water to be in a butt long enough to go
stagnant (I've never, ever, known that, I reckon it would take years) You
don't need as many butts. The idea is that you use the stored water for your
garden.
>
Mary
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| Dave Liquorice 2006-07-24, 1:25 pm |
| On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:30:10 GMT, Eleni wrote:
> My current butt has no instructions and no additional hole (it's quite
> old) so I think when one butt's full, I'll just disconnect it and
> connect up the other one...
And go out in the rain to swap the feed over when both are empty?
Personally I'd go for top connection partly as it's easier to fit (most
butts are deeper than arms are long...) and avoids the loss of all water
should one spring a leak, accidental or otherwise.
Tank connectors are available in all the sheds, I guess a bit of flexable
pipe would be better than copper. I wonder if 1" OD plastic tube will
push fit onto 1/2" female thread of a tank connector?
--
Cheers new5pam@howhill.com
Dave. pam is missing e-mail
| |
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| Dave Liquorice <new5pam@howhill.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:30:10 GMT, Eleni wrote:
>
>
> And go out in the rain to swap the feed over when both are empty?
> Personally I'd go for top connection partly as it's easier to fit (most
> butts are deeper than arms are long...) and avoids the loss of all water
> should one spring a leak, accidental or otherwise.
>
> Tank connectors are available in all the sheds, I guess a bit of flexable
> pipe would be better than copper. I wonder if 1" OD plastic tube will
> push fit onto 1/2" female thread of a tank connector?
I was about to bring up the subject of how difficult it is to fit the
inside nut of a tank connector to a thread three feet below the top of a
water butt. I had one that wasn't done up properly and ended up bribing
a child to climb inside and hold the nut for me.
Next week, tips on cleaning chimneys :-)
To connect my water butts together, I use plastic tank connectors
intended for water overflows. The pipe is about 3/4" in diameter and
flexible plastic tubing and Jubilee clips do the rest. You can get tee
pieces too, for multiple water butts. I don't trust them to be 100%
water tight under pressure, so would only use them at the top of a water
butt anyway.
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| Dave Liquorice 2006-07-26, 9:25 am |
| On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:29:42 GMT, Roly wrote:
> I was about to bring up the subject of how difficult it is to fit the
> inside nut of a tank connector to a thread three feet below the top of
> a water butt.
A tank connector only has a flange on the inside, no nut.
> To connect my water butts together, I use plastic tank connectors
> intended for water overflows.
Overflows these days are supposed to have allsorts of insect screens and
dip tubes to prevent "contamination" of the stored water. Maybe this is
why an overlow "tank connector" has a thread and nut on the inside?
--
Cheers new5pam@howhill.com
Dave. pam is missing e-mail
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-26, 5:25 pm |
|
"Roly" <Rolyata@Tesco.net> wrote in message
news:1hj061c.1np7zee1soyj2gN%Rolyata@Tesco.net...
>
> Next week, tips on cleaning chimneys :-)
First find an eight year old boy. Or a younger one if he's thinner.
>
Mary
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|
| Dave Liquorice <new5pam@howhill.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 00:29:42 GMT, Roly wrote:
>
>
> A tank connector only has a flange on the inside, no nut.
>
It doesn't make a great deal of difference if the inside part is a nut
or a flange. If it's too big to pass through the outlet hole ( which of
course it will be ), you'll need to reach further into a butt than I can
in order to fit it.
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| Dave Liquorice 2006-07-27, 9:25 am |
| On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:59:31 GMT, Roly wrote:
> It doesn't make a great deal of difference if the inside part is a nut
> or a flange. If it's too big to pass through the outlet hole ( which of
> course it will be ), you'll need to reach further into a butt than I
> can in order to fit it.
Ah but you don't have to be on the outside and inside at the same time.
Reach/crawl in, pop the tank connector through the hole, crawl out, hold
connector with one hand apply nut with other, tighten. Large pliers to
hold the threaded part whilst doing the last 1/2 turn or so, they don't
have to be murdered up not to leak if fitted properly with a soft washer
or bit of gloop (be careful on choice of gloop some will attack
plastics...).
--
Cheers new5pam@howhill.com
Dave. pam is missing e-mail
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| Janet Tweedy 2006-07-27, 9:25 am |
| In article <4KidncCMtL-nKF7ZnZ2dnUVZ8qWdnZ2d@bt.com>, Peter Stockdale
<peter.jeanne@btopenworld.com> writes
>I have a battery of three and they connect at the bottom so the water is at
>the same level in all three.
>Water can either be drawn off from the singe tap at the bottom or be dipping
>a can into any butt.
>Connecting at any other position will cause problems.
>
>Pete
>www.thecanalshop.com
>
>
What a pretty area you work in Pete! Must be lovely to have an outlet
for cuttings and spare veg and also get to see working canal horses!
janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk
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| Dave Liquorice <new5pam@howhill.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:59:31 GMT, Roly wrote:
>
>
> Ah but you don't have to be on the outside and inside at the same time.
> Reach/crawl in, pop the tank connector through the hole, crawl out, hold
> connector with one hand apply nut with other, tighten. Large pliers to
> hold the threaded part whilst doing the last 1/2 turn or so, they don't
> have to be murdered up not to leak if fitted properly with a soft washer
> or bit of gloop (be careful on choice of gloop some will attack
> plastics...).
But that's the point. If the connecter is at the top, you can easily
reach in, ibut f it's at the bottom, you, or your assistant, have to
climb inside to reach.
Unless your knuckles are in the habit of touching the ground when you
walk :-)
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| Peter Stockdale 2006-07-29, 9:25 am |
|
"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44cb117d$0$29539$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...[color=darkred]
>
>
> No - but if they do the job ... you've given me some ideas :-)
>
> Mary
Please feel free to mention them here - for comment perhaps.
Regards
pete
www.thecanalshop.com
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| Mary Fisher 2006-07-29, 9:25 am |
|
"Peter Stockdale" <peter.jeanne@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:vomdnZ6NlpYeuVbZRVnyhA@bt.com...
>
> "Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:44cb117d$0$29539$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...
>
>
> Please feel free to mention them here - for comment perhaps.
Oh, the containers you used, that's all, I'm looking round our garden and
others' too, I'll help neighbours out by relieving them of their clutter :-)
Mary
>
> Regards
> pete
> www.thecanalshop.com
>
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| Peter Stockdale 2006-07-29, 9:25 am |
|
"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:44cb46fc$0$29538$4c56ba96@master.news.zetnet.net...[color=darkred]
>
> Oh, the containers you used, that's all, I'm looking round our garden and
> others' too, I'll help neighbours out by relieving them of their clutter
> :-)
>
> Mary
[color=darkred]
I paid about £1 each for most of them and have about a dozen around the
place.
That source has now dried up unfortunately.
Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com
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