Utilizing Downspout Rain Water - Garden Plants and Gardening Forum

Durgan · 06-06-2008, 05:10 PM

6 June 2008 Utilizing Downspout Rain Water

6 June 2008. Utilizing Eaves Trough Water. 6 June 2008 Installing a tank for collecting eaves trough rain water.

Today a tank was installed to utilize some of the eaves trough rain water. This method is a practical approach utilizing material readily available, and making the installation as simple as possible. Total time including purchasing the necessary supplies was seven hours.

The 45 gallon drum cost $10.00 readily available from various local recycling companies.
The 3/4 inch NPT tap valve, a boiler drain valve, cost $9.96.
The fence posts cost $8.67 each for a total of $34.68.
Two eaves elbows (2) cost $3.94
Galvanized cable cost $4.42
Clamps cost $3.54
Miscellaneous cost $3.00.

Total cost. $69.54

smgardener · 06-06-2008, 10:12 PM

Hey that looks awesome. Thanks for the idea!

Durgan · 06-08-2008, 10:03 AM

8 June 2008 Rain Barrel Project Completed. 8 June 2008 Rain Barrel Project Completed.

The down spout was modified for Winter use, when the barrel will be disconnected due to freezing.

Durgan · 06-08-2008, 05:36 PM

8 June 2008 Overflow during rainstorm 8 June 2008 Overflow during rainstorm.

The overflow works well. It is raining rather hard at the present time.

Durgan · 06-09-2008, 09:28 AM

10 June 2008 Another Barrel added 10 June 2008 Another barrel added for extra capacity.

The bung is kept loosely in place, so insects have difficulty getting into the closed system. The system is almost sealed except for the feed from the downspout, and this could be sealed if it was deemed necessary.

The system is easy to withdraw water from, since the gravity feed is more than reasonable.

Durgan · 06-10-2008, 08:01 AM

Deleted due to being impractical.

Durgan · 06-16-2008, 03:37 PM

16 June 2008 Installing immersion pump for rainwater. 16 June 2008 Installing immersion pump to dispense rainfall water.

The plastic barrel is filled by gravity from the two top barrels. The pump pressure is almost the same as city water presssure, so I added a garden hose for dispensing water to the flower beds. The pump float automatically switches the system off when the water is too low in the barrel. Basically the system is still an enclosed reservoir, so no bug screening is required.

imp · 06-19-2008, 10:40 PM

Good idea, durgan.

We are planning to put in some barrels, but stepping them down from in an upright position, and let it be gravity fed.

Durgan · 06-21-2008, 01:55 PM

21 June 2008 Practical Rainwater Collection System. 21 June 2008 Practical Rainwater Collection System Construction Details.

amstspan · 06-23-2008, 05:10 PM

Thanks for this...... looks like something I can easily put together.

06-06-2008, 05:10 PM	#1
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	Utilizing Downspout Rain Water 6 June 2008 Utilizing Downspout Rain Water 6 June 2008. Utilizing Eaves Trough Water. 6 June 2008 Installing a tank for collecting eaves trough rain water. Today a tank was installed to utilize some of the eaves trough rain water. This method is a practical approach utilizing material readily available, and making the installation as simple as possible. Total time including purchasing the necessary supplies was seven hours. The 45 gallon drum cost $10.00 readily available from various local recycling companies. The 3/4 inch NPT tap valve, a boiler drain valve, cost $9.96. The fence posts cost $8.67 each for a total of $34.68. Two eaves elbows (2) cost $3.94 Galvanized cable cost $4.42 Clamps cost $3.54 Miscellaneous cost $3.00. Total cost. $69.54 __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-08-2008, 10:03 AM	#3
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	8 June 2008 Rain Barrel Project Completed. 8 June 2008 Rain Barrel Project Completed. The down spout was modified for Winter use, when the barrel will be disconnected due to freezing. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-08-2008, 05:36 PM	#4
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	8 June 2008 Overflow during rainstorm 8 June 2008 Overflow during rainstorm. The overflow works well. It is raining rather hard at the present time. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-09-2008, 09:28 AM	#5
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	10 June 2008 Another Barrel added 10 June 2008 Another barrel added for extra capacity. The bung is kept loosely in place, so insects have difficulty getting into the closed system. The system is almost sealed except for the feed from the downspout, and this could be sealed if it was deemed necessary. The system is easy to withdraw water from, since the gravity feed is more than reasonable. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-10-2008, 08:01 AM	#6
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	Deleted due to being impractical. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com Last edited by Durgan; 06-16-2008 at 03:36 PM. Reason: Impractical.

06-06-2008, 10:12 PM	#2
smgardener Grounds Keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 131 Blog Entries: 9 Images: 10	Hey that looks awesome. Thanks for the idea!

06-16-2008, 03:37 PM	#7
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	16 June 2008 Installing immersion pump for rainwater. 16 June 2008 Installing immersion pump to dispense rainfall water. The plastic barrel is filled by gravity from the two top barrels. The pump pressure is almost the same as city water presssure, so I added a garden hose for dispensing water to the flower beds. The pump float automatically switches the system off when the water is too low in the barrel. Basically the system is still an enclosed reservoir, so no bug screening is required. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-19-2008, 10:40 PM	#8
imp Green Gardener Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: North Texas Posts: 12	Good idea, durgan. We are planning to put in some barrels, but stepping them down from in an upright position, and let it be gravity fed.

06-21-2008, 01:55 PM	#9
Durgan Green Thumb Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 77	21 June 2008 Practical Rainwater Collection System. 21 June 2008 Practical Rainwater Collection System Construction Details. __________________ Durgan Zone 5B http://eesoos.notlong.com

06-23-2008, 05:10 PM	#10
amstspan Green Gardener Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1	Thanks for this...... looks like something I can easily put together.

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