How long does it take to fill up your water butt?

[Ian]

I've got a 230L water butt, which is primarily used to top up the pond as required - but it was so slow to empty so I bought a butt pump last week . There's now a nice pressure and it's now good enough to power sprinklers / hose in the summer for watering - free water!

However... the drainpipe that it's attached to is far larger than a normal drain pipe (and it isn't practical to attach anywhere else), so I had to use a push-in connector to capture the water. It's nowhere near as good as the standard water butt diverters, as it tries to capture the water from the middle of the pipe, rather than the inner skin of the pipe. Because of this, it fills up very slowly. We've had loads of rain this past week, and yet the water butt is perhaps only 1/3 full.

I'm thinking about constructing a custom diverter that will capture much more of the flow, as I'd like to get 2 water butts to make sure that there's going to be plenty of water to use when it's drier... at the current rate it'll take me all spring to get enough water for a week of summer .

How long does it take your water butt to fill up?

 

[zigs]

Mine takes about 4 days, it only gets the water from one side of the garage.

 

[DrCase]

Do you have a pic of the connection your trying to make Ian ?

 

[Durgan]

I find filling is no problem it is dealing with the overflow. I use four 45 gallon drums on both sides of the house. I dispense using the wheelbarrow.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XHGLB 8 April 2009 Downspout Rainwater
Pictures indicating a simple, practical method of utilizing downspout rainwater. Barrels cost 15 dollars and all parts are standard plumbing fittings. Any urban downspout system must address the overflow problem during rainfall. The large bung hole is a reasonable compromise for overflow. The height is such that a hose may be utilized for watering plants, but I usually use five gallon buckets on a two wheeled cart. The system is readily expandable by cascading more barrels in line. I have four barrels, two on each side of the house. the system is essentially closed, hence mosquitoes are not a problem.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZVABL 16 April 2009 Downspout Water Connection.
Seasonal connections. The downspout water system was switched over to Summer mode by connecting the downspout to the storage barrels.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ESHPK 24 September 2011 Moving rainwater
There are four barrels (200 US Gallons) on each side of the house collecting rainwater. Once collected it is difficult to move to where required. My method is to dip the water out of a barrel and place in a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow has a milk carrying container in the bottom to act as a baffle to limit spillage while wheeling to the area of the garden where the water is required. The method is reasonably efficient and quick. It beats carrying 200 gallons of water in five gallon pails.

 

[LIcenter]

Is it vented to allow the air to escape while being filled?

 

[DrCase]

i have 1 down spout on mine it takes a 3" rain to get it to flood stage

 

[LIcenter]

i have 1 down spout on mine it takes a 3" rain to get it to flood stage

That is beautiful DrCase, even if you do need a kayak to prune, and weed. ;-)

 

[marlingardener]

We have three 250 gal. water collectors, one off the garage and two off the barn roof. When we get 1 1/2" of rain, the barn ones get filled. Two inches of rain usually fills the one capturing water off the garage. We fill buckets and watering cans, although one of the barn receivers is fitted with a hose connection. The only time all our water butts have emptied was during the drought two years ago.

 

[LIcenter]

We have three 250 gal. water collectors, one off the garage and two off the barn roof. When we get 1 1/2" of rain, the barn ones get filled. Two inches of rain usually fills the one capturing water off the garage. We fill buckets and watering cans, although one of the barn receivers is fitted with a hose connection. The only time all our water butts have emptied was during the drought two years ago.

That's a nice setup mg. One thing we don't have in my neck of the woods, is a water shortage. Long Island being one big aquifer, I liken my well to your holding tanks, just on a larger scale.

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Do you have a pic of the connection your trying to make Ian ?

Here's a photo of the product I had to use in the end (it's probably better to see the photo attached, as it shows the internal workings):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00D0UTRHO




It then runs off via flexible pipe to one of these water butts:



The problem is in the design of the diverter, but it was the only one I could find off-the-shelf that was compatible with the downpipe (as it's a large square-ish cross section). I may just get some rubber and form an internal gasket, so that more water is aimed at the collection point. At the moment, the collection inlet covers only 1/2 the internal diameter - but relies on most of the water falling down the middle of the downpipe which is unusual.

 

[DrCase]

Oh i see your problem now
you could plug the end of the down spout and get all the water

 

[marlingardener]

As an aside, there is a town in central Texas that is in a stage one water conservation plan. That means residents are restricted to watering lawns, gardens, etc. to certain days; The municipality is not watering parks or government building lawns; the local lake that the water is drawn from is at "historic lows"; and all of this during a very rainy spring.
Soon here in Texas it won't be what water costs, it will be if there is water to be had at any cost.

 

[Ian]

Oh i see your problem now
you could plug the end of the down spout and get all the water

Never thought of that! If adding rubber doesn't work, I'll do that - nice and simple solution .