"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
o.uk...
The first water barrel (A) on my allotment is at the top of a slight
slope and is fed by rain water gathered from the roof of my shed. I want
to put in a second barrel (B) in a direct line (no bends involved) from
the first barrel and down a slight slope. Both are fitted with taps, but I
would always prefer to drain the water from the lower barrel B as it is a
little more accessible. How best to connect these?

I have options to run a connection pipe from the upper barrel (A) to the
lower barrel (B) as follows:

1. Connect from top of barrel A to top of barrel B
2. Connect from top of barrel A to bottom of barrel B
3. Connect from bottom of barrel A to top of barrel B
4. Connect from bottom of barrel A to bottom of barrel B


Which would be the best option?

Thanks for replies in advance.

Ed




The thing to remember is that the level in each barrel will be the same.
I'm not saying that both will be 2 (or 3 or whatever) inches below the rim
but that if you place a spirit level at the height of water in the lower
barrel the upper barrel will be at that level so if the lower barrel is 1ft
below the upper and the lower is full the height of water in the upper
barrel will be 1 ft below the rim.

So, if you connect from the top of the upper barrel it will only flow to the
bottom barrel when the top barrel is full.
If you connect the bottom of the top barrel to the bottom barrel (doesn't
matter where) any water entering the top barrel will immediately flow to the
bottom barrel which sounds good.
However, in both cases, once the bottom barrel is full the top barrel will
continue to fill and because the water level is trying to be higher than the
lower barrel the lower barrel will accept the water by overflowing.

In other words, don't do it.
It's all because the two will want to be at the same level so the top one
will always be wanting to push water through to the lower one.

Two possible solutions.
Use a pump to move the water.
Take a second feed from the shed roof to the 2nd barrel. If it's an Apex
roof one side could feed the upper and the other the lower.