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#1
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Waterbutts
In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter.
This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Colin |
#2
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Waterbutts
"cojack" wrote in message
... In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Colin We have 5 water butts along the back of the garage and they have been there for about 10 - 12 years. However they are Industrial barrels and are I expect made of 1st Generation Plastic whereas the 'el cheapo' green water butts which are all the rage now, (we have 3) are I expect 2nd Generation reconstituted reclaimed plastic and is of a lower grade and specification. Just my thoughts Mike -- .................................................. ......... Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association www.rnshipmates.co.uk www.nsrafa.com |
#3
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Waterbutts
"cojack" wrote in message ... In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? We've not had any problems of any kind with ours, the first was bought about ten years ago, through Yorkshire Water. Mary Colin |
#4
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Waterbutts
"cojack" wrote in message ... In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Colin Although the plastic used, should be UV resitant, UV light as found in all normal daylight, will eventually break down most plastics, turning them brittle. Possibly the butts could be shielded from direct sunlight in some way. Or it might be an idea to paint the plastic with some kind of thick opaque paint which would block out any UV light. In theory, butts so treated should last almost indefinitely. michael adams .... |
#5
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Waterbutts
"michael adams" wrote in message ... "cojack" wrote in message ... In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Colin Although the plastic used, should be UV resitant, UV light as found in all normal daylight, will eventually break down most plastics, turning them brittle. Possibly the butts could be shielded from direct sunlight in some way. Or it might be an idea to paint the plastic with some kind of thick opaque paint which would block out any UV light. In theory, butts so treated should last almost indefinitely. Um, that could be why ours have lasted so long, they're all sheltered by north facing walls. Something I hadn't thought about :-) Mary michael adams ... |
#6
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Waterbutts
As a matter of interest the butts were sited in a totally shaded area
and the splits are in the base! I go for the earlier post that crap recycled plastic was used, so what guarantee that another wont break down! Colin "michael adams" wrote in message ... "cojack" wrote in message ... In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Colin Although the plastic used, should be UV resitant, UV light as found in all normal daylight, will eventually break down most plastics, turning them brittle. Possibly the butts could be shielded from direct sunlight in some way. Or it might be an idea to paint the plastic with some kind of thick opaque paint which would block out any UV light. In theory, butts so treated should last almost indefinitely. michael adams ... |
#7
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Waterbutts
"cojack" wrote in message ... As a matter of interest the butts were sited in a totally shaded area and the splits are in the base! I go for the earlier post that crap recycled plastic was used, so what guarantee that another wont break down! Colin Some of the water companies are offering deals on water butts made from 100% recycled plastic, which are guaranteed to last for 10 years. This one is 190 ltrs for £19.95, limited to Thames Water customers. http://www.getcomposting.com/thames/index2.htm There seem to be quite a lot of recycled plastic items around offering a 10 yr guarantee. Which is maybe longer than you might expect the ordinary stuff to last. michael adams |
#8
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Waterbutts
cojack wrote:
In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? I won't buy the plain green ones from garden centres: My main one is a converted chemical drum from the local farm shop. It is glass filled polythene, and about 10mm thick. It looks a bit like this one: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environ...hwaterbutt.jpg and is the same colour. Two things destroy water butts: fatique and freezing. Fatigue can be accelerated by sunlight, and is more rapid in thinner walled butts or those of a simple structure. Avoid "floppy" ones. The better purpose-made green ones are conical, rather than barrel shaped, so that as they freeze the plug of ice merely climbs up without exerting radial forces on the structure. (the weight, of course, remains the same). www.leics.gov.uk/waterbutt.gif - a sensible shape http://www.getcomposting.com/thames/index2.htm - ditto, with sensible prices http://www.homeflair-home.co.uk/cw2/...l/Slimline.gif - I'd be worried about this one freezing. |
#9
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Waterbutts
wrote in message ups.com... cojack wrote: In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? I won't buy the plain green ones from garden centres: My main one is a converted chemical drum from the local farm shop. It is glass filled polythene, and about 10mm thick. It looks a bit like this one: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environ...hwaterbutt.jpg and is the same colour. Two things destroy water butts: fatique and freezing. Fatigue can be accelerated by sunlight, and is more rapid in thinner walled butts or those of a simple structure. Avoid "floppy" ones. The better purpose-made green ones are conical, rather than barrel shaped, so that as they freeze the plug of ice merely climbs up without exerting radial forces on the structure. (the weight, of course, remains the same). Just as a matter of interest, given that the diameter becomes smaller towards the top of a cone, how is to possible for the plug of ice to rise ? I always imagined conical shaped ones were simply more stable, and easier to manufacture, being easier to extract from the moulds. michael adams .... www.leics.gov.uk/waterbutt.gif - a sensible shape http://www.getcomposting.com/thames/index2.htm - ditto, with sensible prices http://www.homeflair-home.co.uk/cw2/...l/Slimline.gif - I'd be worried about this one freezing. |
#10
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Waterbutts
"michael adams" wrote in message
... wrote in message ups.com... cojack wrote: In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? I won't buy the plain green ones from garden centres: My main one is a converted chemical drum from the local farm shop. It is glass filled polythene, and about 10mm thick. It looks a bit like this one: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environ...hwaterbutt.jpg and is the same colour. Two things destroy water butts: fatique and freezing. Fatigue can be accelerated by sunlight, and is more rapid in thinner walled butts or those of a simple structure. Avoid "floppy" ones. The better purpose-made green ones are conical, rather than barrel shaped, so that as they freeze the plug of ice merely climbs up without exerting radial forces on the structure. (the weight, of course, remains the same). Just as a matter of interest, given that the diameter becomes smaller towards the top of a cone, how is to possible for the plug of ice to rise ? I always imagined conical shaped ones were simply more stable, and easier to manufacture, being easier to extract from the moulds. michael adams ... www.leics.gov.uk/waterbutt.gif - a sensible shape http://www.getcomposting.com/thames/index2.htm - ditto, with sensible prices http://www.homeflair-home.co.uk/cw2/...l/Slimline.gif - I'd be worried about this one freezing. Inverted cone. Smaller at the bottom Mike -- .................................................. ......... Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association www.rnshipmates.co.uk www.nsrafa.com |
#11
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Waterbutts
"cojack" wrote in message
In common with many others I have installed a waterbutt via a diverter. This is also ducted into 3 others. However, I have over several years I have two 210 litre butts splitting. What do members think the life of a butt should be? Here in Australia where plastic are sold in a range of sizes from waterbutt sized to household water supply sized, I'd expect them to last at least 15 years but more like 20 (with probably a guarantee period of 10 years). |
#12
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Waterbutts
wrote in message ups.com... snip Two things destroy water butts: fatique and freezing. Fatigue can be accelerated by sunlight, and is more rapid in thinner walled butts or those of a simple structure. Avoid "floppy" ones. Everyone's worst nightmare a fatigued, cold, floppy butt:-). |
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