"Bill Grey" wrote in
:


"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




Go for option 1.

I decided to install a water butt last year and discovered that it
filled up in abut three quarters of an hour after heavy rain. When I
saw it overflowing, I decided to put another butt along side it and
fed the overflow from the top of butt "A" into the top of butt"B".
Both have taps and the system works brilliantly.. Placed butt B a few
inches below Butt "A" to make the connection easier.

Hope this helps.

Bill



I have watched this discussion with interest.
It all depends how much higher (a) is than (b)

If (a) is higher than (b) then (a) needs a tap at the bottom in order to
fill (B).
OK, (a)lets say is 12" higher than (b), then (a) will fill (b) to 12"
because a liquid, in this case water, will find the natural level.
ie:horizontal and perfectly so.

If (a) had a tap in the middle then (b) would fill 12" higher than the
tap in (a)

Of course you can control this by turning on/off at (a)

It is exactly as a surveyor or a shipwright would use a theodolite.

Hope this helps.
Marq

On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 11:58:35 +0100, shazzbat wrote:

Ah, well, that makes it a no-brainer. Raise B to the same level as A,

Yeah if that is practical.

Connect the bottom of B to the bottom of A,

And have to drain both when the connection pipe gets blocked. It will
at some point and taps are likely to cause a block as well due the
constriction.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:20:06 +0100, Ed wrote:

I don't know what KISS stuff is

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

but I have just tried the siphon method as you described and it works
brilliantly. WOW!!

Simple and effective, the water level in the two butts will remain
the same no matter which you draw off from. Obviously with B being a
foot lower than A, A won't be full. Simple to solve as you've already
said with some breeze blocks. Remember a decent sized water butt full
of water will be quite heavy, something between a 1/4 and 1/2 a tonne
depending on size. (60cm dia 1.3m high butt is over 1/3 tonne).

--
Cheers
Dave.

Ed wrote:
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?

Assuming the levels are not wildly different, option 4.

If there is a substantial difference, then option 4 with 1 or 2 for a
fail-safe.

--
Rusty

shazzbat wrote:

"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?


It depends whether you can put in a tap/isolator of some kind between
the two, otherwise -

1 or 2 will fill both tanks, but B will not start to fill until A is full.

3 or 4 will drain A into B and leave A empty.

Assuming the tanks can't be made level then the best way would be a
combination of either 1 or 2 and either 3 or 4, whichever is easiest,
but again a tap between the two will be needed.

No it won't.

Then when it rains, A
will fill first, then the overflow will fill B. Then in a dry spell, you
will empty B, then open the tap to let water flow from A to B. If you
only use 3 or 4, you will need to be there to close the tap when B is
full in order to fill A, and that may be difficult in times of little
rainfall.

Just join the bottoms of the two butts unless the difference in levels
is more than a couple of inches.

If it is, raise the lower one a tad.

1 is better than 2 because you won't need to seal against leakage at B.
3 is better than 4 for the same reason.

4 is optimum unless the levels are very different. You can get screw-up
nipples (oo-er!) with rubber gaskets to obviate any chance of a leak.

--
Rusty

Ed wrote:

I don't know what KISS stuff is

Well-established acronym for 'keep it simple, stupid'

Kisses and hugs (in the purest of senses, of course) to you mate for
your very helpful reply.

Yup. Go to your local fiendly hardware shop / DIY store and get two
screw-up nipples and a hole-saw of a suitable size.

If necessary, get a length of good quality hosepipe and two clips (I
don't like Jubilee clips and would advise against them) which contract
all round. Hose-clips from a motor factor are favourite IME.

Cut a hole near the bottom of each butt, and fit the gubbins, raising
the lower one to the level of the higher. That way they'll both overflow
at the same time. Make the lower one slightly lower than the higher, and
it will overflow first, ensuring your shed/greenhouse/w.h.y? doesn't
have wet feet.

--
Rusty

Peter Andrews wrote:

I've connected two butts (at a friends) at the same level by installing a
brass tank connector (15mm) halfway up both butts and connecting both
together with a length of hose. This way the first will fill the second
only when it's a least half full and, as the butts are 40ft apart, there
should always be some water at both ends of the garden as it is impossible
to completely drain both butts from one tap.

I like that.

I am doing something similar with the added refinement of pumps and a
1,000 gallon orange concentrate 'bottle',

Using float switches, 12v pumps will prevent any butt from overflowing
by pumping water from the top part of the butts into the big tank. This
will be around six feet above ground level.

OK, this isn't just for garden use - I shall be using the (soft) water
for washing, flushing the throne, etc, while reducing my water bill. But
there will be a butt in the greenhouse innit.

In my own garden I have four butts connected in series, down a slope,
connected with a hose and the lower ones fitted with ballcocks,

You'll never guess what IRTA...

the overflow
being on the first one by the house.

Always try to site your overflow where it will do most good. Failing
that, least harm.

--
Rusty

Dave Liquorice wrote:

/snip/

Connect the bottom of B to the bottom of A,

And have to drain both when the connection pipe gets blocked. It will
at some point and taps are likely to cause a block as well due the
constriction.

I filter the water as it goes into the butts. I acquired a number of
nylon stump-socks (for someone with a prosthesis) and lashed them to the
bottoms of the downpipes. You get around a foot of filter, which has to
be removed and cleaned-out every other year or so.

You can fit filters to the connecting pipes too.

Later, when my system is up and running, I'll put the pics and diagrams
up on the wibble.

--
Rusty

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:19:44 +0100, Rusty Hinge wrote:

Just join the bottoms of the two butts ...

Another snag with fitting tank connectors at the bottom of a butt is
having access to both sides at the same time to hold the connector
inside and screw the nut on the outside if the butt is more than a
couple of feet deep. I managed it for our 4' deep butt when replacing
the crappy, broken, plastic tap, with a 15mm full bore 1/4 turn valve
and proper plumbing bits but it was "fun".

--
Cheers
Dave.




I had my Grandson climb inside for me :-))

They were new butts and were laying flat ;-)

Mike

--
Base for a Botanic visit to the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:19:44 +0100, Rusty Hinge wrote:

Just join the bottoms of the two butts ...

Another snag with fitting tank connectors at the bottom of a butt is
having access to both sides at the same time to hold the connector
inside and screw the nut on the outside if the butt is more than a
couple of feet deep. I managed it for our 4' deep butt when replacing
the crappy, broken, plastic tap, with a 15mm full bore 1/4 turn valve
and proper plumbing bits but it was "fun".

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 01/04/10 14:05, Martin Brown wrote:
Ed wrote:
On 31/03/10 19:50, shazzbat wrote:

"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?


It depends whether you can put in a tap/isolator of some kind between
the two, otherwise -

1 or 2 will fill both tanks, but B will not start to fill until A is
full.

3 or 4 will drain A into B and leave A empty.

Assuming the tanks can't be made level then the best way would be a
combination of either 1 or 2 and either 3 or 4, whichever is easiest,
but again a tap between the two will be needed. Then when it rains, A
will fill first, then the overflow will fill B. Then in a dry spell,
you will empty B, then open the tap to let water flow from A to B. If
you only use 3 or 4, you will need to be there to close the tap when
B is full in order to fill A, and that may be difficult in times of
little rainfall.

1 is better than 2 because you won't need to seal against leakage at
B. 3 is better than 4 for the same reason.

Two things: Firstly, both tanks are already fitted with taps at the
bottom. Secondly, the difference in levels between the tops of the
two tanks is only about 1 foot, so I could easily raise the level of
the lower tank by standing on some breeze blocks so that they were
about the same.

Raise B on breeze blocks to match the levels and then use a hose filled
with water in the main tank and dipped right to the bottom of the each
tank. So long as you don't drain every last drop out of the tanks the
water will find its own level through the siphon.

So all I need to do then would be to connect a length of hose between
the two taps and leave then in the open position during rainy times so
that both barrels fill ? Then, when I want to draw off some water, I
would close both taps, pull of the hose from the lower tank , place a
water can under it, and turn the lower top on to fill.

That should be OK , I think?

More complicated than is needed. I just use a hose as a siphon when the
main tank is full to move water to the lower more convenient tanks.

Regards,
Martin Brown


Yer, agreed.

Siphon is the way to go.

Thanks
Ed

Ed wrote:

Siphon is the way to go.

Just so long as it isn't a decent whisky.

--
Rusty

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:19:44 +0100, Rusty Hinge wrote:

Just join the bottoms of the two butts ...

Another snag with fitting tank connectors at the bottom of a butt is
having access to both sides at the same time to hold the connector
inside and screw the nut on the outside if the butt is more than a
couple of feet deep. I managed it for our 4' deep butt when replacing
the crappy, broken, plastic tap, with a 15mm full bore 1/4 turn valve
and proper plumbing bits but it was "fun".

I'll bet! I've a little helper to drop in - he's good with mechanical
things...

But expensive.

--
Rusty

Hi there, I know that this is an old post but I was reading this and thought that I mite be able to help as I had a similar problem my self.

I didn't have enough space to have a water but at our new house as the only accessible drainpipe was in a tight position. I love saving water and was disheartened that I wouldn't be able to use my water butts from my old house.

I was searching the web and came across this website:

Move Water Butt - Link Water Butts - Hide Water Butt

The product is called hydrobutt. It is very slim and connects to the drainpipe then you use hosepipe from the hydrobutt to the water butt, the water butt can go anywhere you want in the garden.

So for your case, you can connect a hydro butt to your green house then have your water butts where you like, you can then link lots of waterbutts together as we'll. you can drain the water from the hydro butt or water butts.

Just an idea, Darren