Rain Barrels

[forHIM]

So I know there are a number of gardeners / handy-persons on this board, so does anyone have a recommendation on DYI or inexpensive rain barrel systems?

I'm looking to do a quad group under my deck stairs and am looking for any suggestions and/or hints.

[morfiend]

 ForHim,

    I use a store bought unit but all you need is the diverter. If you have the diverter then just about any storage system will work.

   I have a 45 gal barrel and it waters all my gardens for the whole summer! We get charged a sewage fee based on water usage,so watering your lawn will also increase your sewage fee even though you're not using it.


   

[Babalonian]

So I know there are a number of gardeners / handy-persons on this board, so does anyone have a recommendation on DYI or inexpensive rain barrel systems?

I'm looking to do a quad group under my deck stairs and am looking for any suggestions and/or hints.

Unless gravity will be our friend for once, I'd start with figuring out and getting your hands on the pump you'll need to service the plan(s) in mind... unless you got a lot of coffee (I mean an unhealthy amount) and as defined a muscle tone as Quagmire.



So what's this gonna be for?  Suplimental irrigation?  We can get something pretty cheap that'll run a hose or two for a couple rotary lawn heads.

The storage system is easy (plastic barrels or I've done a home-made system where I took some plastic garbage pails, 2" PVC, and a caulking gun to link them all up) the collection method can be wide ranging and easy or complicated-er.


In the early 90s we were having some bad droughts here in SoCal, so my family devized this pretty elaborate settup that, long story short, we diassembled about 6-8 years ago because the cost and pain of maintaining the pump was not worth the savings/effort, and it still only would cover about 2/3 total irrigation needs.  Ours was a pretty beefy pump though, as our back yard has a good uphill slope to it from the bottom where it starts, and it tied in with our normal backyard irrigation system, requiring at least ~7.5gpm @ 35psi, idealy in the 45-55psi range.  Our water source was the washing machine discharge, with septic/eco/friendly detergent in it (yeah, was a real PITA if you discharged a super bleach-rich load from some whites or something into the "tanks").  Since it wasn't ever enough we'd dilute it with fresh water anways to be safe to our plants.  If we would collect rain and hold it for when the weather warmed up, we would need to treat it or store it in an underground tank so it wouldn't turn into an algea or mosquito issue before use (and big-underground is the only way to really store a sizable amount of rainwater to do you wany good going into a hot summer).  The laundry detergents would nix that need for treatment though, for the whole few days before we'd use it up.  Just run it through some filter and dilute it and it was good to go through the pump and to the lawn. 

In the end I just look back on our endevour with some shame, all the effort, plumbing and wiring that went into getting it all to work safely and nicely, but that's because I think we just went too big, particularly when it got down to the pump requirement and being a small residential with a big slope in the backyard.  Would of probabley worked out a lot better with some sears/honda electric sump pump and a couple rotary heads on the end of a garden hose (and in the end been a lot less wasted effort/work/$ and been a lot better money/effort saver as it was intended).

[Babalonian]

Currently with great effect, I got this home pump rig hooked up to a solar pannel that jsut has a couple small electric pumps.  They pump through a 3/4" garden hose over a levie from a creek  (so a good 250' run with a 15' rise in the middle) to a kind of picnic/lawn area in the works for our family.  The sprinkler heads are ones I made myself out of PVC and using these new rotary nozzles (Hunter Industries, MP Rotator 2000 series) that fit on traditional popup-spray bodies (IE: Rainbird Moel 1800 series).  I was in the store I think last christmas and saw them marketting something similar.  The cool thing is the pumps are so good, and these rotary heads so effecient, that I can hook as many as 4-5 on this solar pump rig and each one is still throwing over 20'.  Only thing is, even with pumping cool water, I cant leave it runnign and open exposed to the sun (but they're fine in the shade), otherwise the pumps generate so much heat I'm afraid they'll start melting solder if not worse.


I'm a AA CADD doing commercial irrigation design in my office 95% of the time for almost 10 years now, I think.  Currently my coolest project worth bragging rights is we are the consultants doing the rework/design for the California Science Center's temporary (pre-fabricated steel/structure style, until they raise funding for something surely epic) display for their soon to be recieved Space Shuttle Endevour.

[Buzzard7]

Colorado does not allow collection of rain water. Hope your state does.

[ALFAMEGA51]

I simply leave 50 gallon plastic barrels on the downward sides of my sheds, i have a gutter running along it with each end cut off to allow water drainage, with about 4 -6 full barrels, your good for a few months long as your not in the desert! 

[eagl]

Only thing is, even with pumping cool water, I cant leave it runnign and open exposed to the sun (but they're fine in the shade), otherwise the pumps generate so much heat I'm afraid they'll start melting solder if not worse.

Run some 1/4" copper tubing off of a fitting off of the pump output, and wrap a couple of coils of tubing around the pump as a heatsink.  Pipe the output back into the storage tank.  When the pump runs, it cools itself.

[forHIM]

Thanks for the response.

Primary use would be

1. gravity fed soaker hose along the raise flow bed next to the house ( the barrels would be higher than the bed)
2. watering the raise garden beds in the back yard.  These unfortunately would be level to a foot higher than the drain on the barrel system, so I may need a small pump.

If the one in the back yard works well, I may put a rain bench type off the front porch to water the container garden in the front of the house, but that would require making it look good -- I'm more about functional then pretty

[Nathan60]

Colorado does not allow collection of rain water. Hope your state does.

Really? What would the reasoning for this be?
Other than making for a higher water bill.

[Shuffler]

Really? What would the reasoning for this be?
Other than making for a higher water bill.

Very strange indeed. I'd like to know the reasoning too.



Rain barrels won't fill well unless you have water off a roof or other structure draining into it. I did not read the whole thread so you may already have this taken care of.

[Shuffler]

Currently with great effect, I got this home pump rig hooked up to a solar pannel that jsut has a couple small electric pumps.  They pump through a 3/4" garden hose over a levie from a creek  (so a good 250' run with a 15' rise in the middle) to a kind of picnic/lawn area in the works for our family.  The sprinkler heads are ones I made myself out of PVC and using these new rotary nozzles (Hunter Industries, MP Rotator 2000 series) that fit on traditional popup-spray bodies (IE: Rainbird Moel 1800 series).  I was in the store I think last christmas and saw them marketting something similar.  The cool thing is the pumps are so good, and these rotary heads so effecient, that I can hook as many as 4-5 on this solar pump rig and each one is still throwing over 20'.  Only thing is, even with pumping cool water, I cant leave it runnign and open exposed to the sun (but they're fine in the shade), otherwise the pumps generate so much heat I'm afraid they'll start melting solder if not worse.


I'm a AA CADD doing commercial irrigation design in my office 95% of the time for almost 10 years now, I think.  Currently my coolest project worth bragging rights is we are the consultants doing the rework/design for the California Science Center's temporary (pre-fabricated steel/structure style, until they raise funding for something surely epic) display for their soon to be recieved Space Shuttle Endevour.

Cool I used to own a small Lawn Irrigation Company. Enjoyed it but it was more of a hobby for me.

[Buzzard7]

Colorado law
 
In the State of Colorado, USA, the installation of rainwater collection barrels is subject to the Constitution of the State of Colorado, state statutes and case law. This is a consequence of the system of water rights in the state; the movement and holding of rainwater is inextricably linked with ownership of water rights and is enshrined in the constitution of the State of Colorado. The use of water in Colorado and other western states is governed by what is known as the prior appropriation doctrine. This system of water allocation controls who uses how much water, the types of uses allowed, and when those waters can be used. This is often referred to as the priority system or "first in time, first in right." Since all water arriving in Colorado has been allocated to "senior water right holders" since the 1850s, rainwater prevented from running downstream may not be available to its rightful owner. In 2009, legislation in Colorado was enacted that permits capture of rain water for residential use subject to strong limitations and conditions. To be permitted, a residence may not be connected to a domestic water supply system serving more than 3 single-family dwellings. The permit must be purchased from the State Engineer's office and is subject to water usage restrictions.

QUick snippet.

[Nathan60]

Thought it had to do with reducing the amount of water that get s to a feeder stream but really? How much water could people be gathering in rain barrels? Could possibly be the water co wanting more people using thier water so they can hit up your wallet.

[morfiend]

Thanks for the response.

Primary use would be

1. gravity fed soaker hose along the raise flow bed next to the house ( the barrels would be higher than the bed)

  This exactly how I do it,although I put a Tee/Y conector so I can access the water to fill a watering can without having to disconect the soaker hose. Works quite well and my barrel is only about a foot above the garden.

   Remember it's the top level of the water trying to find level,as in a water level and thats a good 3 feet above the garden. Of course once the water level drops too much it wont flow.


    

[BluBerry]

Here in Seattle a lot of people rock Rain Barrels.. here we use the drained water from the gutters and place the barrel under the down spout. Its not water you drink, unless you boil it or use other means. But we feed the garden, wash our hands, grow BLUEBERRYS.. you know.. the usual.