Water catchment systems

Google "University of Texas, water catchment". Should give you everything you want to know. My system is patterned after theirs

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Google "University of Texas, water catchment". Should give you everything you want to know. My system is patterned after their layouts.

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Thank you, do you have any pictures? I was just thinking about a basic system from the gutters into 2 x 55 gallon drums to provide water for the yard + poultry
 
Thank you, do you have any pictures? I was just thinking about a basic system from the gutters into 2 x 55 gallon drums to provide water for the yard + poultry

My system is at my hunting camp, 2000 miles away. So no pictures. It's also designed to supply drinking/bath water.

In your case just dump a down spout into one of the barrels and put a feeder manifold between the barrels and you're set to go. I'd still add a sediment trap in the down spout though.

See "The Texas Manual of Water Catchment" for a description of the sediment trap.

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I use several stainless steel tanks and pvc pipe to get the water to where it needs to go..

I also have found it helpful to use a dual diaphram air powered pump to put it under pressure to go upstairs and irrigation of livestock and gardens.
 
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I use several stainless steel tanks and pvc pipe to get the water to where it needs to go..

I also have found it helpful to use a dual diaphram air powered pump to put it under pressure to go upstairs and irrigation of livestock and gardens.

How do you power your pump?


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The pump is powered with a air compressor...

I like using it as when working with fuel or water (have a few for each) with fuel there is always the chance of a spark when using an electric pump and with water the chance of electric shock...

I picked up most of the tanks and pumps at garage sales and or industrial / goverment auctions where the remaining stuff gets given away to anyone that wants it, another benifit to owning a truck.


How do you power your pump?


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It's not much of a system, but I have 3 x55 gal drums under a downspout, which drains a lot of roof. 1/2" of rain gives me 150 gallons. It's slightly uphill from the garden, and all is pretty much good.

Got the barrels real cheap on craigslist.
Yeah that's what i want . Could u send me a pick of your gutter system I'm probably putting them on the back deck so ill get plenty of down flow
 
The pump is powered with a air compressor...

I like using it as when working with fuel or water (have a few for each) with fuel there is always the chance of a spark when using an electric pump and with water the chance of electric shock...

I picked up most of the tanks and pumps at garage sales and or industrial / goverment auctions where the remaining stuff gets given away to anyone that wants it, another benifit to owning a truck.

So the compressor is located remote to the pump and you pipe the air in. Interesting!

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anyone fine an inexpensive submersible pump, or in-line pump that works on 12v (small battery w/ small solar panel)?

Currently only have 1x 55-gal barrel collecting off of the detached garage, uphill of my raised gardens.
About 15' head at one site and 0-3' head (depending on water level) at the closest.

Point being, the pressure through a garden hose is negligible, so I wind up filling watering cans.

Thank you in advance!
 
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anyone fine an inexpensive submersible pump, or in-line pump that works on 12v (small battery w/ small solar panel)?

Currently only have 1x 55-gal barrel collecting off of the detached garage, uphill of my raised gardens.
About 15' head at one site and 0-3' head (depending on water level) at the closest.

Point being, the pressure through a garden hose is negligible, so I wind up filling watering cans.

Thank you in advance!

Flojet makes a reasonable 12v in-line that can supply 50 psi max for about $50.

http://www.zoro.com/flojet-potable-...gclid=CPa91NXT0MUCFYMCaQodUXIAHQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
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I bought a house with a 55 gallon drum below the downspout. The owners left it. Don't forget to keep an eye on the water level. It rained so much a few months ago that it overfilled and poured over the top and onto the ground by the foundation resulting in a flooded basement.

Anyone has any experience in water catchment systems or has them, could you provide pictures and/or info ,
 
I bought a house with a 55 gallon drum below the downspout. The owners left it. Don't forget to keep an eye on the water level. It rained so much a few months ago that it overfilled and poured over the top and onto the ground by the foundation resulting in a flooded basement.

You should have a spigot toward the top where you can add an overflow hose for that very reason. The same hose can also be run into another barrel to daisy-chain a bunch together for extra storage.

It sucks that your house came that way. With a new (to you) house you kind of assume things like that already work.
 
Yeah that's what i want . Could u send me a pick of your gutter system I'm probably putting them on the back deck so ill get plenty of down flow


No point in a picture - it's just what the house has, and it happens to drain a good %age of the roof (actually, it's a bad design....too much runoff at one point, but it is what it is.

I have 3 barrels. Water flows into a hole cut in the top of barrel 1 (screened to keep out crud) from a downspout I shortened.

Bottom of the barrel has a pipe nipple screwed in ( I drilled a hole and "made" the nipple fit to give it a seal) off of that is a tee, one side with a boiler cock to attach to a hose. Other end of the tee goes to a piece of PEX tubing, that goes to a Tee (same setup as 1) on 2, and another piece of PEX to a nipple on 3.
 
What are you using for a Rain Head Filter and First Flush Diverter?

I've seen plenty of pictures on line, but most companies seem to be overseas.

I'd like to find a domestic supplier for parts.
 
What are you using for a Rain Head Filter and First Flush Diverter?

I've seen plenty of pictures on line, but most companies seem to be overseas.

I'd like to find a domestic supplier for parts.

Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting has a description and cutaways. Parts are readily available from most hardware type stores.
 
True, I'll post some picture's tomorrow. This design has one major flaw , and that is the bottom valves aren't all the way in the bottom but like 7 inches higher... Other than that i'm pretty happy for 80 bucks
 
So i was cleaning out the 55 gallon barrel today. The previous owners must not have done it in some time. Lots of gunk in there. The top of the barrel is sealed. There are two holes on top, one where the water drains into from the downspout with a shitty screen. And one capped with a bung.

I reached in as far as i could with my arm and scrubbed with a sponge to get as much gunk off the side as possible. What do you suggest for reaching the lower half of the barrel? A power wash hose extension maybe? What is a good cleaner to throw in there and slosh around?

Also, there is only one hole at the bottom where they had the spigot attached to a hose for gardening. Are you saying there should be another hole at the top somewhere to attach another hose in case of overflow? This barrel doesnt have one.

If i put a hose in the top of the hole with the bung, will physics push any overflow out of the top and into the hose away from the foundation or does the hole need to be a little lower on the side for physics to pump it out in the event of overflow?



You should have a spigot toward the top where you can add an overflow hose for that very reason. The same hose can also be run into another barrel to daisy-chain a bunch together for extra storage.

It sucks that your house came that way. With a new (to you) house you kind of assume things like that already work.
 
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