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Water butt hydrodynamics

Hi All,

I have recently bought 3 x 'Slimline' (100l) water butts and hooked one to the main down pipe with one of those water diverter fittings.

The first decent batch of rain filled the first butt and that in turn filled the second (not got the 3rd coupled yet, can't find the connection kits easily?).

Question to those who know how these (passive) diverters work [1]

*is*, would the back pressure of cross filling the second butt mean it wouldn't fill as efficiently as it filled the first?

I was thinking it might be better to split the feed *before* it enters the butts .. or 'daisy chain the feed across the input of all 3 butts (assuming that would reduce any chance of back pressure slowing the feed)?

All the best ...

T i m

[1] It's not a condensing boiler so Dr Drivel need not reply and yes, there may be an 'alt.obscure.noreplies' ng Mr Bacon but I'm happy here thanks! ;-)
Reply to
T i m
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"T i m" wrote

In theory, provided the connection pipes between the butts are large enough to self vent (ie not restrict flow) and the butts are vented themselves (so back pressure cannot develop), it shouldn't make a difference. BUT practice can be a different thing. Despite your reluctance, you may get replies and other suggestions from real experience at uk.rec.gardening, very practical lot there I've found.

Phil

Reply to
TheScullster

If it's one of the well known makes it will work perfectly, don't mess with it.

I don't understand why you can't find the connection kits ...

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

To avoid unsightly Tees and possible difficulties finding one to fit why not daisy chain the second and third butts at a slightly lower level? The first will then set the level and the others will settle out at the same.

Keep a well fitting lid or you may be plagued by gnats.

AJH

Reply to
AJH

The message from AJH contains these words:

And risk drowning curious cats who jump up for a look, fall in and can't get out.

Reply to
Guy King

First time I've ever seen anyone ask about the hydrodynamics of their butt.

The connecting pipe between 2 butts, the lower it is the sooner the 2nd butt starts filling, so the less of a problem there would be.

I would not mess with the divertor, this will cause further problems.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

I have four butts at the corners of the greenhouse. They are simply connected together with hose from tap to tap - with "T" pieces. They fill together and the water can be drawn off from a tap on one of the "T"s. If they should start to overflow the lowest butt overflow drips into yet another open butt which we'll use for washing pots - if it ever does overflow. So far they've seen us through all this dry weather

- it rained the day after I fitted them - for keeping the tomato waterbed automatically topped up and for some vegetable watering too.

I should mention that they don't just get water from the greenhouse roof. One is also top fed through a ball valve by hose from another higher level butt which collects water from the garage roof. Next year I'll probably fit more high level butts to collect water off the house roof. That's a bit more difficult as the gutters and down pipes are cast iron.

Edgar

Reply to
Edgar Iredale

More likely small birds - I seem to have to fish them from our uncovered dolly tub every spring :-(

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

It's worth it.

We collect water from the house roof and from next door's very large garage roof, the greenhouse roof (both sides) too. I've watered vegetables all during this hot dry spell - except in the greenhouse which has a trickle hose coming from one butt. That keeps the soil moist without the need for extra watering.

I feel very smug :-) But we'll be getting more soon to collect from our own garage roof and two sheds.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

Have you thought of making a cover for it?

Reply to
Guy King

Ok ..

Indeed. My thoughts were as the fist butt fills the water trickles freely from the diverter into the butt. As the butt fills to then over the level of the input fitting the water stops 'trickling and starts backing up to the threshold level of the diverter. Once it reaches the top level of the diverter the flow stops into the butt and then 'overflows' the diverter, down the down pipe.

At the point a link pipe would be filling the second butt the water would already have stopped 'trickling' into the first butt and therefore already seeing some resistance to filling?

No reluctance to try elsewhere Phil .. just an 'in' n/g joke here .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

I won't ..

I know .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Hmm, I did think of that except these butts have a 'pattern' on them and moulded connection points at the top only?

As seen on any buckets of water that are left about .. ;-( Luckily these butts come with lids that take yer nails off when you try to remove them. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Much though I like animals I'm not sure I'd miss a few of the cats that just use my garden as a toilet. Shame we don't still have the lurcher as he didn't know about the 'right to roam' thing ;-)

All the best ...

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Not if you fit it according to instructions.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

Hey, there's a first time for everything ;-)

True, and I might force the situation by raising the first butt a few mm above the second and that above the third etc (I can't move the inlet / outlet positions as they are moulded in to some degree). However, the last butt would end up filled very high so I might have to fine tune it a bit?

I hadn't intended to .. only the output hoses etc ..

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

Yes, but birds do tend to use it as a watering point. We have lots of others, dedicated and otherwise, by the way :-) A large bird bath, two hen waterers (which are used), various other vessels round the garden are all used but birds seem to have their favourite watering holes, just like humans really. It's so much fun to watch through the kitchen window.

We covered it with chicken wire this spring and that seemed to work.

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

You won't need to remove the lids!

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

Ok, so far so good ...

Neat .. ;-)

I am thinking of doing similar sometime ;-)

Anyway, back to your low coupled solution .. yes that would resolve my question but I felt it could leave the system vulnerable if you had a leak anywhere .. effectively draining the entire system? ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

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T i m

T i m

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T i m

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