Water Barrel Tower Project

Amazon.com : 5 Yellow Fuel Gas Can Jug Vent Cap : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Which is of course, a SM referral link.

Here's the search:
Amazon.com: gas can vent

 

I wanted you to beg...

Ebay has them a lot cheaper than Amazon, just search for "gas can vent"

 

Here's a picture of my roof washer. I used 4 inch PVC and built a U that fills with the first 55 gallons of water after that fills, the remainder of the rain goes to the cistern. If you dig on the Internet, you'll see a formula for calculating the size of the roof washer needed for a given square footage of roof.

Here's how it looks all done:

I have a spigot epoxied into the lowest point of the roof washer and I hooked up a garden hose to that. The water leaks out the hose such that the roof washer empties in 24 hours and resets.

 

. . . handy tips I learned the hard way
1) Bypass the roof washer during the winter. Here in the Trans-Bluegrass, I only use it from April to November. The 4" PVC freezes and explodes. I have a second fitting that goes from the downspout straight to the cistern pipe for winter. I put coffee cans over the two ends so rain and snow don't get in.
2) Make the U easy to detach and upend. About once a month I have to disconnect it from the downspout and tip it over. It does it's job, but by doing so it becomes filled with nasty muck.
3) Jam some screen in the off-side end so skeeters down get in.

 

....or. You could drill a half inch hole near the top of the roof washer, insert a half inch hose, and run that almost to the bottom of the inside, then run the other end where ever you want the water to go. It will then self-siphon every time the level reaches the top of the hose, and will stop when it reaches the bottom of the hose, without any valve that can get plugged up.

 

This is the touchiest part of the whole idea. I added the spigot after the original plan called for a 1/8" hole drilled at the lowest point. That clogged. The spigot and hose clogs, but I just use a pancake air compressor and blow it out. When it really clogs, I tip the whole thing over. The problem is how much gunk gets in there and how quickly it accumulates.

Kellory: I like your idea except that siphon is going to get clogged every bit as fast as the spigot. The big problem for me is that I've got trees near the house. Spring and fall they drop gunk on the roof. Summer and Winter, it isn't a problem.

However you end up doing it, the trick is to get the roof washer drained withing 24 hours of each rain event. This past weekend, it was clogged with maple samaras. I tipped it over and got everything out and put it back before I left camp for the week.

 

It will only clog, if the tank end of the hose is down in the gunk. Keep it above the sludge level.

 

Remember: the purpose of the roofwasher is to catch gunk. Even with your method, it is only a matter of time before the sludge fills the roof washer. The trick with this is having a good way to purge the water and the gunk.

 

Yes, but you are already dumping the gunk by pivoting it. My method gets rid of the easy to plug valve.

 

The float catchment end drain down can be adjusted. It is threaded and can easily be removed for a complete cleaning.



Rain Harvesting Pty Downspout First Flush Diverter - RainHarvest Systems Online Store for Rainwater Collection, Filtering and Sustainable Re-use.

 

Nice diverter idea, thanks. And thanks DWitch for your framing ideas. Bud has about a dozen on a raised horizontal shelf. He used 4X4s for posts, mitered in the horizontal braces that the barrels rest on and screwed everything together using deck screws to prevent rust. These are all for garden/non potable use but can be used if needed. They have a big Berkey for drinking/cooking. We use one even with well water. Brother and I put a cube on 20' 4X4 posts, X braced, added siding, and it has never frozen. Occasionally the pipes did but insulation stopped that. South facing "windows" and black 5 gal. buckets provided ample passive heat. DW, have a pic of your completed shelving/storage project? Like that thing.

 

I will in a week or so. I moved down the wall to start painting and putting up shelves. When I get back to the front where the tower is I'll paint it and put the shelves on it and be done with that whole side. I've taken over the garage, tired of the mess. The Mr is a bit grumpy because I tend to make a bigger mess before I'm done, heh.

 

I came across this and thought it might be of interest...
DC 12V Solar Hot Water Circulation Pump Brushless Motor Water Pump Sale-Banggood.com

solar powered water pump...

 

It is nice when a thread is fruitful and creates an interchange of ideas.
My input was rather useless.
stg58, Apr 20, 2015..

@Witch Doctor 01

 

On the contrary....your input, supporting the efforts and contributions of others is also important....encouraging and offering recognition is an important aspect of promoting and maintaining group cohesion. People skills are just as important as technical knowledge and skills. No need to be hard on yourself...this forum is a team effort, and you are definitely pulling your weight.