# Rain Barrels



## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I was out one day shopping for a rain barrel and was astonished as too how expensive it was. So I went home and did some research and discovered that I could make my own for one third the cost. I figured that the hardest part would be finding barrels for sale. I did a search on Kajiji and boom they were right there. I picked up two blue 50gal barrels for $20 each.
Next was the plumbing, so I went to Canadian Tire just across the street and they had everything I needed for $35 and I began to get busy. First thing I needed to do was give the inside of the barrels a good cleaning incase there was any contaminants so I used a full bottle of Dove detergent and scrubbed them out. I cut the hole in the top of one of them for he screen and drilled the holes for the piping. Then I dry fitted everything and then glued it all together. I drilled two holes in my deck to run to the tap and drain. Once I was done I waited a few days for the rain to fill it up. 
The Barrels are approximately 5 feet above ground so I get a bit of pressure but I am considering adding a pump to boost it up a bit.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Had an old 300 gallon oil tank that had never been used for oil. Gutter emptied into the fill hole. Mounted a "sillcock" to the pipe hole for the hose. It was set up on blocks. Worked great till it blew down in a storm. Plastic would have been nice as there was a lot of rust in the water.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice. I have a system I bought at Home Depot for about the same cost as yours. They are nice to have, my plants are loving it.. I do like your two barrel system, that the only drawback with mine, it's half the capacity of yours.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I've toyed with the idea here in W NY and might still do it. I've got two or three downspouts I could put barrels on just on the house. HD wants $90 for that one that Dave showed. A local small Hardware store chain wants $20 for the blue barrel with a brass spigot on the bottom, ready to go. Hmmm? Geuss where I'll be shopping? The question is how to hide or "pretty up" the barel at the front corner of the house near the flower beds? 

Chas


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

There will be more to follow on this project as I plan to hide all of it with a decretive wood shelf for flower pots.


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Great work! 

Unfortunately, in some US states, it is illegal to collect rainwater (specifically Colorado)....strange but true!


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Great ideas. I may be looking into this matter, as my canal I'm building has a return pool housing the pump that's a bit small. I definitely need a barrel at the downspout as I lose water from evaporation and animals drinking the canal water. The only different with mine will be that the barrel will be disguised inside a large model building and I'll allow the PVC to slowly drip water back into the system. I don't have any prototype to follow from anyone on doing this and it will be trial and error as she goes. 

Dave V


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Incidentally, since these devices are eco-friendly devices, do you get a tax break on them from the gov't?


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I purchased Fiskar 48 gallon for around $50 or so. I plan to install this weekend. Question. Why does the barrel have to be turned upside down for winterization. Why not just disconnect the hose from the drain spout and empty most of the bucket, leaving some water in the bottom to weight it down?


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Rain barrel I made about a month ago..I made the video for the Carnivorous Plants forum,
but it works well here too! 
Scot


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

nice video Scot 

Here's mine installed over weekend; didn't get any rain until last night when I took the snaps; it filled up in about 7 minutes with excess going down drainpipe into my canal. The rain barrel goes into 2 canals as you can see by the brass fixtures I added to the kit 




















I'm eventually going to daisy chain more rain barrels; in looking at other rain barrels I see some with the daisey chain going from the upper part of the barrel to the upper part of the next barrow and on some the chain is at the lower end. Is there pros or cons to each method? 

Just wondering 

Dave V


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