Rainwater Harvesting with a Downspout Diverter
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- Опубліковано 10 лис 2019
- This video shows an easy way to divert rainwater from your roof gutters into a rain barrel or other container by installing a rainwater diverter on your downspout to collect rainwater from your house. I cut out a section from my downspout and install a rainwater diverter which I got online for about 10 bucks. The one in this video is called catch-a-raindrop or a rainwater colander. I’m sure there are different varieties out there. I cut out a section of the downspout from my gutter system, install the diverter and then use a hose to connect to a rain barrel.
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I liked the part where you were struggling with saw. That's me!
Yeah, sensei! Get that free rain!
Really great vid, Eric, Nice to know that other people struggle with hack-sawing things that want to jump around when sawing. Happens to me virtually EVERY time.
Cute. Thanks.
I would’ve cut the downspout and attached the colander just a couple of inches above the rain barrel. And I would’ve added an overflow outlet at the top of the barrel with a hose attached to another rain barrel (or back to a lower section of the downspout.)
And for the info of others; the colander filters out leaves and large debris from entering the rain barrel. It won’t filter out asphalt shingle grit.
Looking forward to more videos and thanks again!
I use a chop saw to trim my downspouts. Much easier, and cleaner cut.
Noted. Thanks.
You're very good in front of the camera, Eric!
Thanks!
Did you use the same down spout diverter for the 275 gallon tank? Was there a special cap you were able to buy that received the hose? I have a 275 gallon tank so very interested in learning more about how you set that one up.
No. The big tank (IBC) is where the rain barrel was from the previous occupant and it already had a diverter. The new diverter came with a cap much like the top for a plastic water bottle. I never use a cap for this diverter but keep the flex hose attached and just let extra water spill over the sides of the IBC onto the ground when it's full. I put the center lid on the tank when it is full or if it isn't raining to keep out mosquitos and reduce evaporation. For the big tank I had to buy an adapter that would fit the output valve so that a garden hose could be attached. They sell these on the internet under "IBC adapters".
Did you use the same catch a rain drop diverter for the IBC tank? Would you say the Catch A Raindrop catches most of the water or does it let a lot down the remaining downspout?
Different but similar. I'm not sure what is on the IBC tank. That diverter was here when I moved in. I think the diverter does catch most of the water until the tank or barrel is full.
How do you clean the collander if it gets full of leaves?
It's best to put a screen above at the roof gutter where water comes into the downspout. It will be easier to clean there rather than taking the downspout apart. I don't have many leaves on that side of the house so I haven't worried about it, but really, yes, a screen before the water goes into the downspout is a good idea.
Does it overflow with the diverter being higher than the top of the barrel?
Yes it will. I usually catch it before then and relieve it from some water.
Use pop rivets not screws,screws snag debris and clog downspout,just sayn....
Can one do this without taking the downsprout apart first?
No. The diverter has to be inserted into a section of the downspout.
Great video can you please tell me what percentage of water goes through the hose to the barrel and what percentage goes to the bottom of the down spout? Thanks
I'm not sure. I'm guessing it would be a good percentage because the way the diverter works. It has a receptacle that will probably catch most of the water unless the rain is coming down really hard and the receptacle overflows because it fills up so quick. If you really want to catch every drop you might make the downspout go directly into your container...and get a big IBC Tote . I found mine for $100. Also, I positioned my diverter too high on this downspout -- it should be just slight higher than the top of the barrel I think so that when if fills, the overflow easily backs up and goes back down the downspout.
Many thanks 🤘🏽
Hi Eric..... GREAT video. I was curious..... does 100% of the water get diverted to the hose? I didn't quite understand the actual unit and how it works? And, what are the slotted openings there for? I have seen other types of diverters that are similar to the one you installed. This one specifically called: Oatey Mystic Rainwater Collection System .... does not have the slotted openings. So, I just don't quite understand how the system works? Whenever water goes thru the downspouts.... does the water always hug the sides of the downspout as it flows down? Hope my question make sense. Thanks so much Eric. :-)
Thanks Tom. It doesn't get 100% of the water. Making sure the gutters are clean will help and probably some sort of screen at the top of the downspout where water enters from the gutter. If too much debris gets into the diverter it will stop the water from flowing into the tube. The diverter is collecting the water that runs down the insides of the downspout. The diverter acts like a section of downspout with the edge folded back in. It catches water running down the insides in that fold and sends it through the outlet. If drops come through the center without touching the walls it will bypass the diverter. I think the slots are for when water gets above the outlet where the water is diverted to your catchment tank/barrel. Instead of forcing water out of the seam where your gutter slides into the diverter or at where the hose attaches (in the case of a full tank), the water will fall back into the downspout. I'm just guessing that is the reason. Without the slots the water might somehow make it out of the seam, but I'm sure most would just come out of the spout after filling to that top edge so that's probably why the version you've seen doesn't have slots. Hope that helps.
@@ericrobertson3809 Hi Eric. Wow, thanks so much for your detailed explanation. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply back. One more quick question.... do you put like any kind of chemical, or tablet, into the rain barrel to prevent any kind of contamination, or algae, or other types of things that might want to grow inside the 55 gallon drum? I live in Oregon, and this is the first time I am going to start collecting rainwater. Ok, thanks so much Eric. Hope yourself, and your family and friends are all safe and healthy! :-)
@@tomn3610 I don't. I just use the water for watering plants. I have one container that is translucent though and that one would grow a little green algae so I built a structure around it to keep out most of the sunlight that leads to the growth. I also keep lids on the containers because we will get mosquitos if they can get in. If I was going to use it for drinking water I'd want a different kind of roof--tin or something I guess. My roof is asphalt shingles. Take care!
Where did you buy that diverter?
Not sure. I found it online. I imagine they all work pretty well. It fits a standard rainwater downspout.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BMJSL6?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Very useful! Where did you get the hose you cut to connect downspout and rain barrel? I had hard time to find an appropriate hose . Thanks.
Once you get your rain diverter (rain colander) measure the diameter where the hose attaches with a ruler or it may say on the packaging. Mine is either a half inch or 3/4 inch. I'm not sure. The hose is a bit like an accordion to help it stretch. Your local ace hardware might be the best bet for finding. The big box stores will likely have it too. I don't advise getting a hose with a metal wire in it. It may be more durable but doesn't slide on as easy. If you spend more than ten buck on the hose you are spending too much. I'm sorry I don't know the name of it and can't remember where I found it. Auto parts store may have it too if the hardware doesn't. It's cheap flexible plastic
@@ericrobertson3809 Thanks a lot for the quick response. Will try my luck in Ace or Auto parts ...
Hope it don’t rain hard like where I live
We don't get enough rain here.
I see you also didn't want to buy tin snips for 1 job 😂
That would have been too easy.
I'm sorry, man, but that's a lousy design for a diverter. You should be able to set it up and walk away. With this you have to turn on and off, as needed. Some designs fill up the barrel and then the water goes back up the connection hose and back into the downspout. That's much better.
Now that I mention it, that might be the case here: if you located the diverter just above the opening of the rain barrel - but lower than the top of the barrel - the water should flow back up the hose.
Or am I missing something?
This doesn't require turning on or off. Extra water goes out the rain spout. Same thing if the barrel fills up, it just goes out the rain spout.
@@ericrobertson3809
No, it wouldn't Eric - not the way you've set it up here in your video. The diverted water from the downspout would simply fill your barrel and overflow it. You could go out and turn it off but you shouldn't have to.
The diverter should be located just above the intake hole in your barrel but below the top of the barrel. That way, the surplus water flows back up the connecting hose and into the spout.
I'm not trying to troll you or pick a fight. Just think that you should share good information. If it didn't work, fine - nobody is going to fault you for that - but say so, and fix it.
@@ollieox9181 You may be right. I haven't paid much attention to it but I do appreciate good information. I suppose if the water drips out of the barrel that I'm okay with that--although the lid is very tight so I'm assuming if there is no place for the water to go that the tube will back up and the water will end up having no place to go but down the drain spout. I'll pay more attention to it when we have a good rain which hasn't happened in a long while now. There is no on or off switch other than removing the hose and capping the diverter.
@@ericrobertson3809
Okay, you're quite right on that - I can see how it would work if you had a watertight seal on the top. That's all right. But most rainwater barrels are modified trash bins with loose lids or have leaf filters on the top. In such cases, the position of the diverter should be lower down or it would definitely overflow.
Anyway, apart from that, it looks good.
Wrong! He cut out a big section of downspout and it was totally unnecessary. One cut is all you really need.
One cut would have been too high or too low.