Rainwater Collection System Part 4: Connecting & Testing The Totes
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2011
- Here I show how to connect and test the water pressure of my rainwater collection system.
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Thank you for your comment and recommendation. These have been supported on six cinder blocks for the last year and are doing great.
I was in Las Vegas area last week. Actually Pahrump, NV at the Front Sight weapons training institute. I had a great time with my son at their practical rifle training course.
Very nice setup.I'm really surprised the lower tank does not become air locked with it not being vented.I'm really glad it worked so well.Great video.
I second this, i wrote it all down but you kinda stumbled over a few measure ments: 41" long tubing then lastly you said 4', your design is the best I have seen and will be setting them up fairly soon, thanks alot for the info!
I didn’t think the bottom cube would fill because it was filling from the bottom, I was wrong. Excellent video 👍🏻
The totes have been sitting on six cinder blocks for almost 2 years with no signs of stress on the cinder blocks. Everything is solid. The totes are 8' tall stacked.
@ss109guy The air vents through the 2" PVC pipe as it fills. The best way to fill the lower tank is to keep both the top and lower tote's valves open and fill the bottom tote as the rainwater or hose water enters the top tote. I didn't do that because I was testing how long it took me to fill the top tote.
I couldn't agree more. Thank you very much for commenting.
Very important point I didn't hear you explain yet was the importance of using "VENTED" caps or risk a vacuum imploding the totes...
I have been looking and reading on how to make a GOOD rainwater collection system for the last month. And i have to say your video's are the best i have seen. i have learned alot and the most from what you have post on youtube. thanks!!!!!!!!!
WOW, very impressed! I've got to tell you, had my doubts, but that works like a charm. Excellent system. Thanks for sharing.
Pretty amazing the water pressure you got from your system. Great video series LDSPrepper!
@reefcut I love the camouflage idea. You need 15-45lbs of pressure for drip irrigation. In order to achieve that you will need to add a water pump to this system to build up the pressure.
Sage advice. Unique and innovative water set-up. Thanks for sharing the information.
Slick set up thanks for sharing!
Wow! That is excellent. Nicely made, nicely presented, obviously easy and workable for almost anyone. My Congratulations.
These videos are exceptional. Thank you for sharing your knowledge so freely and completely. If this question has already been answered, I apologize, but I am curious about how hot the water gets in the mid-day sun during summer.
Thank you again for the excellent information.
Nicely done. Great job, looking forward to the next part. Going to have to look and see where I can get containers like you have around here.
Yes, they have 2" valves that will screw right into the top opening of the totes. I would recommend them. I will replace the air vent with that when the top totes is empty.
LDS That system looks great! Nice job
Pete
550 gal H2O / 3 quarts of use a day use for 1 person ( w/ no replenishment) = 733 days of water for one person. AWESOME. Good detail & nice detail to the project.
@econewpower I believe that if you disconnect the top of the connecting pipe and try to fill the bottom with your water hose you'll soon find out it needs a vent, but that is an easy fix. It is similar taking a wide mouth jar and pushing it upside down in water, it won't fill regardless of how big the mouth is relative to the capacity because the air is at a level higher than the intake. Again, thanks for sharing this great idea LDSPREPPER, we all look forward to more!
I'm glad I was able to help. Please let us know how it goes.
@dumdan1988 Thank you for letting me know that my videos help your family. That is the reason I make them. I feel I am pretty prepared now. But what about my neighbors and all my neighbors world wide. It is time for me to help my brother. That includes you, your family and everyone else in the world who cares to listen.
Dude.... I am going to do this. Brilliant idea!!!
I've been thinking about making my own rain water harvesting system awesome setup bro thanks for your video. 👍😁
No problem 👍
Very impressive. Thank you very much for sharing.
SafeArmsReview just did a vid on these totes. You're ahead of the game brother. Keep up the good work!
I had thought about that. You can not see them unless you are in my back yard. I placed them with SHTF in mind.
love your videos
I like the black plastic idea because without it daylight would turn the water green. If you had issues getting this to fill/drain just run a small vent hose through the 2" pvc. Nice water tower and could be hooked up to bathroom plumbing with garden hose.
Nicely done! If i might suggest something though. When you run your down spout to the barrels put in a roof washer setup before the water goes into the tanks to remove the dirt, debris and other unwanted stuff that collects on the roof. It's just a simple extra length of pvc that runs straight down with a cap and valve at the bottom and the outlet is up around the top of your tanks. When the tube fills up then the clean water spills into your tanks. :)
We use these aswell in our ICL-IP production lines, exact same cage system.
I'd have to wait for the rain.
@jasdebcr Thank you. The reason I posted these videos is to help people looking for the fastest, cheapest, easiest way to store lots of water. I truly believe it is this.
you need to vent your lower tank or it will not fill or drain depending on its current status. I would connect the lower tank vent to the upper drain valve.
It's worth a making a trip to Houston. Get with friend who wants some as well, borrow a trailer, and head over. I pick these up all the time for well under $100.
If you turned the totes a quarter turn so the valves didn't protrude into your walk space you could go back the the simpler plumbing scheme.
Great video..
@loudlikenature the frames are made for staking. They will easily take the weight. They will not rust. They are aluminum.
I'm a plumber and been toying with a rain collection system on the cheap for a while.
One MAJOR PROBLEM with the system ( nice system over all) you used rubber Fernco couplings to connect the two tanks together. Those couplings are not pressure rated and WILL FAIL the first time you fill the tanks.
H2O weighs 7.8 lbs per gallon or 4290 lbs of weight trying to find a weak point those, couplings.
I really like the system, replace original ball valves, reduce and use threaded fittings.
I wish I could find all the cheap white PVC sewer 4" fittings you used. Our Home Depots and McClendens hardware in WA don't have that and ABS is about $10 per 4" fitting/adapter etc. I haven't checked Lowes yet but I don't have any nearby anyway. Great video tutorial by the way I've learned a ton and am following your system as close as possible.
nice setup I found some of these on craigs list as well,only thing I see you might want to change would be the concrete block setup,those blocks being turned sideways might after awhile start sinking in the ground after it rains.
@swtbrry32 I'm glad these were helpful. Thank you for subbing.
I purposely didn't list the items. Find what is available in your area and use that.
You may not have seen all the videos in this series. Please go to my playlist to see them all and how this all works as a system. The short answer is the black plastic keeps sunlight out of the water so no algae grows.
A great ideal LDS prepper, it looks terrific, thanks for sharing this great idea to others. However, I don't believe the bottom tank will fill as it is not vented, regardless of how large that connecting pipe is. It's not how large the pipe is, it is the location of the pipe that won't allow venting. May I suggest you unscrew the top cap and attache a vinyl hose or any other hose that you can take and tie to the top level of the top tank? That will allow it to vent and fill...continued...
@penney372 I watched your videos. Looks great. I agree bigger is better. I wish I had your rain.
@Rocky1765 Those are for the 275 gallon totes. Read the craigslist posts. I searched for "55 gallon" to find the tote listings.
@dumdan1988 Thanks for asking. If you use 2" PVC then there is enough room for the water to flow and the air to escape.
Hey LDS, I really like the system. that stores 10 x 55gal drums worth in much less of a foot print. I might wait to seal the tank tops. The air will be trapped in the top of the tank, under pressure yes, but it will be air. Some type of vent that rises above the height of the top tank would help. just a thought. to prove it, try your top to bottom fill test again after sealing, My thinking is that the top won't fully empty this time. I had this problem with inverted 55 gal drum.
With such good water pressure you could hook into your home plumbing system and have water for you home as well. Also the other four totes would it be possible to capture rain water from you gutter system to have a renewable source of water. Perhaps you don't get that much rain water there in Huston, but here in New England it rains all the time. We would have a problem in the winter with the water freezing.
@BaruBear77 Both the two and four totes systems will be rainwater collection systems.
It was a precaution. I can and have taken it off with a little elbow grease/effort.
Just saw video #5 You did have a problem . Great fix
Store as much as you can.
Really nice system you made. How many of these totes can be stacked on top of each other without compromising their structural integrity?
I have used Home Depot's 6 mil plastic, I used about 8 years ago for a greenhouse. It lasted 6 months and it ripped apart with the wind. the sun did a job on it. If you want to get plastic that lasts, make sure it is UV protected, That is what I use now and it lasts 4 years+
do you have a website of this project or a pdf that you don't mind sharing?
i think this is a very rational, cost effective and practical project for rain water harvesting.
Really, really nice. Makes the 55 gallon drums look sad. hahahah
Where do you acquire the 2" BSP adapter for the tote ball valve? Standard 2 " NPT are wrong thread size. Thanks.
Can you list the part numbers from which store Home Depot or Lowes for the IBC Container Spigot reducer? I also live in Houston, Texas.
Thank you.
So the static pressure of the water in the lower tote is forcing the air back out throught the 2" PVC pipe, and up into the upper tote? If so, I'm assuming that you have to keep the top tote's top "fill" lid open to vent as well during the transfer? Thanks! Great vids.
When both tanks are full, does the bottom tank balloon out?
Very clean looking. It's nice is the bottom vented I don't see how it doesn't airlock with a solid top. Your plumbing is much more simple than I had planned, any issues?
Also think about the pressure build up...Vented caps will work with different temperature extremes...
Can two people lift the tope on top of the other? Are they heavy. I like this idea, not too expensive and a small foot print.this world is getting crazier . it's a good idea to have water storage.
Thank you. It is vented.
i would do this if i had a back yard or a house
Do I understand you to say that the top tote drains into the bottom via the red screw on top ? if so, is there PVC between them, or is it gravity ?
@LDSPrepper I think I'm with dumdan, I don't understand yet how the air will vent out of the bottom box, beyond the first couple of inches. Once the cube has filled above the 2" pipe level on the bottom, how does the rest of the air escape from the top of the cube?
Will the top cube get enough force to fill up the bottom one? And wont you get an enorums pressure to the bottom valve?
Can this water freeze in these totes in colder climates?
Also ,are the frames of the totes fastened together, or are they just sitting on each other /
Is there a way to get a list of the materials that where used in the pruduction of this video. Please and thank you.
What material did you use to cover the tanks in, the black plastic?
All measurements are estimates. Buy the PVC and measure for your construction.
@pr4runner With my roof size I get about 1600 gallons with 1" of rain.
What would you think about getting used totes that were previously used for liquid fertalizer? You think if I clean them with dawn and bleach it would be acceptable to use for water storage?
Hello, On the right hand of your video shots, you have two 46 gal drums (blue) one on top of the other. Is the water in top drum connected to the water in the lower drum? If yes, how do you do the connection. Thank you. Victor
@cmikl3518 I address that and show two solutions that I use in my Rainwater Collection System Playlist. Please watch it for more info on how to build this and ventilation.
Is there enough pressure to fill the lower tote with gravity fed water from a spigot at the BOTTOM of lower tote?
To get more pressure out the bottom, the stack needs to be taller; pressure is all about the height of the water column. But, as a simple gravity-fed system, stacking totes gets much better volume of water, than barrels, in the same footprint.
See my other videos in this series for details.
I am about to start a huge project in which to snag as much rainwater as possible in the rainy season so it can be used in the dry season. When it rains here in San Antonio (down pours), I could easily fill about 10 of these with rain gutter water in one good thunderstorm. I am looking to stack these totes 2 - 3 high, and understand what you have done with the PVC connections. It looks as though you have to go outside and manually shut off valves and tighten down caps in order to fill the top tank once the bottom tank is at capacity, or am I not seeing something. Also, how did you wrap your tanks, arnt they snugged down in that cage? Did you have to cut away the bars on the top to get to it?
Advice, I live on the shore of a large spring fed lake. I have a pump driving lake water to a central part of the house for disbursement. Should I rely on that source or add some totes? thanks. Love your channel
Dirt Vid I like having water stored on site. Just in case you can't get it.
You don't need all that silicone sealant. The lid has an o-ring that takes care of that. Also the interior bung is pipe threads, so they seal fine without silicone.
@jwlrymkr It keeps the sun's rays out so no algae grows. See my previous Rainwater Collection videos for more info.
Is 525 gls enough water?? There are places that get tons of rain in one season and nothing the rest of the year. In those areas, wouldn't it be wise to put in storage to save as much as possible from the hurricane/storm season so you have all you need for the the rest of the year or more?
@moparmanpete Thanks Pete.
@tomyhill123 It keeps the sun's rays out so no algae grows. See my previous Rainwater Collection videos for more info.
So you were able to fill the bottom tote without any special venting. Makes me wonder why add venting at all like you did in Part 5.
Ok what kind of connection did you use on nozzle of the tank
@kyadak 275 gallon totes.
Have you considered rotating the totes 90 degrees so the output is facing your door. This would give you another 4 inches in your walkway.
Why did you seal the lower cap? Wouldn't the plastic on plastic be good enough or is it just a precaution? Once it's sealed, does it open at your leisure or is it sealed for good?
Maybe I am missing something or thinking about it wrong but how does the bottom tank vent (air) to fill?
I bought these used from CraigslistDOTorg.
Dude! Run that T to empty straight down! If you need more room underneath, raise the platform, (or excavate enough for a bucket. Whatever suits you.) You were right the first time, nearly.
Combination IBC Fill Port Cap Wrench.