Toby wrote:
"Phil L" wrote in message
newsJd8o.37381$Pi3.4794@hurricane...
Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi All,

Just wanted to get your thoughts on this one...

I am looking to install 3 water butts on a down pipe to capture as
much rain as possible. Question is, how best to connect them??

My initial thought was to...

1. Install a rain water diverter and feed the water into the first
butt
2. cut a hole a 3rd of the way up the first butt and connect this to
the bottom (ie where the tap usually goes) of butt 2. Ensuring the
pipe is horizontal. (i.e. butt 2 is higher than butt 1)
3.connect butt 3 to butt 2 again at the bottom (i.e. butt 2 and 3
are at the same height)

In ASCII art if it makes it any clearer!!......

1 2 3

[ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ] [ ]
[ ]------[ ]-----[ ]
[ ] ------ ------
-------

My thought process was that this should leave a good depth in butt 1
to fit a pump to pump the water to the garden.

Is this the best way to do it?

Thanks in advance for your help

Lee.

doing it that way will leave butt one only half filled, and the
other two only a thrird filled or less, I thought the object was to
collect as much as possible?

The lower butt will fill to the top, the 2nd and 3rd will only remain
2/3 full

Why not just do it like I've drawn in this diagram:
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=25ja9gn&s=4

Each butt fills to the top, then overflows into the next, simples.

If he has a pump in one of them, it will only be able to empty the
one it is in.


He'll have to use a watering can then :-p

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008