On Sun, 09 May 2021 11:43:36 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Sun, 9 May 2021 11:03:29 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

David wrote:

the connectors will be right at the top of the
water butts

Not at the bottom, so they fill and empty in sync?

Connecting the two butts at the bottom is by far the better way to do
it IMO. You only need one tap, and you only need to drill one extra
hole, and that in the butt that is going to have the tap, as you use
the tap-hole in the other butt for the connector fitting. But you do
need both butts to be empty first, on their sides, and the assistance
of a small person to crawl inside and screw up the nut. When the nut
starts to grip, tightening it from the outside is usually practical,
so the small person doesn't have to do it from the inside. Once the
two fittings are in place, then the butts can be stood back upright
and the linking hose fitted.

Failure-critical though - one detached/damaged link and all the water goes.

I have 3 butts totalling about 550 li that are top-overflow, with no. 3
draining away from the sheds. No. 1 catches most of the crud by acting as a
settling tank. The gutters are covered by mesh but ash seeds and pine
needles...
In the autumn, when demand is low and the rains are starting, I use the
water from 2 and 3 then empty and clean out 3, repeat with 2 (after bailing
it into 3 if necessary) then bail 1 into 2 until the sediment stirs.
Cleaning 1 is the messy part and it needs a scrub as well. I save a couple
of gallons from 1 in a bucket so that the resident leeches have a temporary
home and the same water.
Usually end up with about 200 li left and 3 clean butts.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway