I'm looking for a cheap 3" diverter valve to switch my roof rainwater
into my cistern after the roof is washed clean. Currently I'm using a
home made valve made from a 3" cross, but it's a bit stiff and I'd like
to find something better. A regular downspout diverted won't work
because the input pipe is nearly horizontal and the output to cistern is
also horizontal. The waste goes straight down, but that can be changed.

I would like to find a valve that could be operated easily by a chain or
shaft from a location 5' away. A certain amount of leakage is no
problem, we are dealing with bulk water at no pressure. The real
requirement is that it has to mate with 3" plastic DWV pipe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

You might like this solution.

Get a 55 gallon drum and put it at your downspout with spout going nearly to
bottom of drum. Put the line to your cistern though the drum at say 2/3 the
height and "T" into the downspout. Put a drain valve on the drum at the
bottom.

Now, when it rains the first 35 gallons fills the drum, the dirty water.
Then the water starts flowing to the cistern automatically. No need to go
out in the rain and/or forget at just the right time. just drain the drum
the next day.

My dad had this on his house for many years.

Karl

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:42:55 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

You might like this solution.

Get a 55 gallon drum and put it at your downspout with spout going nearly to
bottom of drum. Put the line to your cistern though the drum at say 2/3 the
height and "T" into the downspout. Put a drain valve on the drum at the
bottom.

Now, when it rains the first 35 gallons fills the drum, the dirty water.
Then the water starts flowing to the cistern automatically. No need to go
out in the rain and/or forget at just the right time. just drain the drum
the next day.

My dad had this on his house for many years.

Karl

================
Put a small [c. 1/8] hole in the bottom of the bbl. It will
drain automatically and the leak rate is small enough not to
divert much water.

"nick hull" wrote in message
.. .
I'm looking for a cheap 3" diverter valve to switch my roof rainwater
into my cistern after the roof is washed clean. Currently I'm using a
home made valve made from a 3" cross, but it's a bit stiff and I'd like
to find something better. A regular downspout diverted won't work
because the input pipe is nearly horizontal and the output to cistern is
also horizontal. The waste goes straight down, but that can be changed.

I would like to find a valve that could be operated easily by a chain or
shaft from a location 5' away. A certain amount of leakage is no
problem, we are dealing with bulk water at no pressure. The real
requirement is that it has to mate with 3" plastic DWV pipe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

Try this. they are common or I think required, to get the govmint subsidies
here in Australia.

http://www.rainharvesting.com.au/fir..._diverters.asp

They are just made from the common plastic drain pipe with a small (about
1/2 millimetre) hole in the bottom and a suitable sized plastic ball to
float up and stop surging at the top once the flo is going to the tank. It
does not matter if it leaks around the ball because the pipe is full of
water any way.

john g.

In article , nick hull wrote:
In article ,
F. George McDuffee wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:42:55 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

You might like this solution.

Get a 55 gallon drum and put it at your downspout with spout going nearly to

bottom of drum. Put the line to your cistern though the drum at say 2/3 the
height and "T" into the downspout. Put a drain valve on the drum at the
bottom.

Now, when it rains the first 35 gallons fills the drum, the dirty water.
Then the water starts flowing to the cistern automatically. No need to go
out in the rain and/or forget at just the right time. just drain the drum
the next day.

My dad had this on his house for many years.

Karl

================
Put a small [c. 1/8] hole in the bottom of the bbl. It will
drain automatically and the leak rate is small enough not to
divert much water.

Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Your gutters are less than 6" above the ground???

In article ,
F. George McDuffee wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:42:55 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

You might like this solution.

Get a 55 gallon drum and put it at your downspout with spout going nearly to
bottom of drum. Put the line to your cistern though the drum at say 2/3 the
height and "T" into the downspout. Put a drain valve on the drum at the
bottom.

Now, when it rains the first 35 gallons fills the drum, the dirty water.
Then the water starts flowing to the cistern automatically. No need to go
out in the rain and/or forget at just the right time. just drain the drum
the next day.

My dad had this on his house for many years.

Karl

================
Put a small [c. 1/8] hole in the bottom of the bbl. It will
drain automatically and the leak rate is small enough not to
divert much water.

Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article
,
"John G" wrote:

"nick hull" wrote in message
.. .
I'm looking for a cheap 3" diverter valve to switch my roof rainwater
into my cistern after the roof is washed clean. Currently I'm using a
home made valve made from a 3" cross, but it's a bit stiff and I'd like
to find something better. A regular downspout diverted won't work
because the input pipe is nearly horizontal and the output to cistern is
also horizontal. The waste goes straight down, but that can be changed.

I would like to find a valve that could be operated easily by a chain or
shaft from a location 5' away. A certain amount of leakage is no
problem, we are dealing with bulk water at no pressure. The real
requirement is that it has to mate with 3" plastic DWV pipe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

Try this. they are common or I think required, to get the govmint subsidies
here in Australia.

http://www.rainharvesting.com.au/fir..._diverters.asp

They are just made from the common plastic drain pipe with a small (about
1/2 millimetre) hole in the bottom and a suitable sized plastic ball to
float up and stop surging at the top once the flo is going to the tank. It
does not matter if it leaks around the ball because the pipe is full of
water any way.

Very good idea, I might be able to make it work. I would need a small
mod to divert the water away once the cistern is overflowing, but that
could be just a valve at the bottom of the float pipe. Thanks.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Your gutters are less than 6" above the ground???

My cistern is 6' above ground. There is lots of drop from the gutters
but I don't want them going diagonally in front of my porch, I run them
below the porch floor to improve the view, That puts them only 6" above
the cistern inlet.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article , nick hull wrote:
In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Your gutters are less than 6" above the ground???

My cistern is 6' above ground. There is lots of drop from the gutters
but I don't want them going diagonally in front of my porch, I run them
below the porch floor to improve the view, That puts them only 6" above
the cistern inlet.

You can't lower the cistern?

Doug Miller wrote:
In article , nick hull wrote:

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:


Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Your gutters are less than 6" above the ground???

My cistern is 6' above ground. There is lots of drop from the gutters
but I don't want them going diagonally in front of my porch, I run them
below the porch floor to improve the view, That puts them only 6" above
the cistern inlet.


You can't lower the cistern?


Either he has a very high porch or he meant 6' BELOW ground.

Jim

In article RC7kk.446$Ht4.129@trnddc01, Jim Chandler
wrote:

Doug Miller wrote:
In article , nick
hull wrote:

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:


Good idea, but I don't have enough vertical room to fit a 55 gal drum, I
have less than 6" to work with ;(

Your gutters are less than 6" above the ground???

My cistern is 6' above ground. There is lots of drop from the gutters
but I don't want them going diagonally in front of my porch, I run them
below the porch floor to improve the view, That puts them only 6" above
the cistern inlet.


You can't lower the cistern?


Either he has a very high porch or he meant 6' BELOW ground.

Yes my porch is high and no I can't lower the cistern, it is sitting on
the ground already. It consists of a 2500 gal SS tank and there would
be problems burying it, including draining it when needed and the
fireplug attached to the bottom (the only fireplug within 2 miles of my
house). Here in TN it is rare for the water to freeze, and the SS tank
gotten cheap from a wrecked tank truck has no trouble keeping water
fresh in the heat of the summer.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

On Jul 30, 9:19*am, nick hull wrote:
I'm looking for a cheap 3" diverter valve to switch my roof rainwater
into my cistern after the roof is washed clean. *Currently I'm using a
home made valve made from a 3" cross, but it's a bit stiff and I'd like
to find something better. *A regular downspout diverted won't work
because the input pipe is nearly horizontal and the output to cistern is
also horizontal. *The waste goes straight down, but that can be changed..

I would like to find a valve that could be operated easily by a chain or
shaft from a location 5' away. *A certain amount of leakage is no
problem, we are dealing with bulk water at no pressure. *The real
requirement is that it has to mate with 3" plastic DWV pipe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

Hello Nick,
I make 4 different Rainwater Diverters 22mm outlet, 32mm
outlet,
40mm outlet & 50mm outlet, which you can see on my website.
http://.www.j-rrs.com Also can mack them to order.
My diverters with adaptors will fit all downpipes.
Ch3eers John.