Thanks for all your help with the water butts. Just to finish things
off:

I've followed the advice I have received here and rather than use a
diverter, I have connected the drain pipe to go into the butt. There
is even a template on the lid that says "cut here for pipe".

Does it matter how deep the pipe goes into the butt? One post
mentioned taking the pipe almost to the bottom but with a small gap to
allow for any sediment. Is this the best solution? is there a reason
that the pipe has to be submerged? Why not just have a short pipe that
finishes nearer the top of the butt? This would disturb the surface of
the water when it rains; I don't know whether that makes any
difference?

People have mentioned being able to dismantle it for cleaning out
every couple of years. I think I need to solvent weld the elbows onto
the down pipe otherwise they will fall off. I made the mistake of
spraying them with silicone spray so that I could insert them easily
and now they keep falling off! Should I leave one un-glued so that I
can pull it off for servicing?

I thought the lid needed to be turned to remove it, which would be a
problem with a pipe going through it, however, it looks as though
there are just four clips. If these were all pressed in, I imagine it
could be lifted straight off.

Thanks.

Stephen wrote:
Thanks for all your help with the water butts. Just to finish things
off:

I've followed the advice I have received here and rather than use a
diverter, I have connected the drain pipe to go into the butt. There
is even a template on the lid that says "cut here for pipe".



I rigged up my 500 litre water butt so the guttering down pipe went
straight into the barrel. I've cut a piece out of the lid to take that.
And for overflow I've simply used a piece of waste pipe pushed into a
hole I made near the top of the barrel. To seal the hole I've simply
used some mastic. The arrangement works well. Every Spring I empty the
barrel and tip it up washing out all the smelly sludge at the bottom.
The overflow pipe has remained attached during this process without
falling out. However if it did so it would be a minor job to seal it
again with more mastic.


--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

"Stephen" wrote in message
...

snip

People have mentioned being able to dismantle it for cleaning out
every couple of years. I think I need to solvent weld the elbows onto
the down pipe otherwise they will fall off. I made the mistake of
spraying them with silicone spray so that I could insert them easily
and now they keep falling off! Should I leave one un-glued so that I
can pull it off for servicing?

snip

I have drilled a small hole in the side walls of the elbow connectors and
inserted a self tapping screw. They hold the pipe and bend together fine
and have been in for some years now without rusting too much. Stainless
steel would last longer but these are just plated and have done well with
plenty of life left. And of course I just unscrew them to dismantle.
--
Keith W
Sunbury on Thames
(If you can't laugh at life, it ain't worth living)

"Stephen" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all your help with the water butts. Just to finish things
off:

I've followed the advice I have received here and rather than use a
diverter, I have connected the drain pipe to go into the butt. There
is even a template on the lid that says "cut here for pipe".


What happens when the butt is full? Won't you have to take the overflow back
into the drain, so I don't see the benefit. Ours takes water from half our
roof and was full after just 1 heavy downpour - 1/4 inch of rain on the
roof will fill a 200 litre water butt, so far more goes down the drain than
is kept!

OG wrote:
"Stephen" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all your help with the water butts. Just to finish things
off:

I've followed the advice I have received here and rather than use a
diverter, I have connected the drain pipe to go into the butt. There
is even a template on the lid that says "cut here for pipe".


What happens when the butt is full? Won't you have to take the
overflow back into the drain, so I don't see the benefit.

No diverter to block up.

Ours takes
water from half our roof and was full after just 1 heavy downpour -
1/4 inch of rain on the roof will fill a 200 litre water butt, so far
more goes down the drain than is kept!

You can link several butts.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In article ,
Stephen wrote:
Thanks for all your help with the water butts. Just to finish things
off:

I've followed the advice I have received here and rather than use a
diverter, I have connected the drain pipe to go into the butt. There
is even a template on the lid that says "cut here for pipe".

Does it matter how deep the pipe goes into the butt? One post
mentioned taking the pipe almost to the bottom but with a small gap to
allow for any sediment.
If that was the one from Mary, I think she was talking about the #outlet
pipe# . . .
Is this the best solution? is there a reason
that the pipe has to be submerged? Why not just have a short pipe that
finishes nearer the top of the butt?
.. . . and ISTR someone suggesting a strainer to collect debris

This would disturb the surface of
the water when it rains; I don't know whether that makes any
difference?
[snip]
John

--
John Mulrooney
NOTE Email address IS correct but might not be checked for a while.

Research suggests that over 90% of pedestrians are the result of an accident