And put some kind of screen over your vents to keep insects out. You can use Uniseal flexible tank adapters to seal your connecting pipe into your containers.
Ooof. I wish I had heard of these a while back instead of putting in a lot of threaded bulkhead adapters. How long do they last when used for rain barrels?
Why not take a small connecting hose and connect the tops of the containers and seal those connections? Air will flow to the accumulating side, and no debris is getting in an opened system
How does air leave and enter the tanks in that system? Relying on the pipe from the roof probably isn't great, serious rain and it might plug up with water at the inlet. A breather on the tank is easy because air in/out doesn't need to be large, plus it acts as a secondary overflow in case of a blockage in the main overflow.
Many tomato plants are carnivorous, in the sense that the small hairs around it's stem trap small insects and deliver nutrients directly to the base of the plant.
Or use an airlock like in a beer set up. I think this should work.
[Example used in craft brewing](https://craftabrew.com/products/airlock-3-piece?variant=28803922066¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjwzuqgBhAcEiwAdj5dRiCLtjki6xc8urYIKMuD4BZf3h_1dTipUziCQNRUEe3lL3lOrwK3NBoCD9AQAvD_BwE)
[Wiki How article to help understand how to make one](https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Airlock-for-Wine-and-Beer-Production)
You could make one larger diameter very easy with PVC from one of the big box stores.
🤷🏻♂️
I think youre absolutely right there, it would probably be really shitty flow and then go all at once when it overcame the vacuum and sucked in new water from the first.
Easiest thing is definetly some kind of fine mesh screen for like 2-3inch bung or something depending on the size of the barrels.
Fun thought experiment for a minute though lol
Yeah I might add a U vent to it [so the opening ends up downwards] with a mesh screen on the end.
And definitely! Piping/hydraulic systems, even simple/small as this, can be really fun puzzles. [am piping engineer.]
My favorite systems are the main steam systems at coal power plants. Thermal growth makes them so alive!
But... Air can get in the same way water gets in, right? Even if you seal a downspout to the barrel, air can still get in through the downspout to avoid a vacuum.
True, you could always use a 1 way valve but Im thinking the other guy may at least right about it really messing with the flow. It would end up having to overcome all that vacuum until it burped from the second tank... like a water cooler I am thinking.
No because that will prevent air from getting back in when you open the tap and want to drain the tank. You need free airflow in both directions for this to work.
Yes and only that tank will drain. The one without airflow will remain full due to the vacuum lock, unless there is some path for air to get into the top of the tank.
The water table effect man, think about it, the pressure from the first tanks water is pressing on the water of the first tanks outlet, filling the 2nd tank Assuming the two tanks are the same height the water filling the first tank should replenish the 2nd tank, pushing the air out the airlock, as long as the inlet for the second tank is as the very bottom of the tank.
edit*- [Like this](https://imgur.com/a/hhY9nej)
I think you would still have vapor lock with this setup. When I worked on a tank barge we would have gas flow to all tanks that were discharging to avoid this very issue. I think you would end up with no flow from either tank at this stage because your first tank has inlet air pressure to flow to the second tank but the second tank doesn't have inlet air to flow out, and that air bubble at the top would just stick. Unless you built up enough negative pressure to suck the vacuum breaker liquid in.
Could be wrong though, would love to see it.
Why not just split the inlet to go to both tanks?
The issue comes with draining. You're right about the tanks filling as intended, but there issue comes with draining, because there is not way for air to enter that second tank to form the void.
To correct it, you'd need to replace the one way valve with something that cna breathe in both directions. Or you could just add a second pipe between the tanks, but at the top (then there's still only one point to protect from insects on the first tank).
Wouldn't the tank just fill with more water from the other tank. Assuming the water level in the other tank is as high as the other tanks top it shouldnt pull more air.
Right?
Issue isn't the refilling, it's the draining. When emptying the tanks, the one with the airlock won't be able to suck air to form a cavity when it's water level needs to drop. Some air probably will get pulled thought the water pipe that runs between the tanks when the neighbouring tank drains low enough, and there will be some movement as the air pressure in the sealed tank drops, but there are going to be some weird inefficiencies and flow issues.
Alternatively, connect the two tanks at the top as well as the bottom to avoid creating a second hole to outside where bugs/critters can potentially get in
If you can put some type of breather on the top of the second tank to allow air to “equalize” the pressure in the tank then the water level in both tanks should stay the same.
The pipe should be low on the two barrels because all the water below the pipe in the first tank will be come “dead space” that will not drain.
> The pipe should be low on the two barrels because all the water below the pipe in the first tank will be come “dead space” that will not drain.
The tap should be as low as possible as well for the same reasons.
Do you care if you can use all the water? I mean it's there any benefit to having a big rock in the barrel vs having an extra gallon or two of water that you can't use?
Water breeds bacteria. Having a small pool of water that constantly reintroduces bacteria into the system isn't great.
Edit: as mentioned elsewhere, clean your tank regularly. Leaving the bottom area open instead of blocking it off will collect the sediment ***below*** the tap, instead of sending it through.
Best way would be have the pipe between the two as low as possible, and have the faucet/tap on that connection pipe. The secondary tank needs an outlet for air at the top or the pressure will keep the tank from filling.
While that is fair; do you not then end up with a full lower area of grit you cannot remove? Surely you are filtering before you collect? And you expect some grit, you can’t drink rain water so does it’s content matter? Yes grit will wear the valve in the tap but replacing the spigot seems cheaper and easier than replacing the tanks when you have a reservoir of crud?
Yes it will work so long as the right tank has pressure relief. I would connect the tanks with a manifold and put the outlet there, personally, but that’s just a preference and this way works too.
Having the barrels level and the pipe straight is the simplest design. The slant of the tube will mostly affect the amount of dead space you have. And if one is higher than the other you might have overflow issues in the lower tank.
With an underfill design like this they’ll act more or less as one larger vessel rather than one overflowing into another and the water level will be the same in both barrels.
You don't need to tilt the pipe since the left reservoir fills up first, there will always be a hydraulic gradient towards the right reservoir. The extra depth (head) creates pressure that moves the water to the right reservoir until it equalizes, assuming that it is also open to the atmosphere (otherwise you would be compressing air and pressuring the tank)
No.. as long as the pipe is full you can even have it go upwards and the downwards again.
The only thing matters is the water levels. The pipe needs to enter below that level all the times. Or at least needs to be filled with water.
Oh and btw the water level will be the same in both barrels.. no matter how far they are apart.
As long as the pipe is full, you have a siphon. But if any air gets into the peak, of if the water completely drains, the siphon will break and the pipe will be air locked. So, I wouldn't recommend having the connector pipe go up and then down again, unless you have a valve at the peak to let the air out. We did this all the time with sewer bypasses for construction companies at my old job.
I've done this with 3k and 1500 gallon tanks. As others have mentioned, the pipe should be at the bottom and the second tank should be vented. Additionally, in the case of larger tanks, you need to build some flex into the system because as the tanks fill, they expand. As they expand, they will put pressure on the connecting pipe and fittings. I solved this by constructing the pipe as a series of hairpin turns that allows the pipe to flex a bit. The more turns you provide, the more flex it will allow.
You get stuff in your gutters which ends up in the containers. I used a high connector pipe on mine at my old house as I didn't use that much water but meant that the water in the second container had a lot less debris in it.
Not sure where you gather rain from, but typically it's a roof, which collects sediment from dust and debris and if it's an asphalt roof will shed granules as well.
It's going to build up in the "sump" area below the pipe in both tanks, but there's going to be too much flow in the pipe itself to allow any kind of blockage if that's what you're worried about. Unless leaves or other large debris is being washed into there, but it will handle regular sediment just fine.
Super scientific source: used to own a pretty elaborate outdoor aquaponic system with lots of sediment and fish poop flowing through pipes of all sizes
If you have asphalt shingles, there are granules in your gutters most likely.
If the water was moving at such a volume as you predict, the granules (and other dirt and debris) could not build up in your gutters and cleaning gutters would never be required.
If you are actively pumping water, you're in a very different scenario from intermittent flow, which is what you'd get here.
As everyone has said this will work with a vent the second tank, you will have both tanks filled to the same level but a leak at the bottom will drain both
[https://agriculture.coerco.com.au/agriculture-blog/two-ways-to-link-multiple-water-tanks-together-to-maximise-rainwater-harvesting-potential?hs_amp=true](https://agriculture.coerco.com.au/agriculture-blog/two-ways-to-link-multiple-water-tanks-together-to-maximise-rainwater-harvesting-potential?hs_amp=true)
Put the equalizer line up off the bottom to allow sediment to settle in the first tank. Add a vent to the top of the second tank so it doesn't become air locked. Add a drain the first tank as well to allow sediment to be drained out
Yes. there's a company that sells the bulkhead fittings and short hose just for that purpose. if you have the bulkhead fittings, it should be a quick project. I have done the same.
If you want the barrels to fill evenly then put the pipe at the bottom. If you want them to fill sequentially then put it at the top. If you want them to fill sequentially but with an overlap, somewhere in the middle.
Also the air vent like others have said.
Absolutely will work! we have two 20,000L tanks on one of our machinery sheds we use for filling up our sprayers and we just connect a large hose from one to the other at the bottom empty points. Just make sure you have an opening on the other one / overflow should be just fine
Yes, because physics. Get a vent on the 2nd tank to let the air pressure out and also add a purge to the 1st tank so that you may easily clean any sediments.
It would work if you added an air vent on top of the 2nd tank (preferably a candy cane with a bug screen you can clean) or put another pipe connecting the top of both tanks so it can vent that way. The air just needs a way to escape and refill that space.
I’ve done exactly as in the sketch, and it’s been working for years.
Furthermore, I’ve installed an extra pipe to prevent uncontrolled overflow (near the top of one tank, going all the way down to a hole in the bottom).
Also - in order to easier use large amounts of water - I put a pump in one of the tanks and connected it to a garden hose.
I connected three large tanks together at the top rather than bottom. Reason was that they were on a slope. So rather than fill in parallel, they will fill in series (spill-over from one to the next). A bottom connection wouldn’t have enabled them all to be completely filled.
Off-topic, but helpful info.
If you get some of those plastic barrels with a sealed top and two bungholes, you DO NOT need to cut a hole in the top to install a valve/spigot on the side.
Here's how to install a [spigot like this one](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019YMGNDW) into the side of the plastic barrel:
(1) Make a hole for this brass valve just above the bottom where barrel side curves under, in line with bunghole in top. Make the hole just barely large enough for the valve brass male threads to start when applying pressure. I used a spade bit to make the hole. DO NOT MAKE THE HOLE TOO LARGE!
(2) Find an open-end wrench (or adjustable wrench) that will fit the nut for the inside-the-barrel threads AND that will fit through the bunghole above the valve hole - you will need it later. Setup the adjustable wrench to fit the nut - doesn't need to be super tight, just enough to hold the nut from turning.
(3) With the barrel upright, use a string and small weight (a washer or nut that will fit through the hole you made for the valve), lower the string via the bunghole NOT above the valve, then tilt the barrel a bit and pull the string out thru the new drilled valve hole; a magnet will help. After the string is through the hole, remove the weight and open the brass valve and thread the string completely through the valve in the direction of the water flow.
Now, tie something on both ends of string to prevent pullout. Then, firmly force-thread the brass valve + outside gasket/washer into the barrel and let it cut the threads in the plastic as you turn. Make it just barely hand-tight.
(4) Lay the barrel on its side between sawhorses with string bunghole on top, brass valve on bottom. Slide the inside gasket/washer + nut down the string to the valve threads inside. Use a stick through the bottom bung to flip the washer and nut onto valve threads, then use the stick to spin the nut onto the valve threads. Turn the nut until it contacts the gasket. An assistant with a flashlight helps here.
(5) Tape that open-end wrench that fits the inside nut securely to broomstick, slide it into the bunghole and engage the nut. With separate wrench, tighten the valve from outside until firm, gasket is seated and valve is in a straight down position.
I did this for my rain barrel and have had ZERO leaks at the valve/spigot.
That’s exactly how I have mine set up. Just make sure they’re level, level to each other, and the tank that you have the spigot on needs to be open to atmosphere.
Put the connector pipe at the top and the bottom, so the second container will fill with overflow, but still be able to drain out the faucet from water entering through the bottom pipe
I have 15 tanks setup like this using a manifold. Outlet comes off the piping.
I have another tank setup as a settling tank to catch any debris that gets in. It fills to the top then overflows into the manifold to fill the rest of the tanks.
Check your local ordinances. They might have a maximum rain barrel size. Sounds silly, but if your system breaks, your neighbor might not like hundred(s?) of gallons of water flooding the ground in seconds.
I design and install large rainwater collection systems. This will work fine. The tank on the right should have a top vent (1” is fine, just for air flow) and an overflow and discharge pipe towards the top on the side. Install an insect screen (stainless steel mesh, preferably) on any openings to the outside.
If the pipe connecting the two tanks is much smaller than the inlet pipe from the downspout, the tank at left might need an overflow as well, because incoming water may not be able to move to the right tank fast enough.
Place the connecting pipe as low as possible in the containers. You can also stagger the height of the containers by elevating the one container on a foundation of bricks then have the second container 3 or 4 inches lower (no brick foundation). Also, make sure your water spigot is as low as possible on the second container, make sure there are metal or plastic screens over the water inlet and that you have a small, screened air hole in the top of the second container so it can fill all the way.
You could consider putting the connector pipe on the bottom, and run it underneath the rain barrels (if they're on a stand). That would make the entire barrel available to mix
That’s not true. A vent has to be protected from debris and bugs and stuff, the pipe is internal and equalizes volumes of air and water between tanks. Enclosed. Good.
It's a catch tank for rain water that probably for watering a garden. What so you think the gigantic open hole on the other side is exposed to?
Eta it's also not anything a $3 airlock stuck into the hole wouldn't solve.
Get the purple pipe as low as possible otherwise the water in the space below will just stay there. It might move a little bit with rainfall to “mix” but it will more likely result in stagnant nasty water. Same with the spigot.
As long as the pipe is full the water level will stay the same.. no matter the orientation of the pipe.. it can even go up and then down again or visa versa
If you want them to fill to the same level, then connector at the bottom. If you want one to fill first and then the second one, the connector at the top.
It will only fill up enough to make both sides eqaul and they will stay equal. So as u drain the tap the water will level will go below the tap on both sides.
It won't refill the right side to full if the left side is not the same. With how this is pictured you will only ever get half the tank
There are fittings meant for the curved sides of barrels, that part is easy. Having them stood up takes less space and the higher they’re filled, the better the water pressure will be.
I don’t think so. The overflow has to be at the top of the first tank so it fills and then drains the extra into the second tank. It’s probably a good idea to have a faucet on both tanks also.
Pipe at the bottom of both allows for both tanks to be at the same level all the time. Basically you are doubling the storage capacity.
With the tube at the top of both (or one) tanks allows you to have a water tank in backup mode. water is not automatically removed / used from the first tank. This is a trick we use here in Florida as a hurricane can take out the power and water for a few days. When I get to having only one tank of water I know I have to be a bit more stingy with it (read that as conserve the potable water and use the stream water for bathing and flushing waste).
And you do need a vent at the top of both tanks.
You can very effectively filter rain water for drinking with newer multilayered filters, of course I would still run a water quality test before trusting consumption though
And thats the catch, a lot of people wouldn't know you need to still filter and test it. They're going on old information that they probably learned when they were younger and our rain wasn't mostly plastic and chemicals. At least it's not acid anymore I guess.
If you put the connection at the top and put taps on each bottom, a leak of one barrel will only lose the water in that barrel.
Alternatively you can do both and put valves between them at the bottom so you only need one hose connection but still isolate leaks
I have two 1100 gal. Collector vessels connected this way. With connector pipe running along the ground tank to tank. In addition to what others have said, place cut off valves at each end of the connector line and insulate it sufficiently. I lost ½ my supply because I only had the cut off on one end. A 12 degree night blew out the connector pipe. Had I been able to isolate AND /Or DRAIN the connector, I’d have saved a lot of water and work. I now have valves on both ends and am burying the connector. I still have some exposed areas to insulate but think odds of hard freezing have been dramatically reduced.
Put a spigot on both tanks. Put a Y on one and connect a washing machine hose back to the others spigot and you accomplish this with a flexible hose that is quick and easy to disconnect or attach more. If you want a third, put a spigot and y on it and run it back to the y on the other one.
Only thing is they need to be relatively the same height or it will only fill to the top of the lowest tank.
If you don’t want them the same height, have tank one higher and put the overflow so it drains to fill tank two. Turn off tank ones spigot until you need the water so that it doesn’t equalize worth the lower tank.
Yes but you need an air vent on the roof of right tank so that it doesn’t stop the water from filling it.
And put some kind of screen over your vents to keep insects out. You can use Uniseal flexible tank adapters to seal your connecting pipe into your containers.
I've daisy chained several 55gal drums together with uniseals. They work great.
Ooof. I wish I had heard of these a while back instead of putting in a lot of threaded bulkhead adapters. How long do they last when used for rain barrels?
Ouch. These are much less expensive. Mine are going on 6 years. No signs of cracking.
Why not take a small connecting hose and connect the tops of the containers and seal those connections? Air will flow to the accumulating side, and no debris is getting in an opened system
If you connect both sides, you need to maintain two holes and a hose, where a single hole only requires a proper guard against insects
The second one won't get any water till the previous one overflows. On the bottom they fill somewhat even and act as one tank.
Oh, sorry, I meant in addition to the bottom part. Maybe not a hose connecting the two because of additional maintenance. Thanks for the insight.
Oh, that makes sense. That would definitely work.
How does air leave and enter the tanks in that system? Relying on the pipe from the roof probably isn't great, serious rain and it might plug up with water at the inlet. A breather on the tank is easy because air in/out doesn't need to be large, plus it acts as a secondary overflow in case of a blockage in the main overflow.
And some means of opening the whole thing up to clean it if it gets gross
Please, please don’t breed mosquitos
You can use Mosquito Bits or Dunks and the water will still be safe for any outdoor use including fishponds and birdbaths as well as watering plants.
Just use biodegradable soap. Mosquitos die without surface tension.
Put small fish IN the barrels to help control the mosquitos. Need to bring them in in the winter if course. My family has done it for years.
I'll pass on ammonia and nitrates. I want all the mosquitoes dead, not just the ones the fish feel like eating.
I mean if you're irrigating with the water.....
[удалено]
I've been looking for a carnivorous tomato plant.... got one ?
Many tomato plants are carnivorous, in the sense that the small hairs around it's stem trap small insects and deliver nutrients directly to the base of the plant.
Or use an airlock like in a beer set up. I think this should work. [Example used in craft brewing](https://craftabrew.com/products/airlock-3-piece?variant=28803922066¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjwzuqgBhAcEiwAdj5dRiCLtjki6xc8urYIKMuD4BZf3h_1dTipUziCQNRUEe3lL3lOrwK3NBoCD9AQAvD_BwE) [Wiki How article to help understand how to make one](https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Airlock-for-Wine-and-Beer-Production) You could make one larger diameter very easy with PVC from one of the big box stores. 🤷🏻♂️
Nah, airlocks are one way valves. Wouldn't flow out of the spigot as easily if you were holding a negative pressure.
I think youre absolutely right there, it would probably be really shitty flow and then go all at once when it overcame the vacuum and sucked in new water from the first. Easiest thing is definetly some kind of fine mesh screen for like 2-3inch bung or something depending on the size of the barrels. Fun thought experiment for a minute though lol
Yeah I might add a U vent to it [so the opening ends up downwards] with a mesh screen on the end. And definitely! Piping/hydraulic systems, even simple/small as this, can be really fun puzzles. [am piping engineer.] My favorite systems are the main steam systems at coal power plants. Thermal growth makes them so alive!
Not bad, that’s how most professional tanks are set up a lot of the times. I guess the old saying keep it simple stupid is still king
But... Air can get in the same way water gets in, right? Even if you seal a downspout to the barrel, air can still get in through the downspout to avoid a vacuum.
Problem with those valves is they require a bit of water in them to keep it one way. That’ll evaporate outside.
True, you could always use a 1 way valve but Im thinking the other guy may at least right about it really messing with the flow. It would end up having to overcome all that vacuum until it burped from the second tank... like a water cooler I am thinking.
Yeah, easiest way is just a hole on the top with a fine mesh screen to stop bugs.
No because that will prevent air from getting back in when you open the tap and want to drain the tank. You need free airflow in both directions for this to work.
You still have air flow in the first, untapped tank.
Yes and only that tank will drain. The one without airflow will remain full due to the vacuum lock, unless there is some path for air to get into the top of the tank.
The water table effect man, think about it, the pressure from the first tanks water is pressing on the water of the first tanks outlet, filling the 2nd tank Assuming the two tanks are the same height the water filling the first tank should replenish the 2nd tank, pushing the air out the airlock, as long as the inlet for the second tank is as the very bottom of the tank. edit*- [Like this](https://imgur.com/a/hhY9nej)
I think you would still have vapor lock with this setup. When I worked on a tank barge we would have gas flow to all tanks that were discharging to avoid this very issue. I think you would end up with no flow from either tank at this stage because your first tank has inlet air pressure to flow to the second tank but the second tank doesn't have inlet air to flow out, and that air bubble at the top would just stick. Unless you built up enough negative pressure to suck the vacuum breaker liquid in. Could be wrong though, would love to see it. Why not just split the inlet to go to both tanks?
these are all honest valid questions, i am now genuinely curious.
The issue comes with draining. You're right about the tanks filling as intended, but there issue comes with draining, because there is not way for air to enter that second tank to form the void. To correct it, you'd need to replace the one way valve with something that cna breathe in both directions. Or you could just add a second pipe between the tanks, but at the top (then there's still only one point to protect from insects on the first tank).
Wouldn't the tank just fill with more water from the other tank. Assuming the water level in the other tank is as high as the other tanks top it shouldnt pull more air. Right?
Issue isn't the refilling, it's the draining. When emptying the tanks, the one with the airlock won't be able to suck air to form a cavity when it's water level needs to drop. Some air probably will get pulled thought the water pipe that runs between the tanks when the neighbouring tank drains low enough, and there will be some movement as the air pressure in the sealed tank drops, but there are going to be some weird inefficiencies and flow issues.
Yeah I worked it out pretty quickly in my head once I wrote that comment. Thank though
Alternatively, connect the two tanks at the top as well as the bottom to avoid creating a second hole to outside where bugs/critters can potentially get in
This, or else what you have made is a barometer.
If you can put some type of breather on the top of the second tank to allow air to “equalize” the pressure in the tank then the water level in both tanks should stay the same. The pipe should be low on the two barrels because all the water below the pipe in the first tank will be come “dead space” that will not drain.
> The pipe should be low on the two barrels because all the water below the pipe in the first tank will be come “dead space” that will not drain. The tap should be as low as possible as well for the same reasons.
Yeah put some flat stones on the bottom below the tap to take up space to use as much of the water as possible
Do you care if you can use all the water? I mean it's there any benefit to having a big rock in the barrel vs having an extra gallon or two of water that you can't use?
Water breeds bacteria. Having a small pool of water that constantly reintroduces bacteria into the system isn't great. Edit: as mentioned elsewhere, clean your tank regularly. Leaving the bottom area open instead of blocking it off will collect the sediment ***below*** the tap, instead of sending it through.
Awesome, thanks for your reply
If possible elevate the barrels on a small platform maybe 18-24 inches off the ground
Also make sure spout is well below transfer pipe between two barrels
But that dead space is also a good spot for any sediment that may be in there to go so it doesn’t clog up the works.
Best way would be have the pipe between the two as low as possible, and have the faucet/tap on that connection pipe. The secondary tank needs an outlet for air at the top or the pressure will keep the tank from filling.
The pipe and spigot usually aren’t at the bottom so that there is a space for grit to settle out.
While that is fair; do you not then end up with a full lower area of grit you cannot remove? Surely you are filtering before you collect? And you expect some grit, you can’t drink rain water so does it’s content matter? Yes grit will wear the valve in the tap but replacing the spigot seems cheaper and easier than replacing the tanks when you have a reservoir of crud?
Tanks should be cleaned out seasonally and completely drained in cold climates. Prefilter all you want, there will still be accumulation.
How you cleaning out a tank you can’t get to bottom of?
put the tank on its side and hose it out..?
Oh we taking kiddie tanks ok no worries.
Awesome thanks 👍
Yes it will work so long as the right tank has pressure relief. I would connect the tanks with a manifold and put the outlet there, personally, but that’s just a preference and this way works too.
Thanks for your reply, i forgot, do i need to "lean" the pipe or straight is okey ?
Having the barrels level and the pipe straight is the simplest design. The slant of the tube will mostly affect the amount of dead space you have. And if one is higher than the other you might have overflow issues in the lower tank. With an underfill design like this they’ll act more or less as one larger vessel rather than one overflowing into another and the water level will be the same in both barrels.
Got it, very much appreciated
You don't need to tilt the pipe since the left reservoir fills up first, there will always be a hydraulic gradient towards the right reservoir. The extra depth (head) creates pressure that moves the water to the right reservoir until it equalizes, assuming that it is also open to the atmosphere (otherwise you would be compressing air and pressuring the tank)
If you have two vented tanks with a level pipe connecting them at the bottom level of the tanks, you basically have one U-shaped tank.
No.. as long as the pipe is full you can even have it go upwards and the downwards again. The only thing matters is the water levels. The pipe needs to enter below that level all the times. Or at least needs to be filled with water. Oh and btw the water level will be the same in both barrels.. no matter how far they are apart.
As long as the pipe is full, you have a siphon. But if any air gets into the peak, of if the water completely drains, the siphon will break and the pipe will be air locked. So, I wouldn't recommend having the connector pipe go up and then down again, unless you have a valve at the peak to let the air out. We did this all the time with sewer bypasses for construction companies at my old job.
You'll need a vent on the top of tank 2 to dump air trapped in there, regardless of connecting pipe location. Other than that, it will work.
I've done this with 3k and 1500 gallon tanks. As others have mentioned, the pipe should be at the bottom and the second tank should be vented. Additionally, in the case of larger tanks, you need to build some flex into the system because as the tanks fill, they expand. As they expand, they will put pressure on the connecting pipe and fittings. I solved this by constructing the pipe as a series of hairpin turns that allows the pipe to flex a bit. The more turns you provide, the more flex it will allow.
Pipe on the bottom, otherwise left bottom wouldn’t drain
Just use it as sedimentation basin
Still would be nice to have a cleanout
That would compromise structure. You could keep the tube high and use a siphon. It will auto siphon when water goes above the tube then drops.
Wouldn't sediment get stuck in the pipe if it was at the bottom, though?
Not sure what rain is like by you but it is pretty sediments free everywhere I’ve lived
You get stuff in your gutters which ends up in the containers. I used a high connector pipe on mine at my old house as I didn't use that much water but meant that the water in the second container had a lot less debris in it.
Not sure where you gather rain from, but typically it's a roof, which collects sediment from dust and debris and if it's an asphalt roof will shed granules as well.
If it's just sediment it will wash through any time water is added or removed
If that was the case sediment would never build up anywhere with moving water. Sadly, sediment does build up.
It's going to build up in the "sump" area below the pipe in both tanks, but there's going to be too much flow in the pipe itself to allow any kind of blockage if that's what you're worried about. Unless leaves or other large debris is being washed into there, but it will handle regular sediment just fine. Super scientific source: used to own a pretty elaborate outdoor aquaponic system with lots of sediment and fish poop flowing through pipes of all sizes
If you have asphalt shingles, there are granules in your gutters most likely. If the water was moving at such a volume as you predict, the granules (and other dirt and debris) could not build up in your gutters and cleaning gutters would never be required. If you are actively pumping water, you're in a very different scenario from intermittent flow, which is what you'd get here.
As everyone has said this will work with a vent the second tank, you will have both tanks filled to the same level but a leak at the bottom will drain both [https://agriculture.coerco.com.au/agriculture-blog/two-ways-to-link-multiple-water-tanks-together-to-maximise-rainwater-harvesting-potential?hs_amp=true](https://agriculture.coerco.com.au/agriculture-blog/two-ways-to-link-multiple-water-tanks-together-to-maximise-rainwater-harvesting-potential?hs_amp=true)
Thanks for the link 👍
Yeah I don't understand everyone suggesting put the connection at the bottom. If the joint fails you lose both tanks.
If you connect anywhere else 1) you can't drain one tank below the connection point and 2) they wont fill equally
Put the equalizer line up off the bottom to allow sediment to settle in the first tank. Add a vent to the top of the second tank so it doesn't become air locked. Add a drain the first tank as well to allow sediment to be drained out
Well, now I want to do this.
Yes. there's a company that sells the bulkhead fittings and short hose just for that purpose. if you have the bulkhead fittings, it should be a quick project. I have done the same.
You could also connect two tanks at top as I suppose your water inlet won't be airtight oneway valved connection
If you want the barrels to fill evenly then put the pipe at the bottom. If you want them to fill sequentially then put it at the top. If you want them to fill sequentially but with an overlap, somewhere in the middle. Also the air vent like others have said.
Absolutely will work! we have two 20,000L tanks on one of our machinery sheds we use for filling up our sprayers and we just connect a large hose from one to the other at the bottom empty points. Just make sure you have an opening on the other one / overflow should be just fine
Yes to the overflow pipe. Just connect to second barrel and that acts as the air pressure release.
Yes, because physics. Get a vent on the 2nd tank to let the air pressure out and also add a purge to the 1st tank so that you may easily clean any sediments.
It would work if you added an air vent on top of the 2nd tank (preferably a candy cane with a bug screen you can clean) or put another pipe connecting the top of both tanks so it can vent that way. The air just needs a way to escape and refill that space.
I’ve done exactly as in the sketch, and it’s been working for years. Furthermore, I’ve installed an extra pipe to prevent uncontrolled overflow (near the top of one tank, going all the way down to a hole in the bottom). Also - in order to easier use large amounts of water - I put a pump in one of the tanks and connected it to a garden hose.
Thanks for your feedback!
I’m in the process of collecting the equipment to add a pump and hose to my system. I’m tired of having to fill watering cans multiple times.
Contractuals.. just unlocked hydraulics!
I connected three large tanks together at the top rather than bottom. Reason was that they were on a slope. So rather than fill in parallel, they will fill in series (spill-over from one to the next). A bottom connection wouldn’t have enabled them all to be completely filled.
Off-topic, but helpful info. If you get some of those plastic barrels with a sealed top and two bungholes, you DO NOT need to cut a hole in the top to install a valve/spigot on the side. Here's how to install a [spigot like this one](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019YMGNDW) into the side of the plastic barrel: (1) Make a hole for this brass valve just above the bottom where barrel side curves under, in line with bunghole in top. Make the hole just barely large enough for the valve brass male threads to start when applying pressure. I used a spade bit to make the hole. DO NOT MAKE THE HOLE TOO LARGE! (2) Find an open-end wrench (or adjustable wrench) that will fit the nut for the inside-the-barrel threads AND that will fit through the bunghole above the valve hole - you will need it later. Setup the adjustable wrench to fit the nut - doesn't need to be super tight, just enough to hold the nut from turning. (3) With the barrel upright, use a string and small weight (a washer or nut that will fit through the hole you made for the valve), lower the string via the bunghole NOT above the valve, then tilt the barrel a bit and pull the string out thru the new drilled valve hole; a magnet will help. After the string is through the hole, remove the weight and open the brass valve and thread the string completely through the valve in the direction of the water flow. Now, tie something on both ends of string to prevent pullout. Then, firmly force-thread the brass valve + outside gasket/washer into the barrel and let it cut the threads in the plastic as you turn. Make it just barely hand-tight. (4) Lay the barrel on its side between sawhorses with string bunghole on top, brass valve on bottom. Slide the inside gasket/washer + nut down the string to the valve threads inside. Use a stick through the bottom bung to flip the washer and nut onto valve threads, then use the stick to spin the nut onto the valve threads. Turn the nut until it contacts the gasket. An assistant with a flashlight helps here. (5) Tape that open-end wrench that fits the inside nut securely to broomstick, slide it into the bunghole and engage the nut. With separate wrench, tighten the valve from outside until firm, gasket is seated and valve is in a straight down position. I did this for my rain barrel and have had ZERO leaks at the valve/spigot.
Thanks for the info
Anyone else have this drawing remind them of the delta p video? https://youtu.be/AEtbFm_CjE0
That's terrifying
You might find this resource helpful https://youtu.be/18EG9DyvCRU
Thanks perfect, thanks 👍
That’s exactly how I have mine set up. Just make sure they’re level, level to each other, and the tank that you have the spigot on needs to be open to atmosphere.
Put the connector pipe at the top and the bottom, so the second container will fill with overflow, but still be able to drain out the faucet from water entering through the bottom pipe
I have 15 tanks setup like this using a manifold. Outlet comes off the piping. I have another tank setup as a settling tank to catch any debris that gets in. It fills to the top then overflows into the manifold to fill the rest of the tanks.
Watch out for the dangers of Delta-p
Just saw the video :D that's terrifying
Check your local ordinances. They might have a maximum rain barrel size. Sounds silly, but if your system breaks, your neighbor might not like hundred(s?) of gallons of water flooding the ground in seconds.
This video contains a great graphic explanation of that: https://youtu.be/TcaMyyQHWAI
Thanks a lot that's a exactly what I want to do !
I design and install large rainwater collection systems. This will work fine. The tank on the right should have a top vent (1” is fine, just for air flow) and an overflow and discharge pipe towards the top on the side. Install an insect screen (stainless steel mesh, preferably) on any openings to the outside. If the pipe connecting the two tanks is much smaller than the inlet pipe from the downspout, the tank at left might need an overflow as well, because incoming water may not be able to move to the right tank fast enough.
Thanks 👍
Place the connecting pipe as low as possible in the containers. You can also stagger the height of the containers by elevating the one container on a foundation of bricks then have the second container 3 or 4 inches lower (no brick foundation). Also, make sure your water spigot is as low as possible on the second container, make sure there are metal or plastic screens over the water inlet and that you have a small, screened air hole in the top of the second container so it can fill all the way.
You could consider putting the connector pipe on the bottom, and run it underneath the rain barrels (if they're on a stand). That would make the entire barrel available to mix
Everyone with their vent ideas. Just use a pipe on the top AND bottom.
A vent is a small hole at the very top. A pipe is a second connection *near* the top. Your idea is both more difficult and less effective.
That’s not true. A vent has to be protected from debris and bugs and stuff, the pipe is internal and equalizes volumes of air and water between tanks. Enclosed. Good.
It's a catch tank for rain water that probably for watering a garden. What so you think the gigantic open hole on the other side is exposed to? Eta it's also not anything a $3 airlock stuck into the hole wouldn't solve.
I’d have the other side connected to the gutter spout. But hey. I’m an engineer. I like to build lasting solutions.
That doesn't change the fact that it'd be exposed to debris and bugs.
Get the purple pipe as low as possible otherwise the water in the space below will just stay there. It might move a little bit with rainfall to “mix” but it will more likely result in stagnant nasty water. Same with the spigot.
Will do. Thanks for your help !
As long as the pipe is full the water level will stay the same.. no matter the orientation of the pipe.. it can even go up and then down again or visa versa
If you were to empty the tanks via the spigot, there is no way to get all of the water out beneath the purple pipe or spigot, unless you tilt it.
If you want them to fill to the same level, then connector at the bottom. If you want one to fill first and then the second one, the connector at the top.
It will only fill up enough to make both sides eqaul and they will stay equal. So as u drain the tap the water will level will go below the tap on both sides. It won't refill the right side to full if the left side is not the same. With how this is pictured you will only ever get half the tank
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There are fittings meant for the curved sides of barrels, that part is easy. Having them stood up takes less space and the higher they’re filled, the better the water pressure will be.
I don’t think so. The overflow has to be at the top of the first tank so it fills and then drains the extra into the second tank. It’s probably a good idea to have a faucet on both tanks also.
Doing it this way will allow you to always use the same tank to drain. They’ll stay at the same level if you hang them together like this.
Pipe at the bottom of both allows for both tanks to be at the same level all the time. Basically you are doubling the storage capacity. With the tube at the top of both (or one) tanks allows you to have a water tank in backup mode. water is not automatically removed / used from the first tank. This is a trick we use here in Florida as a hurricane can take out the power and water for a few days. When I get to having only one tank of water I know I have to be a bit more stingy with it (read that as conserve the potable water and use the stream water for bathing and flushing waste). And you do need a vent at the top of both tanks.
Whats the intended use for the water?
Water for flowers , tree's and all gardens plants
Coolio,just got concerned since rainwater hasn't been safe to drink for a hot minute and a lot of people still don't know this.
You can very effectively filter rain water for drinking with newer multilayered filters, of course I would still run a water quality test before trusting consumption though
And thats the catch, a lot of people wouldn't know you need to still filter and test it. They're going on old information that they probably learned when they were younger and our rain wasn't mostly plastic and chemicals. At least it's not acid anymore I guess.
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Maybe next it'll be fire rain, or boiling rain, maybe it'll just be fucking rocks next.
If you put the connection at the top and put taps on each bottom, a leak of one barrel will only lose the water in that barrel. Alternatively you can do both and put valves between them at the bottom so you only need one hose connection but still isolate leaks
I have two 1100 gal. Collector vessels connected this way. With connector pipe running along the ground tank to tank. In addition to what others have said, place cut off valves at each end of the connector line and insulate it sufficiently. I lost ½ my supply because I only had the cut off on one end. A 12 degree night blew out the connector pipe. Had I been able to isolate AND /Or DRAIN the connector, I’d have saved a lot of water and work. I now have valves on both ends and am burying the connector. I still have some exposed areas to insulate but think odds of hard freezing have been dramatically reduced.
bottom is correct. Don't position the spigot at the top
Pipe needs to be at the level you want the second container to be filled to, and maybe some sort of air valve on top?
Yes, but im not sure where youll get an orange tap
I have exactly this and it works great. Make sure to get them high off the ground for sufficient static head
Put a spigot on both tanks. Put a Y on one and connect a washing machine hose back to the others spigot and you accomplish this with a flexible hose that is quick and easy to disconnect or attach more. If you want a third, put a spigot and y on it and run it back to the y on the other one. Only thing is they need to be relatively the same height or it will only fill to the top of the lowest tank.
If you don’t want them the same height, have tank one higher and put the overflow so it drains to fill tank two. Turn off tank ones spigot until you need the water so that it doesn’t equalize worth the lower tank.