I have recently purchased my second Water Butt and was interested to read discussions on using a syphon. I tried the hose method mentioned above but then thought I could improve on it, as it isn't the neatest looking method.
What I did was to purchase a 3 metre length of Speedfit 22mm plastic tubing, 4speedfit inserts and 2 Speedfit elbows to make an inverted U which fits over and into the holes of the butt lids, a nice tight fit but a little Fairy Liquid helps! This method is very easy to do using a junior hacksaw to cut the piping to the required lengths. The down pipes should finish an inch or so from the bottom of the Butts, ensuring no blockages and no chance of above mentioned frustrating curly hoses.
It is essential to slide the Butt lids onto the the finished framework, then fill with water ensuring all the air bubbles dissipate, then block both ends with Blue or White tack before gently inserting into both Water butts. Ensuring one end is below water, remove the blue tack from that end, then whilst ensuring that end remains submerge you should see a nice stream of water flowing into the second butt when you remove the blue tack from the other pipe.
Finally push the down pipes further through the lids until approximately an inch or so from the bottom and then fasten down the lids. Job done!!! The horizontal pipe on the top that links the butts on mine is about three inches above the lids and looks ever so neat and the 22mm pipe gives a much faster flow rate than hose which is essential during dry spells when you need as much water in both Butts as soon as possible.
mikesunderland Couple of points that come to mind. Over time, bits and pieces will form silt at the bottom of butts which is sucked up if the syphoning hose is too low? If one's total irrigation supply is kept at a uniform level across multiple butts, the available 'stock' is hard to determine? i.e. two inches in each of ten butts isn't very much.
If a row of 'x' butts, each with its own tap at the bottom, has connectors just below each top, Butt 1 will overflow and fill No 2 and so on. If one then draws water from the furthest one first until empty and reverses the filling order, once the only butt giving water is No 1, you know you need to keep an eye on it and monitor its level until the next rainfall.
I have three water butts linked near the top (holes drilled and connector kits) so when the first one is almost full the second one starts filling, and so on. They all have taps so I can take water from any one of the three. To check levels I can just lift each lid and have a look inside.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I have 6 water butts in various locations all using siphons to feed 2 plant areas. The plant areas in turn use 14 auto-start siphons to water the plants at night. All very low cost, very reliable and quite good fun. I've offered to show people locally, but it seems most people would rather use mains water rather than rain water harvesting and bath water. Such a shame!
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What I did was to purchase a 3 metre length of Speedfit 22mm plastic tubing, 4speedfit inserts and 2 Speedfit elbows to make an inverted U which fits over and into the holes of the butt lids, a nice tight fit but a little Fairy Liquid helps! This method is very easy to do using a junior hacksaw to cut the piping to the required lengths. The down pipes should finish an inch or so from the bottom of the Butts, ensuring no blockages and no chance of above mentioned frustrating curly hoses.
It is essential to slide the Butt lids onto the the finished framework, then fill with water ensuring all the air bubbles dissipate, then block both ends with Blue or White tack before gently inserting into both Water butts. Ensuring one end is below water, remove the blue tack from that end, then whilst ensuring that end remains submerge you should see a nice stream of water flowing into the second butt when you remove the blue tack from the other pipe.
Finally push the down pipes further through the lids until approximately an inch or so from the bottom and then fasten down the lids. Job done!!! The horizontal pipe on the top that links the butts on mine is about three inches above the lids and looks ever so neat and the 22mm pipe gives a much faster flow rate than hose which is essential during dry spells when you need as much water in both Butts as soon as possible.
mikesunderland Couple of points that come to mind. Over time, bits and pieces will form silt at the bottom of butts which is sucked up if the syphoning hose is too low? If one's total irrigation supply is kept at a uniform level across multiple butts, the available 'stock' is hard to determine? i.e. two inches in each of ten butts isn't very much.
If a row of 'x' butts, each with its own tap at the bottom, has connectors just below each top, Butt 1 will overflow and fill No 2 and so on. If one then draws water from the furthest one first until empty and reverses the filling order, once the only butt giving water is No 1, you know you need to keep an eye on it and monitor its level until the next rainfall.