High Volume Rain Barrel

Step 1: Out Flow Parts List

Here are the parts that I used and the price. This is for building the piping and valve assemblies to draw water out of the barrel. The parts needed for bringing the water into the barrel are handled separately in step 4. All of the following parts can be purchased at Home Depot.

2 2" DWV MIP Adapter - $0.90 each

2 2" DWV Street Elbow 90 degree Spigot x Hub - $2.01 each

1 2" PVC Pipe (2' section pre-cut) - $2.21

2 2" PVC Tee - $2.49 each

2 2" x 1-1/2" PVC Drain Waste Vent Flush Bushing - $0.86 each

2 1-1/2" x 3/4" PVC Schedule 40 Bushing Spigot x FIPT - $1.27 each

2 3/4" Short Galvanized Nipple - $0.98 each
** I chose not to use this but instead got the PVC schedule 80 (gray) equivalent from my local Ace Hardware for $0.79 to prevent as much metal in the design as possible.

2 3/4" PVC Ball Valve - $2.94 each

2 3/4" MPT x 3/4" MHT adapter - $3.53 each
** While my local Ace Hardware did have this piece in plastic for less, I chose to go with brass here to better withstand contact with the metal threads on my hoses.

1 can of PVC primer and cement - $6.96

NOTE:
For a single barrel design you do not need the Tees or the PVC pipe. You have the option to change the 90 degree Street Elbow with the 45 degree Street Elbow to reduce the bend of an attached hose.

Comments

[buteomont]

Nice 'ible, but where do you get the barrels?

[threewheela]

Car washes oftten give these barrels away for free. The liquid soap they buy comes in these 55 gallon drums and whats left over in them when u get them can be easily washed out.

[thebigbarn]

I looked on the internet for local suppliers. I got one from a guy listing them on Craigslist for $25/barrel. Now that this idea is gaining in popularity, I found it harder to find people just giving them away so they don't have to bother with them.

[scratchr]

Just ask the water treatment plant.
They use them for cleaning chemicals.

[handprints]

Great instructable!  I called all of our local bottling companies and they ranged in price from $30 each to $10 each.  the $10 was at our Pepsi bottling company.  We were able to fit 9 in our truck.  I think it was a little overkill on my part, but they are useful things to have AND if I don't use them all, I'm sure someone else can use them.

[Taztrophe]

Absolutely love the simplicity of your design. I've been browsing looking for the perfect configuration for my barrels and your plan looks perfect. I'll be doing a homemade filter for inflow as I'm diverting the whole downspout versus buying a diverter but rest looks great.

My only question is why did you decide to put two ball valves for outflow on your system versus one? I had planned only one but I'm interested to hear your experience before I commit either way.

[thebigbarn]

I chose to use this design over other designs I found online because of the volume of throughput. Other designs using different spigots or hose bibs would reduce the volume of the water coming out of the barrels as well as the gravity fed pressure. With this design I am able to have 2 hoses connected both receiving almost the full 3/4" diameter of volume through to the hose threads (see the final picture of the volume through the valve assembly). The bottleneck in this system is not the valve or piping, but the 5/8" hose or attachment at the end of the hose.

With two spigots I can leave a hose attached for regulary watering of the garden plants and have a spigot available for filling a watering can or other container there at the barrels.  You could use a Y splitter, but again that reduces the volume.  Once I settled on using the 2" diameter PVC, that freed me up to have two separate spigots that do not have to "share" the piping leading to the spigot.