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Step 3The Troughs - beginning and drain end
The troughs are made from two 10' sections of plastic (PVC) rain gutter.
1. They are measured and marked and cut in half on the compound miter box saw.
2. The end caps are fit to provide some stability, they will be glued in place later.
3. To provide clearance for the drain fitting the major diameter of the nut is measured.
4. The offset is calculated and scribed on the bottom of the gutter. - Be sure you have allowed enough clearance for the male part of the fitting on the inside of the trough!
5 The center of the bottom section is measured and marked.
6. The nut has plenty of clearance.
7. A small pilot drill is used to increase accuracy of the location and provide an easier start for the step drill.
8. The step drill is used.
9. And the hole is completed. Use the step drill on the inside of the hole as well to remove the burr.
10. Using an appropriate wrench, tighten the drain in the trough
11. During testing I found the three wraps of Teflon tape were not enough to seal the elbow into the swamp cooler drain.
Let's face it, the drain has a machine thread designed to seal on the inside of the drain for the stand pipe, the elbow has a tapered pipe thread. These two parts were never supposed to meet (Mate?).
To combat this minor problem I added 8 (yes, eight) more turns of Teflon tape to the male thread of the elbow and threaded it into the drain. After an hour - no leaks.
12. Screw the threaded elbow into the drain.
13. Using the PVC cement, install the pipe into the elbow.
14. Apply a small bead of PVC cement around the outside edge of the rain gutter and slide on the cap. This is to prevent accidental removal of the cap, rather than leaks.
15. Small bead applied.
16. When placing the trough on the frame, it may be necessary to flex teh drain pipe down beneathe the cross members.
17. Position the nutrient tank(s) beneath the four drain pipes. If you are just using one tank, turn it 90 degrees so all four drain pipes are above the single tank.
1. They are measured and marked and cut in half on the compound miter box saw.
2. The end caps are fit to provide some stability, they will be glued in place later.
3. To provide clearance for the drain fitting the major diameter of the nut is measured.
4. The offset is calculated and scribed on the bottom of the gutter. - Be sure you have allowed enough clearance for the male part of the fitting on the inside of the trough!
5 The center of the bottom section is measured and marked.
6. The nut has plenty of clearance.
7. A small pilot drill is used to increase accuracy of the location and provide an easier start for the step drill.
8. The step drill is used.
9. And the hole is completed. Use the step drill on the inside of the hole as well to remove the burr.
10. Using an appropriate wrench, tighten the drain in the trough
11. During testing I found the three wraps of Teflon tape were not enough to seal the elbow into the swamp cooler drain.
Let's face it, the drain has a machine thread designed to seal on the inside of the drain for the stand pipe, the elbow has a tapered pipe thread. These two parts were never supposed to meet (Mate?).
To combat this minor problem I added 8 (yes, eight) more turns of Teflon tape to the male thread of the elbow and threaded it into the drain. After an hour - no leaks.
12. Screw the threaded elbow into the drain.
13. Using the PVC cement, install the pipe into the elbow.
14. Apply a small bead of PVC cement around the outside edge of the rain gutter and slide on the cap. This is to prevent accidental removal of the cap, rather than leaks.
15. Small bead applied.
16. When placing the trough on the frame, it may be necessary to flex teh drain pipe down beneathe the cross members.
17. Position the nutrient tank(s) beneath the four drain pipes. If you are just using one tank, turn it 90 degrees so all four drain pipes are above the single tank.
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