matt.burks1985
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:14 am

Rain gutter for greenhouse help

We have a 10x12 harbor freight greenhouse. It has rain gutters attached but no end pieces. The rain just runs out of the end. I am wondering if any of you could recommend some kind of attachment for this so I can hook a pipe as a downspout to direct water to a rain barrel. I checked the manufacturer and they do not offer a piece. Also how can I prevent my barrel from over filling?

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I took off the end cap of my rain gutter because it kept getting clogged with leaves. I had a two foot extension that went past the down spout opening. I put the rain barrel under the downspout opening and because it was a square gutter it did not fit in the round hole of the barrel so I used a rain chain instead to direct most of the water to the barrel. Most of the debris got flushed down the end. I put a screen in the gutter opening. In heavy rain it comes out the end as well but by then the barrel is also overflowing. The barrel still over flows even though I have successive barrels. It is just how that is, feast or famine. More water when you don't need it. It would take a larger reservoir or more barrels in line to fix that.
You would have to drill a hole in the gutter or if you can add a gutter extension with a downspout, that should work too. You may be able to cap the downspout end, but cleaning was easier with the cap off. I used gutter guards, but they still could not stop all of the debris and the gutter still needed to be cleaned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1imnTxhum8

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

My "DIY solution" wild idea -- I'm picturing securing a cut off top of a beverage bottle at the end of the greenhouse rain gutter to receive and funnel the flow (pieces of wood or plastic... or metal, to sandwich the surfaces, secured through with bolts and nuts... bead of silicone if necessary), then connecting an appropriately sized tubing to the neck of the bottle with one of those metal rings with a screw nut (I don't know what they are called, but its a typical gadget -- "hose clamp" maybe?)

For flat attachment to the greenhouse wall, I would choose a flat sided bottle -- rectangular bottle like the ones Trader Joes juices come in, or maybe the square Tropicana, etc. orange juice bottle.

...what do you mean by "over filling"? Overflow is inevitable.. usually a rain barrel comes with an overflow design -- my very inexpensive ones have two punch-out-able holes on the side near the top of the barrels that can be used to connect a hose to drain/direct the overflow or to inter-connect multiple barrels. I opted to attach a hose that ends at a bed that will receive the excess. -- I did notice that during a massive downpour, the little hole is inadequate and the rain barrel goes ahead and overflows from the edge of the screwed down lid as well as the screened opening that receives the rain from the downspout.

matt.burks1985
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:14 am

Thank you for the responses. My hope was to connect two barrels and have some means to prevent them from overfilling. I had seen regular down spout adapters for the house that diverts water down the downspout rather than to the rain barrel if the barrel becomes full. I was hoping for something similar. Of course that is for a standard gutter downspout.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I have an overflow valve drilled on the top of the last barrel that is connected to a hose that can be set out to drain in the garden as long as it is down hill. In a heavy downpour, more water enters the barrel than can be handled by a 3/4 inch overflow hose once the barrels are filled. If you have a larger over flow hose then it can carry more water away faster. Either that or you will have to open the valve on the rain barrel to let the water out which is counterproductive when there is a lot of rain. You can connect multiple barrels in a row. I have two barrels connected now and in a heavy rain it can fill 2 inches an hour. The barrels will both fill at the same time it does not fill one barrel and then the other. I need another barrel to join 4 barrels in succession. My other problem is that I don't use the water fast enough. I have never drained the barrel completely since it normally rains a little every night.

matt.burks1985
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:14 am

Thank you. This sounds like a good option for me. I do plan to join the two barrels together. I'm looking forward to having both free water for my greenhouse and the thermal mass from the water heated in the barrels. Planning on working on it some this weekend and next week.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Join as many barrels as you can fill in a season. One barrel does not go far. One barrel will only water the orchids and potted plants in my front yard. About 8 or 9 (4-5 gallon buckets) in a single watering. Two barrels allows me to send some water to the border bed in the front yard, but it is still only one watering. It takes pretty heavy rain for a couple of hours to fill a single barrel 1/3 full.

There is more water than the barrels can hold when it rains several days at a time, but it is also when the garden does not need any more water. In the dry season, the plants could use the water but the barrels cannot supply all of their needs and I still have to supplement with water from the hose. When you need water the most, there isn't enough rain to fill a barrel.



Return to “Organic Gardening Forum”