[Shop-talk] How to Make Water Flow Downhill

[David Hillman]

On Tue, 30 Jun 2009, Peter J. Thomas wrote:
> Looking at the pics, the barrel is not level.  The water sitting on top of 
> the barrel suggests the overflow side is on the high side. My guess is the 
> overflow is an inch or two higher than it would be if the barrel was level.

     The barrel is actually level; the black screw-on top isn't necessarily 
level because it fits poorly.

> The overflow is also angled up.  Add a stiff hose and the water out the 
> overflow has to travel UPHILL and inch or so.  Look at the pics with the hose 
> off and on.  It appears the hose is higher than the stream flowing out 
> without the hose.  Leveling the barrel would effectively lower the overflow a 
> couple of inches and reduce the uphill climb.

     There is a slight angle to the overflow fitting, but there's really 
no way around that with the shape of the barrel.  Even still, the pressure 
is sufficient to force a stream of water shown in the other picture. 
Maybe I will have to tip the barrel.

> One observation: your overflow is too small.  The downspout which is guessing 
> 10 square inches; the hose has maybe 1/4 square inch ID.  The thickest garden 
> hose won't be able to handle the overflow;  they make downspouts big for a 
> reason.

    I know it won't keep up with significant rain, neither will the barrel 
for that matter.  I did the math and something like a 1/4" of rain will 
fill it.  I don't care if the overflow completely prevents the barrel from 
filling or not, I just want it to help direct water where I want it to go 
( and let me keep 50 gallons from each downpour to re-use when it isn't 
raining ).

    That said, it may be different where you live, but I've never seen my 
downspouts at anything close to 100% capacity.  Maybe 5-10%.

    Thanks.

--
  David Hillman