Water butt overflow, how to manage

learnerplates

I've an overflowing water butt and the closest rainwater gully is 5 yards away.
What's the best solution to handle the overflow?

I think theres a connection for the overlow at the top of the butt but I dont think there'll be enough pressure to push the water 5yds.

Will I need a pump? seems like overkill.
I was hoping a hose connected to the overflow or even the outlet tap would move the water to the gulley.

zagmund

Will gravity not take care of the flow, assuming the top of the butt is above the level of the gully?

z

pwurple

What is the butt conencted to? If it's a gutter, it should just overflow back down into the drains.

learnerplates

zagmund wrote: »

Will gravity not take care of the flow, assuming the top of the butt is above the level of the gully?

z

I've tried a cheap hose on the out tap already but there doesnt seem to be enough pressure.

learnerplates

pwurple wrote: »

What is the butt conencted to? If it's a gutter, it should just overflow back down into the drains.

no such luck.
its connected to a down pipe alright but theres not gully, its collecting from a shed which is 5yds from the nearest gully.

baaba maal

Have you got a diverter kit on the downpipe? Here is a fairly posh looking one,:
http://www.waterfilterireland.com/index.php?id_product=18&controller=product
but there cheaper ones in Woodies etc. Around 20 quid iirc. A hose will take the excess to the gully.

learnerplates

baaba maal wrote: »

Have you got a diverter kit on the downpipe? Here is a fairly posh looking one,:
http://www.waterfilterireland.com/index.php?id_product=18&controller=product
but there cheaper ones in Woodies etc. Around 20 quid iirc. A hose will take the excess to the gully.

I think one came with the butt but I have no downpipe to connect to.
Whatever I put in will be running across the garden and then into the gulley.

Actually used part of a better garden hose I have and it seems to flow a bit better, at least from the outlet tap. I'll see if I can connect it to the overflow and test.

b318isp

You shouldn't need an overflow.

Simply ensure that the top of the butt is slightly higher then the connection to the downpipe. Raise the butt a little if you have to.

pwurple

So your previous downpipe just poured water onto the ground, is that right?

I had something similar with a shed. I put a gutter on it, but there was no soakaway or drain there. I had to run another bit of guttering to get to another shed, which had a drain.

I'd put a junction on your downpipe, add more guttering, and run it off to your gully.

learnerplates

pwurple wrote: »

So your previous downpipe just poured water onto the ground, is that right?

I had something similar with a shed. I put a gutter on it, but there was no soakaway or drain there. I had to run another bit of guttering to get to another shed, which had a drain.

I'd put a junction on your downpipe, add more guttering, and run it off to your gully.

Yes it poured on the ground.

I had thought of a extension gutter along the wall but it has to cross a path to get to the gulley.
I think a closed pipe/hose is my only choice and hope that gravity can push it.

zagmund

Is the problem that the hose isn't big enough when there's a bit of a flow going and you are still getting some overflow from the barrel? It's hard to understand how a hose connected to a barrel wouldn't function to take water away.

Hang on . . . "I've tried a cheap hose on the out tap already". The tap is at the bottom of the barrel (normally). Unless you have some funny water where you are, then it will just flow once you open the tap - that's why there's a tap there. But you are interested in overflow issues - so this would nornally be at the top of the butt, so what sorts of arrangements are there at the top for overflow?

Can you post a picture maybe?

z

learnerplates

zagmund wrote: »

Is the problem that the hose isn't big enough when there's a bit of a flow going and you are still getting some overflow from the barrel? It's hard to understand how a hose connected to a barrel wouldn't function to take water away.

Hang on . . . "I've tried a cheap hose on the out tap already". The tap is at the bottom of the barrel (normally). Unless you have some funny water where you are, then it will just flow once you open the tap - that's why there's a tap there. But you are interested in overflow issues - so this would nornally be at the top of the butt, so what sorts of arrangements are there at the top for overflow?

Can you post a picture maybe?

z

I haven't hooked up the overflow at the top yet as the hose I had connected to the tap at the bottom had no flow, I now hooked up a wider hose to test, it has flow. Next step is to try it from the top overflow.

The Garden Shop

Hi leanerplates
A picture would be help alright.
you can get a second water butt and a water butt linking kit!

I would imagine that a second 200L butt would be sufficient unless your roof is very large

learnerplates

see attached.
Water butt on the right.
Drain is in the bottom left hand corner.

pwurple

The Garden Shop wrote: »

I would imagine that a second 200L butt would be sufficient unless your roof is very large

I'm no so sure about that. The 150L tank I have from my small shed was filled in one day of heavy rain last week. I won't need the water for the plants until next May?... I suspect if OP's tank is full already (assuming installed recently), then there's a long winter to get through yet.

learnerplates

pwurple wrote: »

I'm no so sure about that. The 150L tank I have from my small shed was filled in one day of heavy rain last week. I won't need the water for the plants until next May?... I suspect if OP's tank is full already (assuming installed recently), then there's a long winter to get through yet.

Indeed, 1 nights rain can fill the tank. And I am the same, I dont need the water till next summer.

Tabnabs

Hing the gutter and allow the pre-gutter style of even drainage/dripping? Or a T section on the hose into the butt with a valve to control direction of flow and hose from here to nearest drain?

GreeBo

learnerplates wrote: »

I haven't hooked up the overflow at the top yet as the hose I had connected to the tap at the bottom had no flow, I now hooked up a wider hose to test, it has flow. Next step is to try it from the top overflow.

You might not get flow on a very long level run through a skinny pipe/hose.

pwurple

learnerplates wrote: »

see attached.
Water butt on the right.
Drain is in the bottom left hand corner.

Well, I'd say that waterbutt looks too low to the ground. The flow from the hose will be poor, and you can't get a watering can in under there. Did it come with a stand?

I would have propped that up at least another foot.

What about putting on the other end of that shed, to get it closer to the drain? Send the gutter the other direction? It's hard to see what else is there from that picture.

GreeBo

Get a length of gutter or pipe and attach to the rear wall, having it across the grass will be a pain in the ass over time.

learnerplates

pwurple wrote: »

Well, I'd say that waterbutt looks too low to the ground. The flow from the hose will be poor, and you can't get a watering can in under there. Did it come with a stand?
.

It's on its stand.

pwurple

learnerplates wrote: »

It's on its stand.

Heh, I have to say, it's kinda hard to see that, as you've left a wheelbarrow in front of the waterbutt for your photograph.

The Garden Shop

pwurple wrote: »

I'm no so sure about that. The 150L tank I have from my small shed was filled in one day of heavy rain last week. I won't need the water for the plants until next May?... I suspect if OP's tank is full already (assuming installed recently), then there's a long winter to get through yet.

Having seen the image i agree.
I know nobody likes pouring water down the drain, but can you connect your garden hose to the water butt and let any excess water flow down your gully by your house?

Its not an ideal solution, but without the downpipe filter diverting water into a gully there is not much else you can do.

The hose pipe could be buried for a neater job.

learnerplates

The Garden Shop wrote: »

Having seen the image i agree.
I know nobody likes pouring water down the drain, but can you connect your garden hose to the water butt and let any excess water flow down your gully by your house?

Its not an ideal solution, but without the downpipe filter diverting water into a gully there is not much else you can do.

The hose pipe could be buried for a neater job.

The hosepipe is only temporary. Theres no clear solution.
I'll connect a strong hose to the overflow.
Bury the hose under the scraw and possible run it between the patio slabs.