Rain Chains

Captainaxiom · 19-04-2019 9:12pm #1

Hi looking into installing a rain chain into one of my existing gutters. Does anyone know where these can be purchased. I’m looking for brass or copper chain. Will the existing gutter (2 story) support the weight of the chains ?

sydthebeat · 19-04-2019 9:28pm

I seriously doubt a gutter could support a two storey chain designed for storm water. Any I've seen of that height could be of at least 8mm gauge.

Captainaxiom · 19-04-2019 10:23pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

I seriously doubt a gutter could support a two storey chain designed for storm water. Any I've seen of that height could be of at least 8mm gauge.

Any suggestions on how it would work or where one might find the chain.

looksee · 19-04-2019 10:27pm

Looks up rain chain....OHHH I want one!

Bonzo Delaney · 20-04-2019 7:12am

You could put a bracket on the fascia to support it nearly 6m of chain is a fair weight to support

Captainaxiom · 20-04-2019 7:18am

Bonzo Delaney wrote: »

You could put a bracket on the fascia to support it nearly 6m of chain is a fair weight to support

Yeah I was thinking the weight would be too much. Yet surprisingly there’s never any mention online of the chain weight and they only seem to install a clip into the the downspout hole.

sydthebeat · 20-04-2019 7:22am

Captainaxiom wrote: »

Yeah I was thinking the weight would be too much. Yet surprisingly there’s never any mention online of the chain weight and they only seem to install a clip into the the downspout hole.

I can pretty much guarantee that any pvc or aluminium gutter that's available as standard here wouldn't be able to support a two storey chain rope.

Any where I've seen them used has been with strong cast or wrought iron guttering.

An anchor to blockwork should suffice, and that could be hidden by some clever detailing

Captainaxiom · 20-04-2019 7:44am

Clever detailing is a lot easier at the start that trying to come up with a retrofit. I’m adding two to a build in the garden but I wanted the existing one on the house to match.

Captainaxiom · 20-04-2019 7:50am

https://youtu.be/sMlo8HP_Gsg

Upvc retrofit ?

rje66 · 20-04-2019 7:53am

Chain supplies on richmond rd. Drumcondra.
Or try
Chain and rope supplies in clondalkin.

Metric Tensor · 20-04-2019 8:12pm

Safety Stan here!

If you have kids or kids can get anywhere near the chain make sure the bracket can hold the weight of the chain, water and a child swinging from it!! You don't want one of them down on anyone's head!

Calahonda52 · 21-04-2019 6:04pm

Metric Tensor wrote: »

Safety Stan here!

If you have kids or kids can get anywhere near the chain make sure the bracket can hold the weight of the chain, water and a child swinging from it!! You don't want one of them down on anyone's head!

pvc chains?

sydthebeat · 21-04-2019 7:06pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

pvc chains?

I just got a little sick in my mouth there

Turbohymac · 21-04-2019 7:14pm

Total disaster in windy weather ..water blows everywhere off the chain.. and nothing reaches the actual drain. There fitted to a public building in cork with about 8 years and on wet windy day it would be same as having down pipe missing...stupid design having seen them in operation

Calahonda52 · 22-04-2019 8:51am

Calahonda52 wrote: »

pvc chains?

OKAY
Plastic then
https://www.crowdcontrolstore.com/plastics/chain

Squall Leonhart · 24-04-2019 12:38pm

Turbohymac wrote: »

Total disaster in windy weather ..water blows everywhere off the chain.. and nothing reaches the actual drain. There fitted to a public building in cork with about 8 years and on wet windy day it would be same as having down pipe missing...stupid design having seen them in operation

The company I work for has an office in Cork with rain chains... they just don't work, water all over the place, pooling around the chain after blowing off.

Not to say they can't work if done right, but in this particular instance, they don' work, at all!

davidm20 · 24-04-2019 1:06pm

Monarch Rain Chains on Amazon.

For people concerned about brackets these are fairly rock solid. I got 3 before since Xmax. Delivery was ridiculously quick. Comments about the wind etc are valid, these help as they are slightly tapered, but there are still issues.

We built in a large 'pot' just under ground level, connected the chain to a wavin pipe, then infilled the pot with large decorative stone and built a patio around it. So the splash is not an issue for us

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071YP5ZFX/ref=dp_cerb_1

Captainaxiom · 24-04-2019 3:55pm

davidm20 wrote: »

Monarch Rain Chains on Amazon.

For people concerned about brackets these are fairly rock solid. I got 3 before since Xmax. Delivery was ridiculously quick. Comments about the wind etc are valid, these help as they are slightly tapered, but there are still issues.

We built in a large 'pot' just under ground level, connected the chain to a wavin pipe, then infilled the pot with large decorative stone and built a patio around it. So the splash is not an issue for us

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071YP5ZFX/ref=dp_cerb_1

Any pics of the finished product

davidm20 · 25-04-2019 5:51pm

Here's a few pics attached.

Bonzo Delaney · 25-04-2019 6:10pm

No issues with taking the weight of the chain there.
Is it a fibreglass box gutter you installed behind the parapet

davidm20 · 25-04-2019 9:08pm

Bonzo Delaney wrote: »

No issues with taking the weight of the chain there.
Is it a fibreglass box gutter you installed behind the parapet

It's layered with a 'cloth like' fiberglass that's glued to the inside of the channel that was cast when the concrete ring beam was poured....well afaik