“I built a trellis to carry the water from the roof to my BlueBarrel System location. I thought the instructions with the RainKit were well written and easy to follow. I made one adjustment that I thought I would share: using a 2″ ABS drain pipe (pictured) to the barrels. A 2-1/4″ kitchen strainer fits perfectly between two MIP and FIP couplings.”
Leave it to our customers to come up with creative twists on the standard BlueBarrel Rainwater Catchment System design. One of the benefits of our multi-barrel design is that it’s all figured out from top to bottom, but also easy to customize to fit the particulars of any site. Thanks to Robert in San Luis Obispo, CA for sharing his solution for a custom downspout diverter.
Before we dive in, let us note that our DIY RainKits (with all the parts for building your own BlueBarrel Rainwater Catchment System) come with a standard easy-install downspout diverter that balances inflow and overflow automatically. In most cases, we recommend simply using the diverter provided.
However in Robert’s case, he built an awning to collect rainwater and carry it to his barrels, which inspired him to create a custom downspout diverter solution for his inlet.
Robert writes:
“I thought the instructions with the RainKit were well written and easy to follow. I made one adjustment that I thought I would share using a 2″ ABS drain pipe to the barrels. A 2-1/4″ kitchen strainer fits perfectly between two MIP and FIP couplings” (pictured below).
He is also familiar with the particulars of his climate zone. With California’s Mediterranean climate, Robert knows roughly when the rain will fall. During the dry season, he can remove his inlet pipe completely, replacing it when the rainy season returns:
“Our rain cycle here on the central coast of California is easy to predict so I cut the ABS pipe short enough that it’s easy to lift out during the spring and summer months.”
