# My rainwater harvesting setup



## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

After much trial and error I thought I would share with you my setup,.

1st step 3 tanks in a daisy chain 









Filled up using a guttermate with fine filter



















I did have a hozelock ultra metal water butt pump but that was pants. So I bought a Karcher K4 compact with Suction hose. Gravity was enough to get it going










And to be extra sure that I wasn't sand blasting crap from my roof onto my car I also bought a fine water filter to attach to the washer










So I now have free super filtered water and am well happy !


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## Kirkyworld (Jan 12, 2014)

Looks great and rain water is so much softer it doesn't leave water marks too.


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

Yes exactly, so I can sometimes just rinse the car and not bother drying it as it will dry clean...


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## Kirkyworld (Jan 12, 2014)

Tom48 said:


> Yes exactly, so I can sometimes just rinse the car and not bother drying it as it will dry clean...


I often wash mine in the pouring rain for the same reason, I'd rather get wet doing a quick service wash than leave it unwashed :thumb:


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## ioClean (May 16, 2014)

Interesting! Been considering this


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

I wash mine in the rain as well. I get stared at like I've just burned an Orphanage down.


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## Andy-P (Jun 1, 2014)

Can I ask why 3 tanks, not just 1?


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

This for me is like giving blood, its something i want to do, something i keep saying I'm going to, and something thats still not been done 

Thanks for the motivation


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Andy-P said:


> Can I ask why 3 tanks, not just 1?


By the time the water gets to the 3rd big tank it will be perfectly clean and contaminant free. Pure drinking water. Each tank collects any bits left over and only the clean water runs over to the next


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## dhali (Mar 12, 2006)

Great idea. Couple of questions if i may ?

Can you supply a link to the fine water filters ?
How does the K4 suck the water out the tank as it looks as if youve got the pipe connected to where you would normally connect your garden hose which is under mains pressure And from your pictures the white/clear hose is going into the black tank from the top.

TIA.


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## Paul08 (Jun 1, 2014)

Looks like a great idea. Are the tanks connected to each other at the very top and are there any further filters where they are connected? Thanks


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

stangalang said:


> This for me is like giving blood, its something i want to do, something i keep saying I'm going to, and something thats still not been done
> 
> Thanks for the motivation


Pull ya finger out our kid,or else.


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

dhali said:


> Great idea. Couple of questions if i may ?
> 
> Can you supply a link to the fine water filters ?
> How does the K4 suck the water out the tank as it looks as if youve got the pipe connected to where you would normally connect your garden hose which is under mains pressure And from your pictures the white/clear hose is going into the black tank from the top.
> ...


The guttermate link ishttp://www.guttermate.co.uk

Gravity means that the hose runs water out anyway, and the new Karchers all have suction capability. My big tank is slightly uphill, so as soon as the hose is in the tank and laid out water runs out


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

Paul08 said:


> Looks like a great idea. Are the tanks connected to each other at the very top and are there any further filters where they are connected? Thanks


No just the one filter from the down pipe, but then there are the filters at the start of the suction hose and also as it enters the pressure washer. But by the time the water has gone through the first two water butts and into the tank it is v clean anyway


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

President Swirl said:


> I wash mine in the rain as well. I get stared at like I've just burned an Orphanage down.


:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm clearly being an idiot and not getting my head around how the tanks are connected...could I ask a favour please? Could you post a pic of how they link up. Will hopefully allow me to figure out what I'd need to do!


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

MDC250 said:


> I'm clearly being an idiot and not getting my head around how the tanks are connected...could I ask a favour please? Could you post a pic of how they link up. Will hopefully allow me to figure out what I'd need to do!


Just a bit of pvc pipe I imagine. 1 overflows in to the other and so on. Leaving the sediment at the bottom of tanks 1 and 2.


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## wylie coyote (Jul 15, 2007)

Have you got a link for the filer attached to your PW? Like the look of it - does it affect the inflow?:thumb:


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## giggs (May 20, 2011)

Rain water is great. Been using this foldable rain barrel for three years now with my Karcher K5 (suction hose + filter).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rain-Barr...576?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234c2c4340


















G


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## Paul.D (Jun 26, 2013)

I use 2 tanks on my set up water flows from gutter into first tank the first tank has a tank connector half way up linked to another tank connector on the second butt. This way i can use 1 1/2 butts of water and still keep the rubbish in the bottom of the first butt.


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

wylie coyote said:


> Have you got a link for the filer attached to your PW? Like the look of it - does it affect the inflow?:thumb:


KÃ¤rcher 47300590 Water Filter - Black: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

It does drop the flow a little bit but is worth it I think


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## Tom48 (May 21, 2013)

MDC250 said:


> I'm clearly being an idiot and not getting my head around how the tanks are connected...could I ask a favour please? Could you post a pic of how they link up. Will hopefully allow me to figure out what I'd need to do!


Yup will do


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## Cy-Zuki (Feb 9, 2015)

Watching with interest.


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## _Steven67 (Apr 8, 2014)

This is actually pretty interesting !


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## Paul08 (Jun 1, 2014)

You've inspired me to do the same, ordered some new guttering for my garage and managed to get a water harvesting setup quite cheap from my water board. Just waiting for it all to arrive!


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

For those wondering I'm sure there are a few threads in this section already with both diagram and image instructions. Just have a search


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## NeilG40 (Jan 1, 2009)

stangalang said:


> For those wondering I'm sure there are a few threads in this section already with both diagram and image instructions. Just have a search


It's stickied at the top of this section of the forum.


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## Clean ocd (Mar 29, 2014)

thats a really smart set up:thumb: good idea instead of a di vessel also its free apart from the set up cost


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## Olly13 (Jun 22, 2015)

Great idea with the filtering is spot on!


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## Paul.D (Jun 26, 2013)

My two butt system has ment I havent used tap water for washing or rinsing 3 cars in the household for the past 2 years since I set mine up.

Check your local waterboard for butts they tend to do a deal and cheaper than the diy sheds.


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