[andyf75]

Hi

About to start fixing guttering to my greenhouse and connect up a water butt on each side

Just wondering what to do with the overflow. I don't need any more than two water butts full just need to direct it away somehow. Is it best to direct the guttering straight into the water butts and then attach a hose to take away the overflow? or fit a downpipe and use a diverter kit?

Hope that makes sense
Thanks!

[Kevin67]

The drainpipe rain water gadget automatically diverts excess water when the butt is full. All you have to do is manage the overflow by channelling it off and away.

Alternatively you can allow the butt to fill and near the butt rim (sorry) you can have an outlet with a hosepipe to take the excess away. I guess this would be the cheaper and easier option.

[andyf75]

Thanks

I guess they are basically the same thing then. Either way I need to divert the overflow somewhere suitable just a question of whether to divert before going in the water butt or divert the overflow from the water butt..

[mumofstig]

I just let mine overflow - they're against the back hedge, so it doesn't matter

[Kristen]

My thinking is that the "flow rate" from a greenhouse gutter, as compared to a house downpipe, is pretty meagre, and I wonder if a diverted (assuming designed for a house downpipe?) would do an efficient job of collecting the rain water? and as such I would prefer to collect 100% of the greenhouse roof rainfall, and let any overflow from the butt go somewhere else

No problem filling my butts in Winter, but in summer I want every drop from a sudden thunderstorm's downpour.

[andyf75]

Good point Kristen, I think I'll just go straight in

[cadalot]

I just went into the top of mine but it is amazing how quickly they fill up, I currently use water every visit to wash out soil from slate chippings I got from freecycle. As the mains water is now turned off. The Pop bottles are now gone and the other butt in the background is connected to the gutter on the other side.

[Elm street]

I have three water butts at the side of the shed, these will eventually be joined up with one inside a greenhouse( when we get one!) so we have a lot of water storage!
The shed butts just overflow out of a hole drilled at the top under the rim.