Fountain pump question

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Permalink Reply by Michael Coyle on July 8, 2008 at 12:38pm

I've not heard of people doing this, but if I were going to trick out my rain barrel I'd put the pump right on the bottom. I'd drill a hole near the top of the barrel for the electrical so that you don't have too many places that could leak at the bottom. Run the pump into the hose with some type of coupling set up... Hmmm.

There are some problems here that make me suspicious as to if the pump would work the way you want. If you run the pump into the outlet hose, you lose the force of gravity pushing the water out. It is not a system where the pump augments the force of gravity, but rather supplants it. Also, the pump would have to be rather large to move the water any distance. A regular fountain pump (less than 500 gallons per hour) would not work well. I think something along the lines of a sump pump would be in order.

Don't underestimate the force of gravity. I think it would be easier, and more effective to merely raise the level of the rain barrel above the area to be watered. For instance, if you hold the hose at or above waist level while you water, then make sure the bottom of the rain barrel is above this height.

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Permalink Reply by Chinquapin on July 8, 2008 at 1:37pm

Thank you for your insight. Initially I thought I could hook the pump onto the end of the hose but it's not designed for that. It's supposed to be submersed but that means taking the top off the barrel and somehow getting it securely fastened below the water level, getting soaked in the process, and attaching a long hose for the water to come out at the top.

I want to raise my barrel by putting some cement blocks under it, but every time I get the water level down to where I can lift the barrel it rains and fills up again!

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