Rain Barrel System | EASY Water Pump Upgrade
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- Have you ever wanted to install or upgrade your water pump used for your rain barrel or rainwater collection system? Well in this video, Robert walks you through his process for upgrading his harbor freight transfer pump to a NorthStar 12v on-demand pump.
Robert also performs a comparison between the two pumps as well as shows you some of the issues he rain into along the way that may help you with your application or future projects.
On-Demand Pump Parts:
► On-Demand Pump: www.northerntool.com/products...
► SAE to SAE Extension Cable: amzn.to/39zZaba
► Wire Connector Nut: amzn.to/3tJXgM1
PVC, Plastic Parts, & Fittings:
(Most of these parts you can buy from a home improvement store, but here are some online links)
► 3/4" MHT x 1/2" MPT: www.dripdepot.com/item/schedu...
► 1/2" MPT x 1/2" Barb Elbow: www.lowes.com/pd/B-K-1-2-in-B...
► 1/2" Drip Irrigation Male Adapter: www.lowes.com/pd/Apollo-1-2-i...
► 1/2" ID Reinforced PVC Vinyl Tubing: amzn.to/3QvpdRx
► Stainless Steel Adjustable Clamp: amzn.to/3xxo6rD
► 1/2" ID Threaded Barb Garden Hose Adapter: amzn.to/3tIZLxU
► 1/2" 90 Degree Elbow: amzn.to/3HvwEnz
► Slip x FHT Fitting: www.dripdepot.com/item/schedu...
► 1/2" Coupling: amzn.to/3xZzA8J
► 1/2" PVC Tee: amzn.to/3bbpMjf
► 1/2" MIP Vacuum Relief Valve: amzn.to/3xwOaU0
Other Parts:
► PVC Pipe Cutters: amzn.to/3bcrctT
► PVC All In One Cement: amzn.to/3LCzrfs
► Teflon Tape: amzn.to/3NYoSFM
► Wire Strippers: amzn.to/3O3VnSf
► Spade Terminal: amzn.to/3mZTAlv
► Wire Crimper: amzn.to/3mSTZpT
► Zip Ties (alternative to velcro ties): amzn.to/3NTtuNa
► 20 Amp DC Circuit Breaker: amzn.to/3xYvTjz
► Watering Timer: www.amazon.com/dp/B004INGS8S?...
► Male to Male Hose Adapter: amzn.to/3b8tj1H
► Sandpaper: amzn.to/3DSgK52
► Speed Square: amzn.to/3NWdcTG
► Plastic Spray Paint: amzn.to/3xcV3Lw
► Endoscope: amzn.to/3tEU4Bm
► 4 Way Brass Hose Splitter: amzn.to/3NVEBEZ
Video Links:
-WIFI Relay Installation: • CHEAP WIFI Relay Autom...
Video Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:35 Removing Transfer Pump
0:57 Preparing On-Demand Pump
1:47 Pump Comparison Test
3:40 Installing On-Demand Pump
6:38 Installing 20 Amp Breaker
7:00 Elevation Issue
7:31 Installing Watering Timer
8:15 Pressure Switch Concerns
8:43 Modifying PVC Plumbing
10:20 Siphoning Issue
10:45 Installing Relief Valve
11:36 Testing System
11:52 Final Thoughts
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My favorite part of your videos is how you are showing us what you are learning along the way! Awesome to see how you overcome these problems and make it work! Great video
Yessss
Always a good day when Green Tech Town posts. I have to say it was crazy to see you actually having problems with installation and configuration! Glad to see I'm not the only one lol.
Haha
I really should have watched your entire series before doing the pvc system. Now I need to upgrade the pump. :)
Showing your mistakes and their remedies is extremely valuable, as is the premise of your installations. Thank you for filming and editing your videos so professionally! You make learning very easy.
Your videos are such great quality, I always feel like I learn something new from them. Thank you! Keep up the good work
Agreed
I put in a 500 gallon water collection tank. I used a 1hp shallow well pump from harbor freight. I connected the tank to the barrel at its low point. I also installed a 110v shutoff float switch to prevent running my pump dry. the pumps water tank failed, so I added an additional blue tank. everything is on faucets. I will eventually add an Alexa controlled smart timer for my 2, 24 foot raised garden boxes. the systems m works really well.
These videos are so high quality and helpful!
This video finally put all the pieces together and gave me the final push to make my own solar/rainwater collection system. The on demand pump is a game changer for me as someone who has to explain how things work to the wife 😅
Your videos are very informative and well put together. I felt like I was watching HGTV lol. Well done buddy
Haha, great to hear. I do try to make a video that I myself would enjoy watching or find useful.
Another gem Mr Green Tech
Well done, thanks for sharing how you work through unseen problems as you go.
Love your stuff. You are a great teacher and your practical intelligence is over the top.
Great setup 👍👍
Love the work you're doing here. It also looks so similar to my work with all the plumbing and electrical you are doing!
I really need to go back to school. Lol. No really you have great troubleshooting skills. Problem solving skills. I love it. You are correct. Don’t give up and I will add take your time. Search for a resolve. Most of the time when I have an issue with a project I usually find that someone else has had the same problem. Thanks for sharing!!!!👍🏾🏆👍🏾🏆👍🏾
Absolutely! And thanks for the feedback!
I was wondering about tat cheap Harbor Freight pump. When I looked, they weren't that cheap. It seems like a place where you don't want to skimp. Thanks for posting this upgrade!!
Your videos are amazing! Great editing and they show the "oopses" along the way to building an incredible and adaptive rain barrel watering system.
Thank you for posting your content in an easy-to-follow and understand way your videos are top-notch quality thank you.
Thanks so much for all of your very informative vids and ideas! Will definitely put some to use as soon as I can make the time.
Love this! Thanks for sharing!
I'm enjoying all of your content
You are totally awesome in the way you deliver your information. Thanks.
This video is very helpful and I am going to incorporate a lot of your design elements into my system.
This is VERY helpful thank you!
Great video! Looking to add technology to my own farm to reduce the amount of work we have. Can't believe I haven't seen your channel until now. Keep up the great work!
This helped me IMMENSELY. Thank you!
Awesome to hear!
Awesome video. Your hard work and attention to detail is appreciated.
Thanks Aaron for the feedback!
Nice video shot, well done, thanks for sharing it :)
Great work. Thanks
I love how thorough your videos are and how you explain everything that you've done. Thank you for all your videos!
Thanks for the feedback Ackeron!
Great video! Thanks
Great video and I like how you clearly explain what you are doing and why. For the pump there are sprinkler Timbers they open a valve and turn on the pump at the same time. Just a thought you could get more control of the water to different beds as well.
Lekka vid man! Loving the content keep it up.
Dude! You are awesome!
I love the effort you put into these videos.
Thanks for the feedback Zephyr!
Sounds like you've made videos yourself before lol.
Nice work
Very informative! (I never would have figured out the siphoning problem!!)
I enjoyed this video quite a bit. I’m going to explore your other videos but just wanted to let you know that this one was particularly motivating. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback Morgan! Great to hear!
Great video
Another great video. You do a amazing job explaining your craftsmanship. I learn a lot.
Awesome to hear! Thanks
I was just about to buy a pump for my rain barrel, based on your previous video, so this video came at the right time. Thank you for sharing your process, the problems you encounter, and how you solve them!
No problem, and the transfer pump is still a great little pump (depending on the application), I just out grew it over time. Good luck with your project!
Because I'm planning on installing a rain barrel system myself, I searched for some smart ways to use it. This channel definitly helps! Great work, keep it up!
Thanks for the feedback Rutger and glad to help.
Love these videos! Helping me plan my own rain water harvesting system :)
Awesome :) Thanks for the feedback!
Dude this setup and video is seriously amazing
Thanks Decentralized Plant!
I love your videos and always look forward to them. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Awesome to hear and thanks for the feedback!
Great job brother.
Thanks Jose!
Omg. Amazing setup. I’m not very technical, but I need to create a very simplified version using solar jump. Those engineering school lessons need surface to the top of brain soon.
What a wonderful video! You answered several questions that I had. Great stuff!
Awesome to hear!
Love the garden! I wish I was this handy 😂
Nice upgrade. Works very well.
Thanks Keystone!
Thanks for sharing your experience and lessons learned. Super helpful!
Thanks for the feedback Jared!
I love your channel! If I can I will definitely become a patron. Also if I ever get my dream house all of these suggestions will be implemented. I am old though & may beg you to let me pay you to do it in a free place to stay while you & your family explore our city! Thanks for the wisdom & inspiration!
Haha! Man these vids though! As soon as you started hooking up the extra pvc to raise the plumbing to the spigot above the barrels, I started laughing because I saw the siphon coming. Awesome work man, very inspiring!!
Enjoy your videos! I have a 4 rain barrels off my garage. Transfer pump hooked up to a portable hose reel. I can then Plug that into my PVC watering to my garden or water other items around my yard with spray head. Again enjoyed your content for a while! Keep it up!
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
Awesome build thank you for sharing.
You bet!
Feels like every time i lay out a plan of attack for some project, list out all the materials i will need, i still make 20 extra trips to lowes or depot for all those random things i just didnt know about or think about. Sometimes makes me want to move next door to one of them just to make my life a little easier :)
Great video.
Thanks James!
I really enjoy your videos keep it up you are a master teacher I appreciate you making these videos
Thanks for the feedback, and will try my best!
You are my irrigation hero. Just saying!
11:15 İnstead of using a "vacuum release valve" you can also use a check valve in reverse. It's much cheaper....
Excellent video thank you for sharing this important information listening from Bangs Texas
Thanks for watching!
That’s exactly what I told you on the last video. Btw I’m still rocking RC mower
Found your post on reddit for this project. You got a subscriber out of it!
Awesome. Was not aware there was a link on reddit to this project. Feel free to share it and I'll check it out when I have time.
You're awesome.
As a pressure washer guy with multiple softwash systems, here some fews tip. 1.Avoid using 90* barb (it restricted flow). 2. Don’t ever buy northern star pump ( it suck, try delavan pump or remco pump ) 3. You can even upgrade more using 7gpm pump or 10gpm pump with 24v setup
thank you for this very informative video.
God bless your heart for sharing this information. did susctibe and also shared on facebook. hope you keep making these indepth videos. not to fast for my advanced years to keep up.
Thanks Mary for sharing!
Great videos!!! Thanks for being willing to be human and not cover over "learning opportunities"!!
Great job on youtube video😎👍
Thanks Michael!
@@GreenTechTown you're welcome
Great video, don’t seem many people actually using proper pump. I wonder if anyone has made a DIY regulator and shut off
If you're up for it, consider soldering on a flyback diode on the pump. The usual on/off from the pressure switch causes the motor winding to throw a high instantaneous voltage back through the switch, thereby micro-arcing and charring the switch. Over time, the switch leafs will be damaged. The flyback diode diverts the voltage spike back through the winding and dissipates it slowly there instead of through the vulnerable switch.
I've been going through your rain barrel and solar videos over the past few days. Great stuff! I just did a solar/rain capture system for my chicken coop and you have given me some great ideas! Also, are you a teacher? You explain everything so clearly! hah
haha, no, not a teacher. I just try to explain things in a way that would make it easy for me to understand if I was new to the subject. Thanks for the feedback!
If you like gadgets, get yourself an automatic wire stripper. It's much nicer than the type you're using where you have to pick the correct gauge. It's also easier to strip the insulation from multi-strand cables.
Thanks for the tip MRAB! I looked that up and you are right, those types of strippers make the process much easier. Will be ordering soon!
I needed this video. I have been slowly implementing a similar system in my garden. I was always worried about the water pressure with the transfer pump vs the on demand pump. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Was wondering about watering the grass and if it was enough pressure. You showed it is so I can use rainwater for keeping grass and garden nice instead of well water. Thanks and I subbed.
Awesome, welcome aboard!
I'll take all your old stuff. One thing, I would do is, Hoes in, hoes out. Cut the PVC outside of the storage box and run GREEN garden hoes like the inlet side. The Video's are awesome so I know your level of skill is amazing. Don't cut corners at the end. There are serval benefits of this, symmetry being one of them. Love your video's keep making more.
NIce work but creating a high point in the pipe wont stop the water from flowing. You have created a vacuum... and you found it at 10:30 ;) We used them on sprinkler systems as well. Fun to watch the learning process.
Absolutely love your videos. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain and list your projects. I am going to do the on-demand pump setup with solar battery setup for my wife's garden. Would I have to put an on/off switch in order not to drain the battery?
For on-demand pumps, it should have a built in pressure switch that will automatically turn off the pump once the outflow path is blocked and pressure is built up in the hose line. However, after reading a few reviews online for some on-demand pumps found online, some people claim that some/most of the on-demand pumps with built-in pressure switches will sometimes fail and not work correctly. So I prefer to remotely turn on & off the power to my on-demand pump even though it has the capability to do this on it's own.
@@GreenTechTown Perfect! Thank you! I will put a switch to start outside on the pump box and go from there! I will send pictures and or ask for assistance with wiring when I dive in. Thanks again
Great video! Are you still using this pump and if so, have you had any issues with it?
Another excellent instructional video. + fan of the chapters. I have been going back through the series wondering why you didn't start with an on demand pump, now I get it. I plan to do a similar setup for my compost tea tanks but need to work through filtering challenge - any suggestions?
That's an interesting project. I have not heard or seen that myself so I cannot recommend anything at the moment, however, I know you can find mesh filters that fit standard garden hose, or barb fittings on Amazon.
Wait a minute, over 8k views and only 600 likes?! Come on, folks!
Thanks for the great info! Question: when your rain barrels run dry will the pump burn out if it is turned on or does it have a safety mechanism to prevent burn out in a dry barrel scenario?
Excellent videos! Since you are using a 12v DC system, where did you connect you ground wire coming from the pump? The Positive and Negative seem obvious, but I did not see the other end of the ground. Thanks for all your work!
I'm not sure if I showed it in this video or not, but I ended up connecting a ring terminal to one of the mounting holes to attach the grounding wire if I remember correctly. I basically created my own grounding point on the pump since the manual did not call out one, but I made sure that point had continuity with all the other metal surfaces that could be touched by hand.
These videos are awesome. One question, why not mount the pump near your barrels and electrical panels to centralize your setup and reduce its footprint? With the waterproof SAE connectors I believe you could even forgo the enclosure that way, as those pumps are typically rated for outdoor use.
Hey Kyle. Good question. It was just less work on my part to just use the enclosure already setup for the pump, and since the PVC from my garden was in the same location, but at some point I probably will move everything to that area to reduce the footprint.
💓💓
Love your videos. We live in the country and have IBC totes all around the property for our various animals.
Do you think this pump would work for use on a pressure washer water from IBC tote (of course all powered by solar) we want to use a pressure washer to clean out the stalls in the spring.
Most definitely. I believe that's what most people who purchase this particular on-demand pump use it for.
@@GreenTechTown awesome. Thank you for responding!
Great video and way of explaining. Thank you!I had a question on the size of the pump. I learned that the average flow rate for faucets is between 1.0 gpm and 2.2 gpm. The Northstar pump you recommend has flow rate of 5.5 GPM. Why do you need 2-3x more higher flow rate than a typical faucet when a faucet has enough pressure to deliver to a residential garden?
Hey Junko. I went with a pump this size due to the distance the water source (rain barrels) were from my garden, and due to the increased amount of water demand I planned on adding to my garden.
@@GreenTechTown Thank you! I'm impressed with your easy to understand and user friendly (list of what you used in your comments) as well as you taking the time to respond!!
I have the transfer pump. It's so loud. Is there a way to decrease the noise?
Ya when you went back down I was assuming siphon would be a problem
What breaker panel do you have? Thinking about using something similar for my setup
I purchased this enclosure box: amzn.to/3QVkVCr
It does not come with the din rail, but you can find the majority of the parts I used (din rail, breakers, etc.) in the description of this video I made: ruclips.net/video/74ex8Moqyek/видео.html
I set up my first rain barrel last week (an EarthMinded RainStation 45-gal). I do have brand new gutters with covers but the water in the barrel is not clear. You can only see about 6 to 12 inches down, probably due to sediments washed off the asphalt shingle roof. If I connect a hose and spray nozzle will this rainwater eventually clog my nozzle?
Hey Jerome. It's possible but hard to say for sure. I would recommend adding gutter guards to your system, or some type of filter attached to the incoming water connection. I did this for my current setup and it seems to be working a lot better. To help protect the pump, some people also add a small filter in front of the pump, however, I try to reduce the amount of maintenance I may have to do, so if I can filter most of the water before it enters my barrel, I think that is the best route to take.
What was the best pump that worked for you? I cant find on the links. I thought you changed to another one since this video.
So far I am still using the on-demand pump shown in this video. It has been working great. I am thinking about moving it's location to where the rain barrels are stored so it's not having to combat the heat from the sun inside that black tote.
What size battery do I need for the new pump 5561T you are using?
It runs off 12v, but the Ah rating will depend on how often you plan to use it and what you plan on using to charge the battery (solar, grid power, etc.). I'm currently using a 12v 35Ah battery with a 100W solar panel and the battery has always had enough power to control the pump with me using it every other day. I could probably get away with using it every day since I only run it for about 15min.
Any issues with the pressure pump so far? I am thinking about going this route too but worried about it not lasting long.
No issues so far.
Did you have to upgrade your cables for the higher amperage or were they okay?
They were okay for this upgrade.
2 months later…. How’s the new on demand pump doing? Do you like this specific pump brand? Definitely what I want to use when mine is finished setting up.
Hey J Fred. Yes, so far it is still working well for my application. If something does come up, I'll definitely try to share that with you all via a video on the problem and hopefully a solution. Fortunately, I have no complaints so far. I would recommend if you can, try to keep the pump/pump enclosure out of direct sunlight to help prolong the life of the motor components. That is the only modification I will probably make later down the road.
What wire did you use to plug the water pump to electricity I have a pump like that but don’t know how to plug to 110
These are DC rated pumps that can function off a 12v battery (i.e. a 12v car battery). They do make AC version that would use 110VAC (standard house outlet), but since I am powering my system using solar energy, it was easier to use DC rated pumps.
Does the float switch still apply to this pump? or would the on-demand pump recognize there is no water is the barrels?
Hey Matt. Great question! Yes, the float switch would still be useful. The on-demand pump would not sense there is no/not enough incoming water. I have heard people say some on-demand pumps can "run dry" (run without water present and not become damaged) but some say they still do not recommend it. I would verify with the manufacture for whatever pump you decide to go with.
@@GreenTechTown Thanks for the clarification, I've been taking notes on all your videos and hope to setup a similar system at my parent's place. Thank you for everything
I have one rain barrel (60 gal) and I would like to drill a hole through my T-1-11 and then run a garden hose through to the rain barrel. Once inside my shed, I would take the garden hose and splice in a 120-volt water pump allowing me to pump the rain barrel water into my 55 gal water barrel that I have set up inside my shed where I make up the nutrients for my hydroponic garden reservoir. It seems to me this would be the simplest way to get the water from the outside rain barrel to the inside water barrel. I was wondering which water pump you would recommend. I think having an on/off switch on the pump would be a wise move. Thanks for your suggestions.
If this will be more of a manual operation system, a simple transfer pump should be fine as long as the outlet part of the hose going to your hydroponic garden reservoir is always open. The one I used in the video is handy since it has an on & off switch built into the power cable.
@@GreenTechTown I've noticed that these water pump are run off a 12v battery, I'm looking to run my pump off 120v outlet, do you know of one that will meet that requirement?
I've researched 120v pumps and the cheap ones claim to produce 330 gph but looking at these units they are quite noisy and about the size of your hand so I'm concerned they will fail. Do you have any experience with these types of units and any suggestions?
I do not have much experience with 120v models. But if I wanted to get my feet wet with one, I would probably buy a 120v model from Harbor Freight like this one if I needed a bit more horsepower: www.harborfreight.com/12-hp-cast-iron-transfer-pump-1525-gph-63316.html
I'm sure Amazon has several models available too, but I would just read the reviews before purchasing.
Of course with either route, you should be able to return the pump if you find it is not the right fit or overkill.
@@GreenTechTown thank you for your feedback, I bookmarked your page.
Had you just used standard pressure compensating drip emitters installed into standard brown drip pipe you’d have saved yourself a lot of money, time, and frustration of “balancing the system”
Can I just use a 12volt battery to use the on demand pump??
Yes, the on-demand pump I used in this video is rated for a 12v DC power source, so a 12v car battery would work just fine, however, keep in mind, car batteries are not meant to be drained often like the batteries in our cell phones for example. I would recommend a 12v deep cycle battery which you can find on Amazon or maybe some of your local stores. The size (amp hours (Ah)) of the battery would depend on how long you plan to run the pump for before the battery has to be recharged.