Just a quick evening blog….
I searched for Greenhouse rainwater collector kits on Ebay today for my home GH to collect nutritious rain water for my seedlings. I found some for £18 a pair… Now I don’t like to pay much for anything so into the workshop I went to make my own.
I always collect bits of copper piping from old baths and basins when I see them in skips as I know I can use bits at the plot from time to time. I also had some thick firm compressed rubber matting from kids play areas which come in handy as kneeler pads for the garden and our ageing knees!! You know the type – just like flip flops are made from..
I cut a piece of rubber mat off a piece that is under the grow box and then cut a few blocks of mat a bit wider and higher than the inside size of the gutter trough. Size about 42mm wide x 35 mm high should fit most GH gutters. I then dug out 2 bits of copper pipe (15mm) with elbow bends on and cut them so they had a few inches of pipe on each side. On the one side pipe I got my pliers and made the bottom section flat to sit flat in the gutter. Then I got a stanley knife and cut a V out of the blocks of rubber. I use 2 blocks per installation end. I then get a piece of pipe, heat it on the gas stove and burn the shape of the pipe into the V to be a better fit.
Then I put 2 blocks on the pipe and ram it into the gutter. You could be fancy and seal it all with silicone but hey rainwater is free and if a bit gets wasted so what. On the other end of the gutter I ram a plain block of rubber mat the same size but without the V cut out, into the gutter to form a stopper on the end.
If you don’t have any of the rubber matting, another option for keeping the copper bends in place and to use as end stoppers is to use two part industrial putty that you mix together, form into a blob and pack it around the copper pipe. Or you can use some silicone to glue it in place.
Now I will need to add a piece of hose to the down spout on the copper bend and direct it into the receptor container..
Simples… and the best thing I saved myself £18..
p.s. After making it all last night and fitting it I suggest another option if you cant find a copper bend/elbow. You can just get a piece of copper pipe and put it in the gutter with the rubber mat or putty/silicone and make it just stick out a few inches and place your receptor under it so it drips straight into it. It will also work with a short piece of hose pipe as well instead of the copper pipe. I use 15 mm copper pipe but even 22mm would work but need to make the fitting with the rubber or putty squigie into the gaps as much as possible as the area will be reduced due to the bigger pipe. (Hope this makes sense!!)
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