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Water butt not filling

MicheMiche Posts: 6
in Problem solving

I can see something about butt not diverting -but after that?????

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  • MicheMiche Posts: 6
    Sorry - first post! I've installed a water butt, a Sankey and it's not collecting. Water is draining straight out of the downpipe and I've searched online and can't find any problem solving. Can anyone help me with suggestions?
  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    I bought one of these a few years ago, untiI..........I discovered a place that sold blue barrels in the local ad-mag. £3 each the barrels cost me - so I bought 10 !!!  LOL

    " Water is draining straight out of the downpipe" - do you mean the tap at the bottom ??? Close the tap, if that's the case !!!  

    Hmmmmm...downpipe

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    If I read this correctly the water instead of diverting into the butt is continuing to flow down the downpipe-is that it Miche?

    There must be some valve that you need to turn-then when the butt is full you turn it it off to stop it overflowing-that is my guess.

    So is there a valve?

  • rocketterockette Posts: 14

    At what level is tube coming out from the downpipe compared to going into the water butt? Downpipe end needs to be level or very slightly higher than water butt end.

  • MicheMiche Posts: 6
    Yes that's right. There was a divert or kit with the butt that I attached to the down pipe by sawing a piece off. It had to be level with the water butt. It was supposed to just slot into the down pipe but there's no valve to turn. Any other ideas? I'd really like to make use of this deluge!
  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    From their site-but you may have already seen itimage-there does not seem to be valve-it was a guess-hopefully someone will have a solution for you

    http://www.sankeygrowyourown.co.uk/Sankey%20Water%20Butt%20Installation%20Guide.pdf

  • Gold1locksGold1locks Posts: 498

    The way it works is that the diverter has a pipe within a pipe. the inner pipe opening has a loose cowl above it, so that water is diverted outside the inner pipe and out to the butt. When the butt is full water backs up and teh gap between the inner and outer pipe gets full of water which then overflows down into the inner pipe and on down to drain. For this to work the diverter needs to be positioned at a level just below the top of the water butt. too high and the butt will overflow. too low and the butt will only part fill. 

    If the tube between the diverter and the butt is blocked (or kinked) then water will not divert, so the tube should be checked.

    image

  • MicheMiche Posts: 6
    I think that I will undo it and check there's no blockage - the pipe is virtually straight as directed in the instructions. I'm going to check for kinks. Many thanks
  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Ahh I see....I don't have mine connected up to that kit.

    Plenty of videos on youtube about fitting these kits - not sure how helpful they are to you.

    Hope you get it sorted.

  • MicheMiche Posts: 6
    Right I've been out and undone it all. On one side there's the hole and 4 grooves for square pipes (this is what I've got) and then on the other side is a hole angled on one side. I believe I had put this the wrong way up! It didn't say in the instructions which way so I kept it the way it came in the packaging which now seems rather foolish. I've switched them round so the angle which should be the overflow is at the top and will then wait for the rain! Many thanks for all your help
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