[Tfug] *Way* OT... :>

[Bexley Hall]

Hi, Phil,

[BTW, did I *meet* you?]

--- On Mon, 7/7/08, euvitudo <euvitudo at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Assuming I start it once, what criteria are there that
> govern
> > when I would need to restart it (manually)?  I.e., as
> long
> > as the leftmost end stays underwater?
> 
> You shouldn't have to restart it, provided there's
> sufficient rain
> to fill the barrel and the water doesn't evaporate too
> quickly.

I.e., as long as the inlet end remains submerged (so the
water captive in that "riser" doesn't drain out -- lose
the prime)
 
> > E.g., could I set the "shut off level" to be
> 2" below the bottom
> > of my barrel and,
> 
> I'm not sure what you mean by 2" below the
> bottom...

Grrrr.... s/below/above/
 
> If you put the "shut off level" below the barrel,
> it should drain
> the whole barrel.  So in this case, you'd need to have
> the
> shut-off level at 2" above the bottom.  That will
> leave 2" of
> water in the barrel.  You'll need to find a way to
> restrain the
> hose inside the barrel (to keep it below the 2" line.

Yes.
 
> > as long as the inlet remains submerged in
> > those 2" of water, will it automatically restart
> when *additional*
> > water is added to the barrel?
> 
> That's correct.
 
[snip]
 
> Once you have the above setup, you shouldn't have to
> deal with
> it, except to check that it is still working.  (If the hose
> is subject to
> direct sunlight, water will evaporate from the hose, which
> could
> force you to have to restart.

I plan on hacking together a PVC assembly that I can just drape
over the side of each barrel.  Terminate the outlet in a
threaded connector suitable for a hose attachment.  I.e., the
parts whose shape/dimensions are critical will be frozen
while leaving the flexibility of the hose to allow me to
direct the flow to wherever I want.
 
> >> > I.e., if I took an *empty* barrel and
> fabricated some
> >> > tubing in the shape indicated and let it sit
> in the
> >> rain,
> >> > would it prime itself *before* the barrel
> overflowed?
> >> > Or, does it rely on that to get it started?
> >>
> >> As stated above, you'll need to start the
> flow.  Once
> >> the
> >> desired water level is reached, you can move the
> lower
> >> loop until it stops, and keep it there (attached
> to the
> >> side,
> >> or however you're going to do it).  Once the
> barrel
> >> fills
> >> past the height of the loop, water will flow
> (until the
> >> level
> >> in the barrel decreases back below the loop).
> >
> > This suggests my "2 inch" scheme should
> work?
> 
> Yes, provided it's 2" _above_ the bottom of the
> barrel.

Yes.  <:-)
 
> >> So, when you go home tonight, just try it. 
> Otherwise, I
> >> can produce a video tonight (need to clean one of
> my
> >> aquaria) and send a link along.
> >
> > Thanks for the offer but I'll sort it out.  If I
> know how to
> > make it work, I can fabricate a more permanent fixture
> to
> > do this (e.g., PVC pipe in the correct shape).  THen,
> just
> > leave one in each barrel and let them move the water
> for
> > me (instead of having to go out in the storm to do
> it!)
> 
> Sounds good.
 
THanks!  This is consistent with my (vague) memories.
I imagine the (small, hand-held) gizmo from my youth was
"primed" just by submerging the entire assembly (thereby
ensuring that the entire assembly is filled with water).
As a kid, that wouldn't particularly have stood out in
my mind -- rather, the "wow, it's flowing uphill" would
be more significant!  :>

Thanks for your patience!
--don