Crunch Bunch's latest project

[captain_crunch]

 Here is what we been up to  setting 1200 gallon tank to catch water off mill roof for fire protection First wooden gutter all the old barns had these so here is mine


not finished yet but here is tank


Got it hooked up yesterday and now about 1/4 full of Oregon Sunshine

[4genlgr]

be glad your not in colorado----you'd be stealing someone elses water
read that in a newspaper article about some one doing that in CO

[Qweaver]

We have 3 1200 gal tanks catching rainwater for our house use.  I'm going to add another tank at the sawmill for pressure washing and adding a pump for fire and other use is a good idea.  I don't need a pump for pressue washing.  Freeze damage to pumps is a problem in winter tho'.  I'd have set it up so that I could drain the pump and plumbing for the winter. 

[Magicman]

That was our source for drinking water way back when.  We had an underground dug cistern, but some folks had above ground tanks.  During July and August,  we had our own water rationing.  Today's generations....  ???

[captain_crunch]

Qweaver
You might try what  I have done in two of my tanks There is a 1hp 20 gpm Submersiable pump in tank. I removed check valve from pump being it is just a pluger in and let er rip set up Without check valve water drains back to water level in tank. Only thing you have to watch is when shut off it will siphon up thru pump and drain tank unless you loosen hose to break vacume.Sounds expensive but I work on well water systems for a liveing I scrounge salvagable pumps and motors. 3500 watt  220V generator will easly run 1hp pump. And if it freezes 1200 gallons of water bad enough to hurt pump it won't matter cause I ain't gonn be here if it does ;D ;D

[sigidi]

Down here we are on tank water exclusively, no town supplied water, all we get is what the man upstairs sends down for us to catch off our roof.

We run the toilets, yard taps, animal water troughs and washing machine off creek water held in a separate 5,000gal tank, but catch our rainwater for the kitchen and bathroom in our rainwater tank again 5,000gal. Ideally I'd like to be in a situation where we have 20,000gal storage but it's almost $3,000AU for one of those 5,000gal tanks and at the moment we got the rest of the house to build with the $6,000AU we'd spend on more tanks.

[Coalsmoke]

Looks great CC, tell us more on the wooden gutter. Did you use something like PL400 to joint the two pieces?

[captain_crunch]

Stephan
Go back to mouth of cave thinking I just coated inside of vee with blackjack roofing tar :D :D Next go around I might try a strip of weatherstripping between. The old ones here just dripped some. Still remember stuffing moss  between 2X12's that watertroughs were made out of. Termits were more feared than rust around here

[Qweaver]

Down here we are on tank water exclusively, no town supplied water, all we get is what the man upstairs sends down for us to catch off our roof.

We run the toilets, yard taps, animal water troughs and washing machine off creek water held in a separate 5,000gal tank, but catch our rainwater for the kitchen and bathroom in our rainwater tank again 5,000gal. Ideally I'd like to be in a situation where we have 20,000gal storage but it's almost $3,000AU for one of those 5,000gal tanks and at the moment we got the rest of the house to build with the $6,000AU we'd spend on more tanks.

Hi Sigidi
We lived near Penrith NSW for 5 years in the early 70s and a lot of people were still on tanks.  When we started building here in W.Va, my wife (Sarah) was adamant about "no city water".  We may eventually drill or dig a well but so far we have never run or froze out of water.  We have 2 full tanks right now and the one we are using out of is 2/3 full.
BTW, I mainly raced in NSW but we did run a supporting race at the Australian Grand Prix in Surfers Paradise in 1974.  I tried to find that race track on Google Earth recently, but could not see it.  It must be gone.  They made the track surface using crushed coral and it really had some grip.  Wore out tires fast Tho'  Are you located near Surfers?

[sdunston]

CC did you get that tank from KoO :D
Sam

[oakiemac]

That's interesting captian. My first farm house had on old cement undrground cistern that all the eves drained into. It had its own seperate pump and went to the toilets and a seperate spigot in the kitchen. The well was hand dug and would go dry in the summers.
Where we live now we dont have any water problems or I should say lack of water problems. I only have to dig down a few feet and I hit water.

[Sparty]

It's too bad we can't share water easily over distance.  I've got an artesian well spewing out water 24/7/365 which flows into the spring creek next to the house which flows into the river behind the house.  The back yard turns into a creek anytime we get an inch or so of rain.  Our well is 25 ft deep and is only that deep to keep things sanitary.  If you want to go swimming, just dig a hole about 3' deep and watch it fill with water.  The only thing we worry about is getting rid of the water.  It is great to see you folks coming up with ways to conserve the water, though....very creative.

[captain_crunch]

KoO would have cut ends out and made duplex dog house ;D ;D
Tank came from same feller as mill did. I was always going to put it on a truck but beings a Fire Tanker only has to be 300 gallons figured a resivior would be better use. If I live long enough to finish projects (figure if I make it to about 115) will fix the homade well driller setting above the mill and finish well that it broke down drilling. Only need to go 40 ft and belive I made it 20. I just have this Idea that a Mill should have fire equip close. I have 4X8 sheet tin under mill so I can rake it out clean But just Fire Cautious after 20 years in woods

[backwoods sawyer]

As long as the water gets in the tank, woods gutters are great. Having firewater handy is a must. I have lots of water with a 25 foot valve, I rented a ditch witch and plumbed the whole place with frost free hydrants, so that I only need one garden hose to reach any where on the place, including the mill site. Most others in the valley are a bit on the short side when it comes to water.
Any one still using a wooden holding tank?     

[captain_crunch]

Backwoods Sawyer
We had a 1000 gallon redwoodtank stored in barn loft till Uncle sold it to some Rather strangly dressed people with long hair ;D ;D
Down in your parts I have noticed there either is No water or it Stinks of sulphur to high heavens
Watermasters did quite a bit of work around 10 Mile And Strickland Canyon. I worked for them till they went out of buisness(that did not the way it sounds)

[4genlgr]

"KoO would have cut the ends out and...."
well that answered that question for me. i was onhis web site the other day and wonder if capt c was the same
came across him looking for parts for my uncle a number of years ago
family has 2 td6, a t6, and a t9 all need work
good luck with your water project

[backwoods sawyer]

Backwoods Sawyer
We had a 1000 gallon redwoodtank stored in barn loft till Uncle sold it to some Rather strangly dressed people with long hair ;D ;D
Down in your parts I have noticed there either is No water or it Stinks of sulphur to high heavens
Watermasters did quite a bit of work around 10 Mile And Strickland Canyon. I worked for them till they went out of buisness(that did not the way it sounds)

Yep there have been more then just a few of the rainbow people come thru here over the years.
We are just over the mountain from Tenmile, and the sulfur, no water thing is about the same over here. I have a different problem with my water, I got lots of it but it grows some strange looking stuff, and if chlorine is added, it turns brown and gets real thick. (Iron bacteria)

Is that a Molly Hogan that you have on that set of grapples in the first picture?

[sigidi]

Down here we are on tank water exclusively, no town supplied water, all we get is what the man upstairs sends down for us to catch off our roof.

We run the toilets, yard taps, animal water troughs and washing machine off creek water held in a separate 5,000gal tank, but catch our rainwater for the kitchen and bathroom in our rainwater tank again 5,000gal. Ideally I'd like to be in a situation where we have 20,000gal storage but it's almost $3,000AU for one of those 5,000gal tanks and at the moment we got the rest of the house to build with the $6,000AU we'd spend on more tanks.

Hi Sigidi
We lived near Penrith NSW for 5 years in the early 70s and a lot of people were still on tanks.  When we started building here in W.Va, my wife (Sarah) was adamant about "no city water".  We may eventually drill or dig a well but so far we have never run or froze out of water.  We have 2 full tanks right now and the one we are using out of is 2/3 full.
BTW, I mainly raced in NSW but we did run a supporting race at the Australian Grand Prix in Surfers Paradise in 1974.  I tried to find that race track on Google Earth recently, but could not see it.  It must be gone.  They made the track surface using crushed coral and it really had some grip.  Wore out tires fast Tho'  Are you located near Surfers?

Qweaver, wifey grew up around Sydney (many years ago ;)) '74 track around Surfers would no doubt have been developed over :( real estate around there is a premium.

As for us, we're located about 4 hours north of Surfers Paradise, about 40 min north of Noosa.

Generally, it is interesting hearing about folkes making timber gutters and such like. I try to make everything from timber - wonder why ???

[Qweaver]

Qweaver
You might try what  I have done in two of my tanks There is a 1hp 20 gpm  Submersible  pump in tank. I removed check valve from pump being it is just a pluger in and let er rip set up Without check valve water drains back to water level in tank. Only thing you have to watch is when shut off it will siphon up thru pump and drain tank unless you loosen hose to break vacume.Sounds expensive but I work on well water systems for a liveing I scrounge salvagable pumps and motors. 3500 watt  220V generator will easly run 1hp pump. And if it freezes 1200 gallons of water bad enough to hurt pump it won't matter cause I ain't gonn be here if it does ;D ;D

Good idea Captain.  I had not considered using a submergsiable pump.  Wouldn't putting a tee with a valve at the high point of the outlet line allow the line to drain back?  So during freezing weather, just shut off the pump and open the valve.  We often get 2 to 3" of ice on the top of the water.  I don't know if that might break the water line.  I am using the outlet at the bottom of the tank for my above ground tanks .  I have the outlet  valve covered with a tall bucket turned upside down and then cover with dirt.  I can easily turn off the valve and switch to my underground tank if I have a problem with the above ground tanks.  I'm not a plumber so I have to work things out as I go.  Would this work OK?  Is there a better way?


nks

[captain_crunch]

Qweaver
That will work just remember this Will not Work with a pressure tank without check valve everytine it pumps up it would run back thru pump when it gets to pressure and pump shuts off and off it would go again. You can lay subm pump at 45 deg angle to get more water out of tank beings suction is mid way (between motor and pump). It shortens pump life some but I lay mine flat on bottom to get all I can out of tank. Unless you want Fire hose pressure a 1/2 hp 10 gpm will pump lots of water and is a lot cheaper pump. They make 1/2 hp in 110V and with 3 wire pump you dont need a control box. A pressure relief valve is not a bad idea in case someone shuts hose off out of a tank with no lift even a 1/2 hp will build over 100 psi.

Backwoods Sawyer
Yep you got the GOOD STUFF the chlorine oxidizes the Bact Iron and causes it to grow. A backwashing filter with Birm in it would help a bunch. Not cheap but with a birm filter followed by a water softner would more than likely give you almost City Water. but this runs about 3,000 and Beings Watermasters went under last Friday (yea no job anymore) dont know who to refur to there are some REAL Quacks in the water treatment buisness. Even a 20 micron Canister filter would help some but they foul in about 2 weeks where they do not backwash. Kinetico made about the best equipment made for this. I installed 2 or 3 of then Just on Winston side of the Camas Valley Store on oppisite side of hwy
Brian

[Coalsmoke]

Hey CC any recommendations for removing arsenic? Our water had 5 units in it, installed reverse osmosis and it has been dropped to 1.5 units, but still not passing as 1 unit is the highest allowable limit. Any suggestions?

Sorry to hear about the job. Its getting tough up here too, we are now in year 3 of recession I guess.

[backwoods sawyer]

I see where RFP, and a few others are doing some hiring here in the county, "Limb Walkers" out in Winchester is looking for a ground man, Umpqua dairy has an opening as well.
I spent a few years working for a water company up in the north country many moons ago. Therefore, when I put in the well I put in a back flushing system, aeration, softener and dual filtration system. About the only thing I have not installed is a "UV" or a "Chlorinator" and I do not like chlorine as sets the color.
I refurbished an old horse drawn water wagon. We would take it out to twin lakes Idaho and fill it from the well there as it had the best tasting water you could get in the area. 

[captain_crunch]

Bkws Saw
How long since you rebeded bwf in Bad Iron the birm only lasts 2-4 years. Lots of them used mixed bed Majic Mix and they did nto work. Birm is the only thing light enough to backwash well. Once bwf is bad then it fouls softner. One thing that will help is once a year pour a Gallon of bleach down well let it set for about 4 hrs than flush as close to well as you can. run till you can't smell bleach shut off water to house while doing this or you will be cooking your own dinners ;D ;D. You can't kill the bact Iron but you can keep it killed back some this way

C-Smoke
What breed of R-O you got ?? Kinetico are pricey(1,000) but they work. You are talking under sink type I asume. Go on line to Kinitico's web site and check them out. Some of the Big Box R-O's don't have a real good membrane. Another thing Kinitico offered a 5 year warnt.so that has got to tell you something. Arsnic removal is a tricky thing. There is arsinate which it takes clorine to make it arsnic.We installed several down flow filter systems and they do work but at 600.00 to rebed one of the two tanks every 2-3 years OUCH. I never had a Kinitico R-O fail the arsnic test in fact they can be set up to make Ultra Pure water like used in hospital and Dental systems.
Brian
My situation is not too bad yet have 2 open doors to go back to water work if anything picks up at all. So till Bev runs out of tax work I am kinda haveing a vacation first one in 9 years. So not too bad till she discovers I am wearing ear plugs :D :D

[backwoods sawyer]

The co-op carries berm, and if I stay on top of it fresh berm, fresh filters it does Ok. I dumped 5 gallons of bleach in the well before it got to where it was noticeable in the system so now I just add bleach to the system when changing filters.