Request for suggestions on rain barrell set-up

[Boogity]

Last year I purchased four 55 gal. food grade plastic drums. They had been used for chocolate syrup and I got them for $5 each. I plan to catch the roof run-off water from the small equipment barn and the chicken/goat barn. This water will not be used for human consumption but for livestock and gardening.

I have one that I'm using for my little research and development project. I have cut a 6" diameter hole in the "top" (actually it's the bottom but the drum will be installed upside down) for a screen basket I have made to keep sticks and leaves out. I have also devised, on paper, a separator to eliminate most sticks and leaves before they get to the screen basket. I have a 1 1/2" connection with a valve to drain for winter time to minimize freezing damage and for clean out.

About 6" up the side of the drum I have installed 1" PVC fittings to create the water usage connection. This is where I'm having difficulty. I have used "O" rings on the inside and on the outside of a plastic threaded fitting and tightened the nut to form a seal. Due to the curvature of the drum sidewall the "O" rings do not seal very well. Then in my ultimate wisdom I tried to fix the problem with silicone sealant but the silicone acts like a lubrication and when I tighten the threads the "O" rings just scoot out and the seal is completely lost. All I get is a weak connection that leaks.

Any suggestions on how to install a 1" pipe connection into a curved surface like the plastic drum sidewall? Any other suggestions on my project would be appreciated. TIA.

 

[Wifezilla]

hummmmmm....

What about the form-a-gasket stuff you find in the automotive section?

 

[FarmerChick]

raise the barrel on a platform just a bit
use the flat bottom, run a hose out that end. gravity force feed for watering...should work

 

[SKR8PN]

Forget the "O" rings and just use the silicone sealer. Use some 80 grit sandpaper to scratch up the area your fitting will be in, both inside and outside the drum. Let it set up for 12 to 24 hours and you should be good to go. You might also want to make some thin flat steel washers to back up the fitting and the nut to strengthen the joint.

FWIW, moisture is what makes the silicone sealer set up.

 

[Boogity]

. . . What about the form-a-gasket stuff you find in the automotive section?

Hmmmmm I think I have some of that in the barn somewhere. Good old Permatex Form-a-gasket just might do the trick.

. . . raise the barrel on a platform just a bit . . .

I have made 18" tall stands for the drums. The drain in the bottom is for a complete drain. The tap into the side is for my water connection. The 6" between the bottom and the tap is for sediment. Actually it's 4" not 6".

Forget the "O" rings and just use the silicone sealer. Use some 80 grit sandpaper to scratch up the area your fitting will be in, both inside and outside the drum. Let it set up for 12 to 24 hours and you should be good to go. You might also want to make some thin flat steel washers to back up the fitting and the nut to strengthen the joint. FWIW, moisture is what makes the silicone sealer set up.

I did all that but the tap connection still was weak and the slightest bump or movement of the tap fitting caused a leak. The silicone will not adhere to the poly drum. I sanded and cleaned thoroughly with acetone but no luck.

I think I saw somewhere on the internet some fittings that are made for this application. But of course I can't find them now. And I really did not want to have to special order anything for my little project. I'm sure there are hundreds of home-brew rain barrels out there with this arrangement. I'll have to keep digging. This is what makes these home-brew projects fun.