waterbutt - when its full its leaking...!

[CordlessJoe]

My builder has installed a 100 litre waterbutt in my garden. he used the package that came with the waterbutt to connect it to the downpipe. With the recent weather we have had it seems that when the waterbutt is full water the rest of the water is not diverting back to the downpipe but continues to leak from the waterbutt. is there anything else that can be used - as at present i have to empty out the waterbutt by chucking it down the drain just to stop all the water from eventually damaging my decking. surely this is not correct. when ive looked into the downpipe no water is flowing down. I assumed the package that caem with teh waterpipe would have had a diverter in or is it or is there something else that shoudl have been added. I hope someone can help me thanks

 

[WabbitPoo]

From where is it leaking?

 

[JonB]

I have 2 diverters neither return overflow back to the downcomer.
A photo would help.
I have an overflow from 1 barrel to another smaller 1.
JonB

 

[StephenW]

This could well be a height problem. The diverter in the downpipe should be level with the water level in the waterbutt when full (but not to the brim). Then when the butt is full no more water will flow into it.

 

[CordlessJoe]

hopefully you can see my photos - please note the downpipe belongs to me either though its over the fence in my neighbours garden - i own the flat above with roof and gutters and my drains on their land and i have their drain on my land.

the leak is mainly from the hose which is connected into the waterbutt - photo 2 but i can see water movement on teh downpipe too.

i gather from what StephenW is saying that the connection is too high - if this is so is there something that can be done considering i now have a whole in my downpipe

 

[CordlessJoe]

hopefully photos will now show

 

[StephenW]

I would say that height is the problem. Behind where the hose goes into the downpipe is a "gutter" that goes around the edge of the downpipe. Water running down the downpipe generally sticks to the edge (surface tension) so runs into this gutter and down the pipe to the butt. The idea is that when the butt is full the water level in the butt will be at the same level as the "gutter" in the down pipe. The gutter will now be full and excess water continues down the downpipe. (I should have drawn it - it would have been easier!)
So either you need to lift the water butt up on some kind of stand so the water level when full is level with the downpipe adaptor (which looks like it would be quite high) or you need to move the adaptor further down the downpipe and run the hose through a hole in the fence.
To fit the adaptor would have required cutting through the downpipe so replace the adaptor with a pipe joining piece and make a new cut lower down the downpipe for the adaptor.

 

[CordlessJoe]

Thanks for explaining that to me - i will have to go back to the builder to get this corrected as to move the waterbutt up in line with the downpipe connection it will block some of my neighbour's window which i wouldnt do and would look strange so i think it might be better to cut through the fence which luckily is mine. But does this mean he will now have to replace the downpipe or is there something that can be used to cover the original hole.

 

[StephenW]

But does this mean he will now have to replace the downpipe or is there something that can be used to cover the original hole.

I think I tried to answer that. I don't think there will be hole in the downpipe. The downpipe would have been cut in two horizontally, the two halves separated and the adaptor inserted into the run. So replace the adaptor with a straight pipe joint and cut the downpipe through lower down and insert the adaptor there. It should be quite straightforward.

 

[CordlessJoe]

Thanks again StephenW - i read your post again and now i understand you. thanks.