In this video, I review the product and show you how I installed it. I also reveal the fix I used to replace the ineffective plastic screen on the top. The manufacturer is Good Ideas Inc. The model is "Impressions Corsican 50".
I bought this rain barrel at a Costco in Toronto (May 2018) and viewed this video afterwards, prior to installation. As demonstrated in the video the screen does indeed only let in about 20% of the water dripping from the rain spout. I bought some screening from the local dollar store (cost $1.25) and did some simple repairs and voila, works like a charm. I would never have known about this flaw had I not seen this video so thanks for that. I do feel like it's one of the more attractive looking rain barrels and with the quick fix I'm happy. Thanks!
Tom, the reason you have an issue with the top screen is that your installation method is at odds with the manufacturer's instructions. The top screen is for water flowing out ... as in overflow water. It is not intended for filling the barrel. The Costco rain barrel comes with a tube, down spout diverter and drill bit to install the hose directly from the down spout into the barrel.
Excellent. I bought a different rain barrel and you've given me the tip to go check the flow. I put a submersible utility pump inside mine so I can use a water hose.
It's great you helped solve the problem. It's sad that you paid so much for the product and spent so much time fixing it. Not all rain barrels are created equal. Thanks for posting.
I would never have thought that that was the problem! Good observation. I thought there was a lip inside under the screen that was blocking most of it from coming in
I like your idea of replacing the mesh that comes with it, but I'm currently trying to install this exact same rain barrel from costco right now using the alternative "flexi-fit" diverter method. My problem is I can't find out anywhere online WHERE I'm supposed to drill a hole into this thing for a hose seal OR what the heck those nodes are for. Supposedly you can use those nodes for linking multiple of those barrels together, but nowhere does it say HOW to do this with those nodes or if those nodes also happen to be where I would drill a hole (and if so, why did they have to make it the way they did with nubs sticking out, which makes drilling with the hole saws [that they provided] problematic). It's all very frustrating, so I was hoping to find someone online who installed it using that method, but unfortunately couldn't find anyone who did it this way (including you) with this exact kind of rain barrel :/ If you happen to know (where I'm supposed to drill a hole on this barrel) that would be fabulous!
I was at Costco again last week (MARCH 2018) where the rain barrel's are back on the shelves a year later and they still have the same plastic screen. I contacted them again and they basically told me that "these things take time to resolve". What a joke.
Nice screen fix however I would have not used the silicone for ease of replacing the screen when needed. Also you didn't show where you diverted the overflow spigot hose. I have my overflow diverted to my fish pond.
I have a narrow side yard where the rain water runs down so connecting it to the rain channel would not work there. How would this barrel work stand alone in the garden? I’m in Southern California. Thanks!
I don't think you would be able to collect enough water if you are using it standalone. Especially if you use the terrible screen that comes with the barrel.
Thank you for the video! Like other people I too would like to know if "Good Ideas Inc" got back to you? I couldn't find ANY information on their website.
They did get back to me but I was at Costco again last week (MARCH 2018) where the rain barrel's are back on the shelves a year later and they still have the same plastic screen. I contacted them again and they basically told me that "these things take time to resolve". What a joke.
...so was the factory screen in this video improperly mounted or not? I wouldn't mind adding a dab or two of silicone seal, but no way am I paying for some fancy looking product then having to engineer my own parts to get it to work correctly.
I mounted it correctly. Silicone wouldn't help. The problem is in the screen design. I've had other people comment about having the same issue. I contacted the mfg. twice but they seem unwilling to do anything. They told me, "we are looking into it." Um...yea...2 years and counting...
That wasn't the issue. It was the same on both sides...Maybe they fixed it by now, I'm not sure. That video is a few years old. I threw out the screen that came with it and made my own.
I was about to buy 3 of them but they were expensive, too small and you can't remove the top to clean the inside neither and now with this other problem I am glad did't buy them.
Thanks for the tip Chris. That's another option. Fine in some circumstances. However, at my location, the Amazon diverter kit offers no added benefit. It is pretty cool though.
LOL Alley Picked is correct. The surface tension of the screen does make a bunch of the water run off trying to fill the barrel from a downspout like he did. You could go through the rigamaroll he did to create a different screen. OR you could go through the test he did with his faucet and just flip the screen over for the same test and BAM the screen works. Correct size too. The surface tension is caused by the holes acting like a funnel the way the screen is mounted when you buy the barrel. Since you have to get the parts out of the barrel through the screen hole anyway just flip the screen over before screwing it back on. Don't believe me? Try it yourself.
