I love your DIY videos! Keep up the great work! The Shed videos were nice, but these videos where you get into the nitty gritty are so much more fun , to me anyway. It's so cool to see how you keep gradually adding and making improvements to your solar box. Can't wait to see more of your projects see fruition.
This is fantastic. I love your implementation of this dry season automated top off solution. I've followed the progress of your rain water, watering solution from the early stages and have enjoyed watching it evolve. Nicely done. I built something similar for my aquarium to automate top-offs and help with water changes. I've been thinking about installing some rain barrels to capture some free water and I will be taking a number of ideas from your installation. Keep up the great work!
Brilliant idea...All the tools and small electrical accessories that you explain in your videos are very useful and a great learning experience...very neat setup 👌👌👌
Great design. The only issue. The garden hose. Having to leave the water in the on position in order for the system to work creates a failure point at the hose. I would take the time to make a PVC solution (even using some flexible pvc) or use a braided stainless steel hose (similar to washing machine hose) You are great with PVC so I know it would be a breeze for you.
Great work overall. Love your vids. However that short bit of garden hose is a disaster waiting to happen. Garden hoses cannot withstand constant pressure and will eventually bulge and then blow out. Please try using a braided washing machine hose instead.
@@GreenTechTown I was about to make my own comment but this seems like a better spot. If you intend to ever use this while you're not around, I would suggest one of those automatic safety devices they use for washing machines hookups. They're designed so that if a hose bursts while you're not around they will eventually cut off the water.
You do good work, dude! All your projects look so nice and neat and simply functional. And good vids with good ideas, too! Beautiful stuff, man. You rock!
First I must say, great video and exellent channel; I always learn something new. On the other hand I have to say that you overcomplicated things by 1000. I have a similar set up, but with two 250 gallon totes. I have a water float valve 12 inches from the bottom of the tank. My water level never goes below that level when it doesn't rain. Simple, but extremely effective, no electricity required. Works just like a toilet 😅
Instead of a ball valve have you considered a magnetic check valve? Have you also considered expansion room in your storage in case of overheating or freezing?
I haven't look much into the magnetic check valve, but so far I really like the ball valve and the low power consumption. Regarding the storage, I typically empty my barrels in the winter to prevent freezing issues, and I due to where I have the barrels located, I haven't experienced any overheating issues.
This is excellent, however, I think a ball/float valve installed low down in the tank would have continually supplied water when required without the need for electricity/tech etc. ( genuinely dont mean to be a buzzkill, I'm a programmer and really like automation projects - but unnecessary tech/complexity never sits right with me - just my personal opinion, not intended to disparage )
All of those wire strippers don't work worth a 'f'. None grip and all slip. Then need deeper and sharper grips and cutter. Why do people use channel locks backwards? Never ceases to amaze me. You have a nice setup. For me, I would not want bluetooth controls. It is possible that someone else could turn your stuff on remotely. Just a redundant float switch (pair) setup is probably the more secure way. It can auto fill and auto shutoff both.
Very nice job my only thought is that you because you put a float switch in all you needed to do was put that in series with your valve and send power to it turning it on and off from the Internet is really doesn’t have a purpose anymore because you don’t know the water level of the barrels so if you’re out of town you don’t know whether you want to turn it on or off the float switch is going to do that for you automatically just wire the power to it and let it go and it will automatically keep those barrels full good job though looks great you did a nice job❤️🇺🇸
I would change the way the float switch works so that if it triggers it keeps the valve shut when the water level goes down rather than opening the valve back up.
I am a programmer by trade and recently got into gardening. I love the higher tech aspects of what you're doing. It gives me a lot of ideas for making fully automated gardening systems. Ever considered mass producing any of these systems that you've built? Seems you have an engineering background or are just really handy. Love it!
Thanks the feedback! And no, never thought of mass producing these systems since I'm still learning as I go. I do want to try to automate as much as possible though, so that's something I'm still looking into.
@@Vegan123It's not illegal in any state to collect rain water, but there are restrictions on what it's collected in, how it will be used & how many gallons are alowed. Check your state or local regulations before installing a system.
