How to find the right Rain Barrel Linking Kits AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Rain Barrel Linking Kits
- Linking method: bottom vs overflow
- Bottom (equalizing) links need all barrel outlets at the same height. Overflow (series) links run from near the top of one barrel into the next. Bottom-linked barrels fill and drain together, so one spigot serves the set, but one leak empties them all. Overflow-linked barrels fill in sequence and each needs its own spigot.
- Overflow link capacity
- For series linking, the connector's bore should be at least as large as the barrel's inlet or the diverter hose feeding it. A narrow link can't pass a downpour fast enough, so water backs up and spills out the first barrel's lid or screen instead of moving to the next.
- Thread standard
- Match garden hose thread (GHT) to GHT and pipe thread (NPT) to NPT. The two do not seal together even when they look similar. Mixed threads are the most common cause of drips at linking fittings.
- Bulkhead fitting and gaskets
- Use a through-wall bulkhead with a locknut and a rubber gasket on both sides of the wall. Cut the hole with a hole saw sized to the fitting's stated diameter. Barrel walls are curved and flex when full, so a fitting sealed on one side only, or set in an oversized hole, will seep.
- Barrel compatibility
- If your barrels have molded-in linking ports, buy the linking kit made by the barrel's maker. For DIY or food-grade drums, use a universal bulkhead kit. Molded ports often use proprietary sizes that generic connectors will not fit.
- Level mounting
- Set bottom-linked barrels on matching stands on level ground. A height difference makes the lower barrel overflow while the higher one never fills.
Brands that matter
- Good Ideas: Makes Rain Wizard barrels. Check for linking parts matched to those barrels before buying generic ones.
- RTS Home Accents: Common decorative barrel maker. Use its own connectors if your barrels have its molded ports.
- Earth Minded: Known for DIY rain barrel fittings and diverters, which suit converting plain drums.
What to avoid
- Half-inch garden-hose jumpers used as the only overflow link between barrels on a large roof
- Kits with no gasket for the inside of the barrel wall
- Mixing hose-thread and pipe-thread fittings in one connection
- Bottom-linking barrels that sit at different heights
- Teflon tape on garden-hose-thread joints in place of a proper rubber washer
Questions
Should I link my barrels at the bottom or at the top?
Link at the bottom if you want one spigot to draw from all barrels and they sit level. Link at the top (overflow) if you want each barrel to stay isolated, so a leak or open valve doesn't drain the whole set.
Do linked barrels still need an overflow?
Yes. The last barrel in the chain needs an overflow outlet directed away from the foundation, because linking only adds capacity and does not stop the barrels from filling.