Need brainstorming re: grey water thingie
By leslieinbhamOkay, my son's crib is now a compost bin and while he's a bit mystified to see it put to such use, I think it's working quite well. So onward, yes? I spent all summer with a hose from my washer discharging into a large and elevated plastic trashcan and then siphoning that water out to my garden manually. This required an acrobat's timing as the trashcan could only handle a single leg of the cycle or it got a bit ugly. Also, the siphoning was not reliable. In a D4 drought, tho, it was just one of the many things we had to learn to do. Anyway, NOW I want to replace the discharge hose of the washer (that wrinkly U-shaped thing) with a more flexible hose that I can adapt to a 5/8 garden hose, thus removing the middle man (e.g. rubber trashcan full of water balanced high above intrigued small boys) and running the water out via gravity into whatever needs it.
Can anyone think of the sort of hose I would use to go from the discharge and also the kind of adapter (if such a beast exists) that would hook it to a 5/8 garden hose? My husband has strongly suggested that I de-kink my system asap. Can't blame him.
I don't think any tape would be reliable enough and I'm not even sure if such an adapter is available, but I am nothing if not hopeful. With all these boys, I do lots of laundry and my detergent is safe and it's really driving me crazy to see all that lovely, lovely water go to no good end.
regards,
leslie
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In another life I was an 8th grade English teacher in a steel mill community. ...
leslieinbham
Okay, here's what I got at home depot: 20 feet of 1 inch vinyl tubing (ka-ching!) and a hose clamp. Vinyl tubing is clamped to corrogated (sp?) discharge hose and proceeds out the door toward things that need water. It's kind of cool to sit here and watch it--little bits of lint shooting through the tube and all. If I want to get the vinyl hose to a garden hose, I can get another clamp. Or so it would seem, but not this week.
That said, you're right. The damned pump thing. I'm trying to use gravity for the most part, but "I ain't all that science-y smart" and am certain to find flaws quickly and squishily. So far in the prototype, it works. Very primitive. And that uber expensive hose is tough to maneuver right now. I believe I'll end up cracking a window near the washer (now caulked shut for winter) and running the hose out that to minimize risk. Am hoping that the stress on the pump will be minimalized a bit by that. Also will be able to completely shut the back door. It fits under the screen door (deep south), but it does get chilly here eventually.
Desperate times, you know? Water Police...neighbors reporting water infractions of other neighbors...and so forth.
as for a pic, I don't think it will ever be anything I'm proud to show, but who knows?
thanks!
leslie
bruno
optimist
Hi Leslie, seems like a great idea, but at the moment the water is 'pouring' into the container. If you put more hose on you will need to pump it I think, and your washing machine pump isn't designed for that kind of thing. Admittedly I am not a plumber or in any way an expert, but I think you would end up doing damage to your machine, or flooding your kitchen. Would it work if you fixed your hose to a low point on your container - there is an adaptor for that, they are used for water barrels, and just let the water flow under gravity to where you want it. If you could leave the hose in place on the ground you could punch holes along it and block the end so you get a trickle supply to where you want it.
If you have small children who need to be kept out of the barrel, make sure that any lid has an air hole in it so that the water flows in freely.
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