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Penny Carnathan

Penny’s a Nurture And Hold (NAH): Nah, I won’t pull that out yet, it’s still got a green shoot. She likes dragonflies, lady bugs and new stuff only after weeding, pruning and fertilizing.

Kim Franke-Folstad

Kim’s a Want It Now (WIN): Everything pretty, everything now. She will resort to full-spectrum insecticides in desperate situations, and believes it’s her duty and right to buy new plants every weekend.

Both advocate Plant Choice (SOMEthing besides crotons. Please!), lots of color and low maintenance. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re smart enough to learn from each other - and from you.

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It’s new, it’s affordable– but does this rain barrel pump deliver squirt?

Posted Apr 4, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 10:05 AM

I admit, I fell off the rain barrel a couple years ago. I had two and I was a good do-bee for a long time. But eventually, my time became more precious than my principled efforts at conservation. (Saving a lot of money would have been very motivating, but wasn’t part of the equation since my irrigation system consists of my hand on a spray hose nozzle.)

When it’s hot and dry, my garden wants a good looong drink. Waiting for the barrel to drool into my watering can was like restoring a parched, lost cowboy in Death Valley one drop at a time.

Along comes RainPerfect, which introduced its solar-powered rain barrel pump in January. If it worked, it would resolve two of my three rain-barrel problems: quick delivery, and no need to run more wires and cables through my yard. (More on the third problem later.)

The pump is made by Rule, a company with a long, reputable history of pump-making. It’s truly affordable at $139 (but more on that later), and it promised easy installation, which is a big deal to me. If I can’t do it myself, I’d rather not do it.

I got it hooked up Saturday evening. It was pretty easy, but I had to get my husband to help marry the male and female plugs. That involved some force. You also need to install the rechargeable battery pack, which is easy.

The pump descends from plastic tubing down into your barrel. You should measure – it needs to be at least 2 inches from the bottom. (I didn’t measure. I should have. Mine’s a little high.)

Set up the solar panel where it will get the most sun for eight hours a day. The instructions advise you to check it at noon and position the panel for maximum rayage at that time.

My pump was fully charged in a day. I finally got to test it this evening. My hose easily screwed into the hose bib, and we were spraying!

Here’s the first spray, with my hose nozzle set to “shower.”

It seemed to improve as I moved the hose around.

And here it is on “jet.” A pretty good stream!

The literature says it delivers 13 PSI. That means nothing to me. I’d say it’s 50 to 60 percent of the pressure you get attached to a spigot. Which is really pretty good.

Now, buying the thing. At RainPerfect, 10 retailers are listed. I checked them all, and only one MAY have it available for purchase locally. (It was listed, but I couldn’t find it on their website, www.depcopump.com.) They have a Clearwater address, but it was after-hours when I called, so I don’t know whether you can drive to their shop and buy it. Phone number is (800) 446-1656.

Some of the other sites offer it only on-line. Rule is selling it on ebay but for $149, plus shipping. (It’s only 9 pounds, so that’s not a huge issue.) Aqua Barrel has it for $149.97 plus shipping. (I didn’t get shipping prices on these because you have to plug in all your information to get that.

I do like this pump. I’ll have to fill you in on how long it lasts, but my first impression is good. I have lots of sun, so energy galore. And I don’t mind buying a barrel-dedicated hose.

My third problem with rain barrels was location. We have no gutters and the best place for collecting rainwater is under the roof valley where rain flows down onto my patio – right in front of my prime scenic overlooks, the kitchen window and the glass French doors.

But my next-door neighbor has a gutter in a hidden spot – right next to my house! I’ve gotten permission to park the barrel there so, this weekend, yup, I’ll be rolling out the barrel. And we’ll have a barrel of … water!

Reader Comments

Posted by (Gardendipity) on April 05, 2011

Sounds like the next generation of water barrels. It’s great that there are improvements being made.

I have seen online “backyard craft” sites showing rain barrels that have been painted with flowers or some simple scene. I think I saw one painted as a little elf house, with a little path to the painted-on door made out of little pebbles. The elfs were the tiny garden figures that you can get almost anywhere. It was adorable, and very clever. Some of the barrels had simple flowers painted on them.

Posted by (kgardens) on April 05, 2011

As a water-toter myself, I am very interested in your long-term assessment on the pump. As for the aesthetics of the rain barrels, well, I need to work on that.

Posted by (mangoman) on April 06, 2011

Hi, all! I’m still lurking in the shadows over here. haha

I would be interested in how this delivers long term. I wonder how long the pump lasts..

Do you know how long the pump lasts on one charge?

Is anybody going to the USF sale this weekend? I should be there on saturday with Monica Brandies. May try sunday too. Always nice to meet people from here.

Eric

Posted by (Chip) on April 10, 2011

I love the solar powered rain barrel kit! something to think about, try raising the rain barrel as high off the ground as you can. for the same reason they put water towers up high, water pressure. And since its harder to push water up hill mount the pump as low as you can, but not right on the bottom trash will collect there and block the pump. If you do these things I think you will have all the water pressure you need….“Chip” Bty I get a hotel once a week so I can catch up!

Posted by (Chip) on April 10, 2011

I still am in the training stage. I am in my third week and I have 160 hours driving of 275 hours needed to be a qualified driver. Its been like camp except with out all the fun. I do get a hotel once a week so that helps. I miss everyone Diane most of all I hope to be home by her birthday. I am peddling as fast as I can….“Chip”

Posted by (Laura) on April 11, 2011

My husband also became tired of waiting for the watering cans to fill, so he now removes the lid of the barrel and simply dunks the watering cans into the water. Big time-saver! For the roses, we attach a long hose to the spigot and let it run for a minute or so at the base of each bush.

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