Converting 55gal tank to a portable waterer ???

[ejb]

Hi guys.

I have several places on my property that are to far to run a hose, and yet I need to water them frequently...I have a heavy duty 55 gallon plastic "tank" and I have been filling it up and then using my watering can to scoop out two gallons at a time to water my plants...needless to say, to much work...

Anyway, I'd like to add a spigot to the bottom of the tank so that when I get to the gardens, I can raise my bucket off the ground a few feet and then use a hose to water what I need to via gravity...

My question, how can I hook up a regular hose type spigot to this tank? I know I could drill a hole thru the plastic and stick in a regular copper spigot near the bottom, but what type of fitting can I use to seal it? Obviously I can't soder the copper to the plastic, so I guess I need some sort of compression fitting that snuggs up from both sides (inside and outside), but not sure exactly what I am looking for??

Suggestions?

 

[polecat]

GOTO A STRING I STARTED A WHILE BACK CALLED..."anyone have laying hens????"..and on page 2 find dlabrie's reply and click on his nh chickens and there you'll see his setup !!!!! its great and you'll have an answer!!!....or maybe you should jist load up yer barrells and go see him!!!!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Todd from maine!!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Tom_W]

Suggestion, lay the drum on it's side in the front bucket. Put a spiggot in the small hole in the top and rotate the drum so that's on the bottom in the bucket. The big hole is on top for easy filling. Put a ratchet strap around the drum and the bucket just in case. A friend did this and it works great for him. He has also clamped a nossel onto the side of the bucket so he can drive by a row and water, when he gets lazy. Keep in mind that when full it will weigh close to 500lbs. Hope this helps.

 

[Glenn9643]

I use a 55 gallon plastic drum for watering. There are two bung-holes in the top. 2" I think. One of these has pipe threads. You can get a reducer coupling that will screw into the 2" hole to reduce it to 3/4" pipe thread (female). Then screw a 3/4" hosebib into that. I have a piece of old garden hose about 15' long to reach from the drum to wherever it needs to go. Carry the drum on its side in my FEL bucket with the spigot down. Remember to crack the other plug for ventilation when watering. For transport around the place I don't even turn the spigot off. Just raise the hose over the drum and push it into my grab-hook welded to the top of the bucket. Works pretty well.

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My question, how can I hook up a regular hose type spigot to this tank? Suggestions? )</font>

I have the same situation as you.


I bought a Rain Bird hose accessory set for $10 at Wal-Mart. There are "quick connects", and there is an inline shutoff valve in the set, along with a nice pair of nozzles, etc.

I like my drum vertical for better pressure without raising it up so high. So vary this according to what you need.


With a wood bit (spade bit) drill a 5/8" hole near the bottom of the drum. Slip a thin O-Ring or rubber washer (both optional) over a male quick connect coupling, and bang it into the hole with a rubber hammer or chunk of wood. That's it! It's a 3 minute job with 2 minutes change. If you want a spigot, simply screw on the inline valve.

Harbor Freight has what appears to be the exact same individual fittings as the Rain Bird set. Let me know if you have trouble finding them.

Due to the 1/2" ID of the fittings, pressure is nothing to write home about. But you can simply walk away and let it irrigate at its own pace. I use mine on my gasoline pressure washer to wash my tractor. Works great for nearly 3 years now without a leak.

 

[ejb]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions..so far I like "have_blue"'s suggestion the best for a couple of reasons...I too like the tank vertical for ease of use, and second because my 55 gallon tank really isn't a standard "drum" so it doesn't have the standard bunghole on top, in fact the whole top screws off instead. (it used to be a pickle barrell in a previous life, stills smells that way when it heats up).

Off to check harbor freight and/or walmart for the parts I need...

 

[AlanB]

What you are looking for actually is called a bulkhead fitting. It is made to do exactly what you are describing.

TSC, Rural King, a good farm supply store or a good plumbing house, should have them in stock for a couple of bucks.

Go look at the Poly tanks in one of these places and you will usually see some, they come in all sizes and types and design but slip fit PVC is probably the most common.


They are also used in boats where you discharge your bilge water out of the boat. You could then just put your hose right on it if you wanted with a hose clamp and have a spray nozzle watering nozzle or whatever, with a valve on the end.

For reference, on the 2" holes in a standard plastic drum, as stated the one is standard 2" pipe, the other is called a Reike thread and is a drum / container industry standard.

www.bascousa.com has a lot of information about drums etc.

 

[F350Lawman]

I use the spigot that screws into the bung for dispensing diesel from 55 gallon drums. I just put the drum in my FEL, attach a garden hose to he spigot with a hose clamp, then just trurn the spigot to the ON position. I can empty the entire drum in about 5-10 minutes. I got the spigot from a carwash/janitorial supply house, they had tons of them lying around and the guy just gave it to me for free.

 

[ejb]

>>What you are looking for actually is called a bulkhead fitting.

THANK YOU. That is exactly what I was looking for...I knew something like that needed to exist, but didn't know what it was called so I couldn't find it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif