RainReserve 2012303 Rain Barrel Complete Diverter Kit (Barrel Not Included)

Easy to follow instructions and good design .

We have a rain barrel bought on sale from the county so it is not a RainReserve Rain Barrel. Originally, we just put the barrel at the bottom of the drainpipe and rain filled it during storms. After about 20 minutes in one storm, the barrel was full and rain was overflowing the barrel right up against the foundation of the house. So we hooked the normal drainpipe system back up and basically had to manually divert water each time the barrel needed to be refilled. After purchasing this kit, my mildly handy husband was able to install it in the middle of our drainpipe and attach it to the rain barrel in about an hour and a half. It took a little longer because he sawed the drainpipe to fit the in-line diverter piece and then drilled a hole in the rain barrel to connect the piping from the drainpipe diverter to the barrel. The install was pretty easy even though we're using a generic rain barrel. Having ALL the pieces did make install a little easier for those of us not necessarily tool inclined. Other than a drill (and the barrel of course), we didn't need to get any extra screws or gaskets or anything. We've been through several storms now and have a nice full rain barrel. The divertor works great. Once the barrel was full, the water was shunted down the drainpipe and away from the house. Added bonus - you can open a little window in the divertor and watch the which way the water is going.

This is the 3rd diverter kit I've bought and the first time I've had a problem. The valve won't shut off. It leaks when closed. I've had to connect a hose to it to keep the water in the barrel.

Works very well, easy to install, doesn't leak. Primary advantage of this system is that it allows you to use your existing gutters and downspouts--so it's possible, for instance, to have the barrel near the house and for excess water to drain out through the downspout further into the yard, if your gutter runs out that way. Still seems expensive to me, but materials seem high-quality so far. as others have said, it's not clear from their advertising, but it works on the principle that water runs around the edge of a pipe, not the center, allowing debris to fall down the center and continue down the downspout while water drains around the edges and into the barrel. So far, clean-ish and debris-free, and while the diverter does collect leaves, the removable siding makes it easy to clean.

PRODUCT IS NOT AS ADVERTISEDWhat the listing on Amazon says:“RainReserve 2012303 Rain Barrel Complete Diverter Kit (Barrel Not Included)”“Everything you need to create a sealed rainwater collection system, including the hole saw”Product Description:“The RainReserve Complete Diverter Kit comes with everything you need for quick and simple installation, including diverter, tubing, high-flow spigot, spigot adaptor, sealed fittings, Teflon tape, garden hose adaptor, downspout adaptor, and a 1 and 3/16 inch hole saw bit.”WHAT THE REALITY IS:There is NO hole saw in the package. I didn’t think that would be a problem since I had another Rain Reserve at our old house and still had the hole saw.BUT, now the kit has been changed and the hole size needs to be 1 ½” so a 1 3/16” saw will not cut it.The instructions that came with the kit show the hole saw as something that is NOT included and has to be purchased by the buyer so the “everything you need to create a sealed rainwater collection system, including the hole saw” is totally wrong.So I had to drive 30 or so miles to Home Depot to get a 1 ½ “ hole saw and pay $10 for it and waste 2 hours of time that was required for the installation.

Today was the first time it rained since I installed the system. I woke up to a completely filled 40 gallon drum of rain water. I have to say I was impressed at the pressure in which the water comes out with a full barrel. To the point that it catches the water and fills your barrel, yes it works. I also noticed some rain trickling out of the downspout since the barrel was full. (very little, it was not raining too hard at the time), so it does look like it will divert the water through your downspout when the barrel is full and not dump it along your foundation.Installation was easy enough, although I was a little concerned for the plastic fittings and the spout being careful not to press too hard as they might break. Other that that, the only negative thing I can say so far is the cheap little rabbit ear-like mounts used to mount it to the building. I can see them snapping off within a year or so, especially with the sun baking the unit and making the plastic brittle.

Not too hard to install, but I would suggest that you purchase some two or three inch hose clamps to make your connections more secure. It would be nice if the company offered the product in a variety of colors so that the connection did not stand out so strongly. You may want to "screen" the unit if its location is visible to the public (like in the front of your home). When I can afford it, I will add a second barrel to this device, and order an additional diverter kit/barrel for the opposite end of our roof. Why let rain water go to waste when it can be easily collected!

I decided to install a rain barrel so I wouldn't have to drag the garden hose around the house to water the flowers and of course I also wanted to conserve water. I opted for a closed system, purchased the barrel and complete RainReserve kit. I found the instructions easy to follow. Installation was super easy. It's neat looking and clean. The only slight problem I had is the tube wouldn't stay connected to the diverter. A hose clamp fixed that minor problem. RainReserve even supplied a sticker for the barrel. I'm very happy that it's Made in America! I'm very pleased with the entire experience and would without reservation, recommend a closed-system rain barrel using the RainReserve Diverter!