|
Rain Back Up in a Box®
Automated mains water backup another eco-innovation from
Rainwater Harvesting Limited
Rain Back Up in
a Box® This 'plug and
play' product takes the complexity out of solenoid valve and
float switch driven mains water back up or top up
systems.
-
No complex rewiring of float
switches and solenoid valves
-
Plug in and go controls with
12v power supply
-
All parts including tundish
contained in a tidy insulated box
-
Pressure reducing valve for
incoming mains
The Rain Backup in a Box®
replaces a bundle of disconnected components with
a single wall mounted unit, one electric plug to a wall
socket, mains water input and a pipe to the rainwater storage tank.
Rainwater harvesting
plays a large role in reducing the dependence of any
building on expensive treated water from the mains.
Toilet flushing, clothes washing and any outdoor use of
water can be assured by rainwater. In most cases the
total mains use of the building can be cut in half.
But what happens if rainwater
runs out? Every system needs a mains water backup to
keep the appliances going. The simplest way is a float
switch and solenoid valve; the float switch detects when
the rainwater storage tank is empty and opens the
electrically-actuated solenoid valve so that mains water
flows into the bottom of the tank. When the float switch
floats off the bottom of the tank it turns the solenoid
valve off. The bulk of the storage tank remains empty
ready to admit the water from the next rain shower.
Rain Backup in a Box®
brings these components together - ready connected and
ready to go
U.K. Building Regulations
require that rainwater cannot possibly flow back into
the mains water supply. For this reason all mains backup
devices must have an air gap where the mains water flows
into the rainwater tank. The simplest way to do this is
for the mains water to flow through open air into a
funnel shaped device called a tundish. It can be seen in
the photo at the bottom right of the unit.
The Rain Backup in a Box®
is fitted in a frost free area of the building where the occupiers can
see and hear it. When the tank supply of water rainwater has run out, any mains
water running from the solenoid valve into the tundish
can be seen through the transparent cover and can be
heard through the aperture at the side.
RSS feed for this product here
Installation instructions
These
instructions assume the separate installation of a
rainwater harvesting system in the building with
rainwater flowing off the roofs through a filter into an
underground storage tank and a pump to take the
rainwater through a separate pipe network for toilets,
washing machine and outdoor use.
a) Locate the best
position for the Rain Backup in a Box®
unit.
a. Inside the building where the occupiers can
see and hear it and where it is protested from frost
or freezing temperatures.
b. Within a metre of a 220v AC wall socket into
which to connect the plug.
c. Accessible to a mains water pipe, and
d. Above the top of the underground storage tank
so that the backup mains water flows by gravity into
the tank.
b) Mount the unit securely to the wall
and pipe the mains water supply using 15mm pipe to the
inlet at the bottom left of the unit. Ensure that the
pressure reducing valve, top right, is closed before you
turn the mains water supply on.
c) Ensure the outlet of the tundish is
fitted with a T piece, therefore providing 2 outlets.
Pipe the first outlet of the tundish using 21.5mm waste
pipe from the bottom right of the unit to the rainwater
storage tank. In most installations this outlet can be
channelled to the closest possible rainwater downpipe
from the roof, but ensure that the pipe to the tank is
protected from frost and freezing temperatures. The
backup water supply does not have to be piped separately
to the storage tank.
d) Connect the second outlet of the
tundish T piece to an overflow pipe running directly out
of the house at the closest place. If the pipe to the
underground tank does get frozen up or otherwise
blocked, mains water will flow to this overflow rather
than flooding the building.
e) Channel the float switch to the
underground storage tank. Typically this is through a
service pipe made of 4 inch (110 mm) plastic which also
carries (i) the mains electricity supply to the
submerged pump (if so fitted) and (ii) the return pipe
carrying rainwater from the storage tank back to the
appliances in the house.
f) Attach the wire of the float switch,
at a point about 1 inch (25 mm) away from the float
switch, with a nylon tie wrap to a suitable point near
the base of the storage tank. Typically, the 10 inch
(255mm) downpipe from the filter to the calmed inlet on
the floor of the tank is the best securing point, or the
calmed inlet itself. Either can be drilled without risk
for the tie wrap. When the tank is empty the float
switch should hang from its wire a few millimetres above
the floor of the tank, as shown in the picture.
g) Connect the unit's 12 volt DC adapter
to a 220V AC mains socket. Power should be maintained to
the unit at all times.
h) With the float valve in the down
position, (A) in the picture, open the reducer valve,
top right in the unit, slowly. When mains water starts
splashing out of the tundish, close the reducer valve
slightly. Adjust mains water flow according to the mains
pressure available.
i)
The installation is finished. Some mains water will
continue to flow into the storage tank until the float
switch rises.
Go back to this product in our online
shop
Rain Back Up in a Box®
RSS feed for this product here
Trade enquiries welcome - use
contact form or call 0800 074
7234
Rainwater Harvesting Limited invents, innovates and
develops environmental products for tomorrow's greener
world.
|
