Drizzling rain doesn't fill water butt

[WendyS]

We've just installed a new water butt from the downpipe off our roof with one of the "rain traps" in it. Woke this morning to drizzling rain & hoped to see a trickle of water starting to flow into the butt. However, after an hour nothing has happened. Do you need a heavy downpour to provide enough water weight to trigger the rain trap diverting water into the butt? Our other two water butts are fed directly from guttering off a side extension and don't have this problem. What could be wrong? How would we know if the main downpipe is blocked? Thanks

[Lonnie]

There could be a number of reasons, its new, so this shouldn't be happening. first thing I thought of, maybe a bird has nested up there, could also be leaves and other unwelcome stuff, I think, the best thing is for you, or somone you know, to go up there to check, and maybe pour a bucket of water down, to see what happens.

[CT]

See what it's like tomorrow. Tonight is supposed to be rainy across the whole country.

[nickmo]

WendyS - the trap will operate when there is sufficient flow into the downpipe - check the d/pipe isn't blocked above the trap by a quick squirt from a hose or as above a buscket onrto the gutter that feeds the d/pipe - (see if you can avoid washing dead leaves into the pipe of course)

If there is not sufficient flow, the water that trickles down will only pass the pipe feeding the butt as it needs to have a bit more than just drizzle to really work at its best. Chould be raining tonight, so see what happens next...