Fresh Coast Guardians MMSD User manual

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FEATURES OF THE MMSD RAIN BARREL
One rain barrel and one diverter kit

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WHAT’SINCLUDED?
1. Barrel
2. Lid
Kit Inside the Rain Barrel:
3. Fill Hose
4. Fill Hose Seal
5. Spigot and Threaded Seal
6. Drain Assembly and Threaded Seal
7. FlexiFit Diverter
8. Winterization Hole Cover
9. 2 Piece Hole Saw Set (1-1/2” and 2-1/8”)
10. Plant Top Filter
11. Screws (4)

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TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:
•Safety glasses
•Safety gloves
•Phillips screwdriver
•Pencil
•Measuring tape or ruler
•Level
•Drill
•Crushed Gravel (paver base)
•Stand/base, must be sturdy

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RAIN BARREL
INSTALLATION
Install in less than
one hour
1. Insert the small threaded
seals into the 2 holes in the
front of the barrel
2. Twist the drain assembly into
the bottom threaded seal,
and the spigot into the top
threaded seal

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RAIN BARREL INSTALLATION
3. Place barrel on base and determine
which side the diverter hose should go
4. Level the ground by loosening the soil,
adding crushed gravel, and tamping down
the dirt

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RAIN BARREL INSTALLATION
5. Place base on the level ground
6. Drill hole on the
raised flat surface
(that you already
selected) using the
smaller sized hole
saw (1.5” in
diameter), then
attach rubber seal

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7. Determine where to drill into
the downspout. 3” down from top
of barrel without the lid on (while
on the base) Note: For 2x3”
downspout drill into the front and
for 3x4” downspout drill into the
side
RAIN BARREL INSTALLATION
3.0 “
8. Drill hole in downspout
using the large hole
saw (2-1/8”). File down
the sharp edges.

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RAIN BARREL INSTALLATION
9. Install diverter piece by
squeezing the rubber piece
and putting it into the hole you
drilled, then use 2 screws to
secure in place

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RAIN BARREL INSTALLATION
10. Attach fill hose into the rubber seal of the barrel
and connect the other end of the hose to the
diverter in the downspout
11. Pick which way you want the lid of the barrel to
be on (right-side up to show the sunflower, or upside
down to be able to put plants in. Screw the lid onto
the barrel if you want it to be sturdier.

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A FEW HELPFUL HINTS…
DO NOT INSTALL IF YOUR ROOF OR
GUTTERS NEED MAINTENANCE
What should you use as a stand?
Cinderblocks
Bricks
Wooden stand
Should be able to hold 450lbs!
Use 4x4s for legs of stand, Green
Treated or Cedar
Water isn’t flowing to the barrel –what’s
wrong?
Three reasons why water may not flow into
the barrel:
1. Barrel is too high, relative to the
diverter. The hole on the back of the
barrel should be below the diverter
hole in the downspout.
2. Downspout/Gutter is clogged
3. Fill hose is clogged

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MAINTENANCE
Spring:
1. Wash out debris that might have
collected over winter out
2. Check spigot and other fasteners for tightness
Summer:
1. Empty within a few days of raining (this keeps
down on smell and algae growth)
2. Check for leaves caught in diverter from
time to time
Fall/Winter:
1. Disconnect the barrel from the downspout
and insert winterizing cap
2. Clean and store barrel upside down in your
basement or garage