Parametric gutter rainwater collector (WIP)

Updated November 26th 2024.

This is an ongoing, still unfinished project. I have captured water with the current version of this project, but some issues still persist:

1. Installing this version is not easy. The mounting requires a bolt and a nut, and locking piece can easily be dropped in the downspout, if one is not careful. This approach seems to however work for the moment, but I am looking into a better alternative.
2. Current mounting style causes the locking force to be applied off-center. This is probably the cause in one of the figures showing a clear gap between the downspout and the collector outlet. This can possibly be fixed with a modification to the outlet.
3. I used this version throughout the last summer. It worked decently in my opinion. I removed the collector to prevent it breaking from freezing. I may have mounted my barrel inlet slightly too high compared to the gutter outlet, which resulted in water not being collected with light downpour. The issue might also be because the collector base is level, so I will probably modify the model to have a slightly angled base to throw out the water.

A rainwater collector into a gutter downspout. Usual rainwater collectors need to cut a portion of the spout for installing. My approach is to fit everything through a relatively small hole.

The FreeCAD file has parametric model of a single catcher (two are needed for the collector) and an outlet pipe. The catcher model can be mirrored to make the second one needed.

You are welcome to take the file as an inspiration for yourself and make something better.

To do list:

-Check that parameters can actually be changed within reason. (I currently have a 90mm diameter 0.6mm wall thickness pipes. I am planning to drill a 32mm hole).