Rainwater filter/settling unit (out of modified Ikea products)

Create your own rainwater settling/filtering unit by modifying Ikea products.

Shopping list:

Ikea Samla 11L 39x28x14cm (398.856.45)

Kuggis 26x35x15cm (602.802.05)

Idealisk (501.037.55)

M8 threaded rod

6mm rope (paracord) to hang the unit into the tank

Total cost: < €20,-

Commercial units: >10x that price

Needed tools:

d10mm wood drill

d6mm wood drill

m8 tap

d60mm hole cutter

File/dremel

3D printer (duh)

Print the parts in this set in PETG:

4x M8 hook

4x raised feet (or 1x if running from the 3mf or gcode)

4x ropeholder (or 1x if running from the 3mf or gcode)

And:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3398911 (4x) (gcode included)

https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/77694-75mm-througwall-pvc-pipe-adapter-110mm-endcap-to-7 (1x each, in case you want to create a ‘silent drain' connection for a 70mm pvc pipe to the bottom of your water tank, gcode included)

Assembly steps:

Kuggis modifications

1. Mark regular spaced holes just above the bottom of the kuggis (this allows sand to settle in the bottom). I used d10mm holes spaced 50mm apart, about 30mm above the bottom of the box.
2. Drill some d6mm holes near the top on the short sides of the box
3. Attach a rope handle to these holes so that you can easily lift out the unit from the samla for cleaning
4. File/grind away some material on the top edge so that the Idealisk colander sits into it nicely
5. Glue the 4 raised feet on the bottom of the kuggis, in such a way that they can stand on the bottom of the Samla box

Samla Assembly

In case of ‘silent drain’ connection:

1. Cut a 60mm diameter hole in the middle of the bottom of the Samla
2. Do the following steps quickly, prepare a setup in which you can push the 3d printed parts together, without putting loads on the Samla: ie. by flipping the box upside down on top of another higher box that fits inside it.
3. Put PVC glue on the flange of  the ‘60mm through’ pipe, and push it through from the inside of the box, pipe sticking out on the bottom (glued flange sticks to the bottom of the box)
4. Put PVC glue on the flange of the ‘75mm flange’ and the inside of it's pipe.
5. Slide the ‘75mm flange’ over the ‘60mm through’ and push the two flanges together, clamping the bottom of the Samla box. Put some weight on the assembly and let sit for the glue to dry.

With or without drain connection:

1. Cut the M8 rod to the required length so that it sticks out a little bit to the sides of the Samla
2. Put 2 M8 hooks onto each side of the M8 rods, hooks facing towards the middle of the rod
3. ‘Snap’ the hooks over the edge of the samla, to create solidly attached M8 rods to the bottom of your Samla
4. Tap M8 thread in the ropeholders
5. Attach the ropeholders to the ends of the M8 threaded rods

Tank assembly

1. Find the location where you would like to hang the unit, and fix 4 ropes some space away from the location.*
2. Thread the rope through the Thingiverse ‘ropesnap’, through the ‘ropeholder’ on the samla, and back through the ‘ropesnap’ again, tying a knot at the end. 
3. Repeat for all 4 corners
4. Adjust the rope tension to position the filter unit under your water inlet, making sure that you can remove the kuggis and colander for maintenance.

* I have a plastic rainwatertank, so to make rope connections it was a simple matter of drilling a hole, knotting the end of the rope and pushing it through. For concrete tanks you might have to take a little bit more effort.