Find an open topped barrel, or cut the top out off a 55 gallon barrel and drill a hole in the side about 24-36 inches from the bottom. Next you need to install an adapter to a garden hose. The fittings you need are a male garden hose x 1/2 male pipe thread, and a 1/2 female garden hose x 1/2 female pipe thread. You should also find 2 large washers that will go over the 1/2 pipe thread..you may only use one, but two would be better to distribute the load of the fittings on the barrel. Drill your hole so the 1/2 pipe thread JUST goes through. DO NOT drill the hole too large. Use a file if you need to make the hole slightly larger to get the fitting through. Next, place the washer over the 1/2 pipe threads on the hose fitting, and push the threads through the new hole in the barrel from the outside. On the inside of the barrel. smear some RTV silicone around the threads sticking through. RTV is the silicone that hardens and is used around windows and doors, your local hardware store will have some. Place the second washer over the threads and screw on the second fitting. Tighten this all up fairly snug. No need to overtighten. Depending on your fitting, you may not be able to use both washers if there is not enough thread sticking through the barel. On the other hand, you may need more than two washers to be able to tighten everything up. You will end up with a male hose thread on the outside of the barrel, and female hose thread on the inside.
You should install an inline filter to keep any sediments that end up in the barrel out of your system. This can be attached directly to the hose fitting coming out of the barrel, attached directly to your solenoid, or even attached directly to the fitting on the inside of the barrel, but it will need to be cleaned frequently...keep this in mind when installing.
Be sure to make a screen cover for the barrel to keep out large objects which will plug your pump, and to keep it attached, use bungee cords.
The following instructions are for educational purposes only. I am not an electrician, and I highly recommend consulting one whenever attempting to do any electrical wiring. Use these directions at your own risk!
For the pump, you have a few choices, depending on your timer setup.
If your timers are the 110 volt mechanical ones, you simply need to run a wire from your interval timer to the barrel, and on the end, install a GFCI outlet. You would then purchase a submersible sump pump that has hose fittings installed, or purchase the required fittings. Run a small hose from the submersible to your fitting inside the barrel, and a hose to your mist bed from the outside of the barrel. Plug the sump pump into the GFCI outlet, and everytime the interval timer activates to mist, the sump pump will be powered up to provide water to your system.
If your timer is a DIG 5006-IP model from Mistkits.com, you can use a use a small 24 volt AC to 12 volt DC converter to change your voltage. You can purchase an adapter here, at altex.com.
Then, run a wire from the MASTER screw and COMMON screw on the timer to your barrel, remember to attach the converter inline. The converter should be protected from the weather.
Purchase a 12 volt submersible sump pump here, at discount-pumps.biz, and attach it to the inside fitting with a small hose. Attach the wire from the pump to the converted wire.
Whenever your DIG activates your solenoid, the pump will deliver water to your system.
Dwayne Haskell owns and operates Mistkits.com where complete misting kits, individual components, and advice can be found. After building his own misting system for his nursery, he realized he could design and build systems for small nurseries or home gardeners who are interested in starting their own plants from cuttings.
He has written an E-book titled Build an Arbor in Just One Weekend, and another on gardening, landscaping and plant propagation tips. He also enjoys teaching others how to grow their own landscape plants and owns and moderates the Mistkits blog, where you can find more articles, polls, and quizzes on landscape and gardening related topics. Be sure to grab your own copy of an E-book when you visit!