Smart Solar RB6000 Rain Barrel, 60 Gallon Capacity, Green

by Smart Solar

• 60 Gallon capacity barrel made of 500D PVC Tarpaulin UV-resistant fabric
• Innovative and economical design in eco-green color
• Fills in approximately 20 minutes in a typical shower using supplied downspout diverter valve
• Easy assembly and packs flat for easy shipping and storage
• Flaps on bottom of barrel allow it to be easily staked to ground for maximum stability (stakes included)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 27.2 x 7.1 x 5.1 inches ; 5.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B003ANNAYC
• Item model number: RB6000
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,738 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)

Product Description

Living green brings big economical savings. And starting is simple with the eco-green 60 gallon Smart rain barrel. This durable, weather-resistant rain barrel made of 500D PVC Tarpaulin fabric collects up to 60 gallons of rain runoff using the supplied downspout diverter value and built in filter screen so you have a totally natural, totally free source of water to tend your yard and garden. Simply attach your garden hose to the discharge tap at the bottom of the barrel and water away. A zinc-aluminum alloy zippered opening keeps the top of the barrel firmly in place and ensures long lasting strength and performance. Flaps on the bottom of barrel allow it to be staked (stakes included) for maximum stability. The barrel itself conserves space, as well - when you want to store it during the winter, just collapse it, for easy moving and storage.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars sturdy and flexible rain barrel November 21, 2010

By Amos Szpiro

Amazon Verified Purchase

This folding barrel is surprisingly stable standing on its own 'feet'. The zipper in the top cover is very convenient, and the patch of mesh on top is useful for viewing the water from outside the barrel without opening the cover. The fittings and the shutoff valve work reliably.

55 of 60 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars (Updated) Can't install it-included 2x3 diverter doesn't fit my downspouts March 17, 2011

By nsv

Amazon Verified Purchase

5/28/11 update: Summary: don't buy if you have 3x4 downspouts. Take a look at the photo I uploaded and decide if that mess is something you want on the outside of your house.

Since I'm not going to connect the second rain barrel to another downspout, I decided to attach it to the first rain barrel. There are two side connectors on each barrel, but both are male (have exposed threads.) If you're going to use the plain hose included with the barrels, you'll need the correct quick connect.

3/18/11 Update: Smart Solar emailed a solution to me: "Buy an aluminum piece at home depot and trim it with metal cutter snippers!"

If you've never cut aluminum with snips you need to know that it makes some seriously sharp edges, so if you're going to try this I'd recommend buying a heavy pair of gloves along with the snips. You also can't cut off a section of downspout with snips, you can only cut from an edge, so you'll also need a saw to get the length you need.

In a way, I'm glad I found this out as I'm beginning to work on my garden. Now I know I need to avoid Smart Solar products.

3/17/11 Original review: I've got two of these sitting in my living room right now. They look and feel like they're well made and should work well, but until I find a way to get them installed I won't know.

The description says there's a downspout diverter, but it doesn't tell you the size. It fits on a 2x3 downspout. I've checked several homes around here, and my 3x4 downspouts are not unusual--maybe 2x3 is common where the rain barrels are made, but I can't find one here.

No problem, I'll just get a reducer. I spent yesterday afternoon driving from Lowe's to Home Depot to the hardware store--nobody had one. They can't even special order one. This morning I checked online. Reducers are apparently common for round copper downspouts, but I can't find anyone who has an rectangular aluminum (or plastic) reducer.

Amazon does have a listing for an aluminum adapter that might work. It's fifteen bucks plus ten for shipping, doesn't include measurements for both ends (so I'm not sure it's the right size,) and it's out of stock.

I called Smart Solar, hoping I'd be able to exchange the 2x3 diverters for 3x4 diverters. "Go to Lowe's and get a reducer," they told me. I explained that I'd tried that. They found me a store that sells gutters, about three hours away. No, thanks. The supervisor was asked, and said "Well, someone should have a rubber piece that would fit." Eventually I was promised that they'd email the owner of the company and get back to me.

I'll give Smart Solar a few more days to see if they want to support their products, and if they come up with a solution I'll revise my review.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars good barrel, awful diverter and spout August 8, 2011

By J. Singer

I just don't know what Smart Solar was thinking when they designed this diverter. Look at it (the customer picture from nsv shows it very well) and you easily see that while the diverter takes in a 2 x 3 inch connection at the top, the total output (rain barrel hose plus gutter diverter) offers much less than half of that throughput! What that means is that in even a moderately heavy rain, the diverter is overwhelmed by more water than it can handle, and the water overflows from the top of the diverter, flooding the area next to my house.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the hose connection from the diverter to the rain barrel is so narrow that it clogs with debris in almost every rain storm. Even when it is not clogged, the narrow hose offers only a trickle of water into the barrel while the vast majority of water ends up going down into the gutter or overflowing into my yard.

The barrel itself seems good so far, after about 3 months of use. It stands up well on a slate platform without using the anchor spikes and doesn't show any signs of wear and tear yet. The netting on top lets me see the water level inside without letting mosquitoes in. The zippered lid lets me scoop out buckets of water to use on plants that are beyond the reach of my hose.

Bottom line is this: The barrel seems pretty solid and is decently priced, but unless you have a very small roof surface area that does not collect any debris, expect to spend at least $20 extra to get a better diverter. I will probably buy the Oatey 14209 as a replacement.

EDIT: At the end of the first season of use, the plastic spout at the bottom of the barrel broke. It was made from cheap plastic - so cheap that another reviewer had their barrel actually arrive with a cracked spout. Hopefully I can find a metal replacement at a big box store, because there's no way I want a replacement from smart solar. This barrel is great in concept, but the cheapo parts it comes with makes for a very poor product.

EDIT 2: I could not find a suitable replacement spout, so I contacted Smart Solar and asked if they had replacement spouts. They did not have spouts in stock, so they actually offered to replace the entire barrel at no cost to me. I still don't like the quality of this barrel at all, but I do appreciate a company that is willing to stand behind its product.