Is it a good idea to put a check valve on after the pump ?

Q

qguy

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Planning on putting a check valve after the pump, any cons ?

I hear a lot of stories where pumps gets busted due to fluctuations were the pump would turn on and off, I am assuming that its the water returning and reversing the rotation of the impeller and then the power goes back on and forces the impeller to move the other way around.

Other than that it, this would prevent the the water from reaching the drain hole in my sump when power shuts down.
 
DN328

DN328

Potamotrygon
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Aug 14, 2014
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I use the check valve between the filter return pump and the pvc return pipe to the tank. When the pump is showoff for whatever reason (broken, paused for feeding, etc.) it blocks the backflow of water going back to the sump (and potentially overflowing the sump). I think there are other variables that determine if your sump would actually overflow such as total amount of water that would backflow and the amount of water that your sump could take on, etc. But that's what I use the check valve for to answer your question. I can't think of any cons to doing this. HTH.
 
DN328

DN328

Potamotrygon
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I meant to say "when the pump is shut off"...anyone know why edit doesn't work?
 
Bud8Fan

Bud8Fan

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The only con I can think of is that a check valve will slightly increase your head pressure, reducing your flow a little due to the turbulace it will create with the water passing through it. I prefer to use a siphon break via a small hole in my return line just below the water line.

If you are worried about the impeller spinning backwards do not worry as it does zero harm on a magnetic drive pump. Although I find with the power off the magnetism is stong enough on most pumps to hold the impeller steady and the water just flows through.
 
Bud8Fan

Bud8Fan

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One more possible con. Check valves can have seat leak and can fail so don't depend on them 100% to prevent your sump from overflowing. Only an unobstructed siphon break will not let you down. I run a q-tip through mine weekly.
 
duanes

duanes

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I have put check valves below the influent of in-line heaters to prevent the line from going dry if the pump is interrupted, which might burn out the heater.
And put them in fluidized bed influent lines to stop back siphon, that will suck media into the line.
But because all my influent lines are above the water line of the tank, not a problem.
I also agree with Bud8Fan, a back spinning impeller is not a worry.
 
V

VLDesign

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I have a dual pump setup running a single filter and needed check valves after the pumps for when I needed to shut one down for cleaning or other reasons.

Works just fine.

1-1/2" check valves from the hardware store attached right to the outlet of Reeflo Hammerhead pumps.
 
DN328

DN328

Potamotrygon
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Bud8Fan said:
One more possible con. Check valves can have seat leak and can fail so don't depend on them 100% to prevent your sump from overflowing. Only an unobstructed siphon break will not let you down. I run a q

This is true Bud - it's not full proof by any means. I was looking at the OP's question on having one vs. not having one at all.

I like the siphon break approach - and was thinking how that would work with what I have. My return is T'ed to two braided tubes with a locline coming out of the overflow wall (in the tank). I would need to put the a hole in each tube below the waterline of the overflow? If this is correct, by the time the water level dropped to the hole braking the siphon, a lot of the water from the tank would drain in the overflow to the sump, so I don't know if that would work - if I'm thinking that correctly.
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