Bullet proof check valves???

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

Get a good brass check valve. You can get one at any plumbing supply house. They are constructed of much higher quality materials than the plastic ones. I've had plastic ones fail, but never one machined of solid brass.

There is nothing wrong with a quality PVC check valve that is properly installed and maintained. You can't glue brass to PVC.....

 

[hillbilly]

There is nothing wrong with a quality PVC check valve that is properly installed and maintained. You can't glue brass to PVC.....

No kidding! You need to use a threaded PVC male adaptor to connect it to the brass.

 

[Jgray152]

400g sump for a 400g tank????? LOL. i know every man-made product is bound to fail at some point, i just want one that will take longer to fail

nah nah nah. lol. When you have a sump usually the water line, if the sump system is setup correctly, will drain down 0.5" - 1". This is the amount of water you will need the sump to handle.

(Inches) L * W * H(water level drop) = Sq inch Area / 231 = US Gallons of water the sump needs to hold.

Do no just go by the sump tank gallon rating. Use the dimensions, there is a big difference, trust me.

 

[jcardona1]

nah nah nah. lol. When you have a sump usually the water line, if the sump system is setup correctly, will drain down 0.5" - 1". This is the amount of water you will need the sump to handle.

(Inches) L * W * H(water level drop) = Sq inch Area / 231 = US Gallons of water the sump needs to hold.

Do no just go by the sump tank gallon rating. Use the dimensions, there is a big difference, trust me.

read the first post, we talking about a tank that has the returns on the bottom

 

[VLDesign]

Bottom drains are no problem, just run the pvc up high enough (on the outside of the tank) to stop the full tank from draining and then swing back down to drain into your sump. Then you won't need a 400 gallon sump..

 

[Pharaoh]

The only fool proof check valve is one that's not there. I would just plumb the returns high enough fromthe bottom that you would only lose a bit of water should your pump stop.

 

[jcardona1]

thx for the opinions folks. im thinking if i do get this setup, im just plug the holes up with some bulkheads and run a regular return up at the top. the thought a stuck check valve and lost power to pump seems like a nightmare!

 

[zennzzo]

Look at the PVC "Swing" check valves...by design they look better to me...

 

[Jgray152]

read the first post, we talking about a tank that has the returns on the bottom

Ah, I missed that.

 

[terrors r us]

Anybody got some good links/manuf for bullet proof check valves? This is for those tanks that have returns plumbed through the bottom. need something better than those cheap plastic check valves they sell at lowes/HD, cause if one fails, all the water is going out of the tank when the pump goes off!

thx

Since your head pressure will be low, it is very important to get a
swing check valve and not a spring check valve that requires more pressure...