Drill-Less Siphon Overflow

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Lil_Stinker

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 30, 2006
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So I decided that I need to be creative,

I have a desire to have an overflow to allow me to maintain water level and an external filter (wet/dry sump)

I didn't want to have to drain the tank & take it to get drilled. Here is my idea

A siphon/overflow.

The construction is 1-1/2 inch PVC & 3/4 PVC water will siphon into the "u" then overflow into the center pipe. This will keep the siphon from breaking.

The input will either have a strainer or be connected to the UG pipe. Then the output will go to the sump, then back to the tank & it all starts over again.

There will be a valve of some sort at the top to void the air & get it up & running. The oversize chimney top will allow the "u" to be filled prior to voiding the siphon. A round sponge will also be in the chimney to reduce noise.

The "u" will also lay flat against the tank, not as displayed.

If anyone has any thoughts on this being a bad idea, let me know, I have everything except the valve for the top. & everthing except the center pipe is cut.

HangSiphon.jpg
 
It looks like a good idea. I'd like to know why you decided on this design instead of the one's already on the site?
This design will work for a time but, will require regular flushing. By using greatly differing diameters of pipe, the speed of flow will change within the plumbing causing settling points, in the large pipe, for large 'matter' to deposit. If not flushed regularly, this 'matter' will build to the point that it will restrict (clog) the water flow.
I recommend using all the same diameter piping through the construction of the drill-less overflow.

oflow.jpg

No Drill Overflow.jpg
 
I am not sure why, I just didnt see any that made me go wow.
I had thought of the settling issue, thatss why the downward flow in the U rather than up.. to create motion in the lower branch..

The bottom of the U will be removable for service. .. here are pics of the material. The bottom will screw off. (see image)

I used a smaller pipe to fit inside. I wanted fewer visual pipes.

Remember the size change is not as drastic as it seems. The center pipe will "shrink" the outer pipe.

parts.JPG

apart.JPG

together.JPG
 
I use a couple like mike posted and they do work very well.
 
Lil_Stinker said:
Saw it, inspired me, but more clutter than I wanted. I don't think mine will loose siphon either.

Only tests will tell.. :D
Click to expand...
And if the power goes out it looks to me like you'll have a flood ... The reason the others around start back up is because the water doesn't get past the bottom of the first drop.. On yours there looks to be no way to get it to restart by itself.. Have you tested this.. Sometimes clutter is better than flooding my personal opinion.. If it were that simple i would have done that but...

What size of tank are you putting it on and what size is your sump?

I just see flooding in this design, as the water from what i'm seeing correct me if i'm wrong.. The water has to go about an 8th of an inch over the top of your tank to get the syphon started again in the event of a powere failure of any kind... So how will you account for this?

Unforseable weather mishap and your not home .... I could be wrong.. But my experience with syphon says scary :)
 
I guess my questions are will your sump hold all the water your tank would hold and will your tank in the event of an outage hold all the water that ended up in the sump if the syphon did break and then the power came back on and pump pumped all the water back in to the tank?
 
Tongue33 said:
And if the power goes out it looks to me like you'll have a flood ... The reason the others around start back up is because the water doesn't get past the bottom of the first drop.. On yours there looks to be no way to get it to restart by itself.. Have you tested this.. Sometimes clutter is better than flooding my personal opinion.. If it were that simple i would have done that but...

What size of tank are you putting it on and what size is your sump?

I just see flooding in this design, as the water from what i'm seeing correct me if i'm wrong.. The water has to go about an 8th of an inch over the top of your tank to get the syphon started again in the event of a powere failure of any kind... So how will you account for this?

Unforseable weather mishap and your not home .... I could be wrong.. But my experience with syphon says scary :)
Click to expand...


here is what I see if the power goes out... the water will drop only to the level of the overflow in the U Water will stay in the U to keep the siphon. as in the picture below ....

nopower.jpg
 
Tongue33 said:
I guess my questions are will your sump hold all the water your tank would hold and will your tank in the event of an outage hold all the water that ended up in the sump if the syphon did break and then the power came back on and pump pumped all the water back in to the tank?
Click to expand...


when the power returns, then the pump in the sump will re-fill the tank to a level above the overflow starting the overflow again. The siphon should not break. how would you see air getting into the U ???
 
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