How do I adjust the overflows?

[rdefino]

I have 2 overflows on my 210gal. The overflows (drains pipe) that slides up and down inside the overflow compartment. Why does it slide up and down? What is that adjustment? If you look at this picture of the drain that connects to the bulkhead:

It shows that the water cannot drain fast enough to fill the clear tubing. Is this right? Would this be cause because I'm not returning enough water?

When I remove the adjustable overflow pipe the water drains very fast and the clear pipe is full of water.

Thanks

 

[repair]

The thing that confuses me a little is when you say -

"When I remove the adjustable overflow pipe the water drains very fast and the clear pipe is full of water."

I will assume that when you do this the water lever is allowed to drop untill the overflow is out of the water, if this is the case then the reason that the tube is full is because you are returning more water through the tube then the pump normally does.

How big is the return? and how many lph does the pump return to the tank.

If you know the size of the return then you can figure the max amount of water that it can return.... of course at some point a return will start to siphon and it will increase the max flow.

If you want to prove it you could put a valve in the return line and keep restricking the return untill you get the return and pump pefectly ballanced.

DO NOT LEAVE THE RETURN RESTRICTED or you will get water on the floor because the amount of water that a pump returns isn't 100% constant.

Hope that my rant is helpfull..... now I have to get back to my manifesto.

 

[rdefino]

I have not measured the max amount of water that can drain to the sump. I will measure that tomorrow.

Why is the overflow pipe adjustable?

Thanks

 

[Bderick67]

I have not measured the max amount of water that can drain to the sump. I will measure that tomorrow.

Why is the overflow pipe adjustable?

Thanks

Because with the power off you do not want more water to flow into your sump then it can hold. Ideally you would want you sump to be 3/4 to 7/8 full with the power off.

 

[rdefino]

Thank you. that makes sense.

 

[cchhcc]

The pipe is adjustable to fit different height tanks.