JK47;3394768; said:
NC- I was hoping you would jump in here! So I am right then that the line should be completely full of water with no to minimal air correct? All the air moving through the line is reducing my flow rate? How much do you think? So if I used a solid pipe with a "T" fitting and a couple pieces angled down to replicate the cup, that would increase my flow rate and reduce the air going through the line.
Sorry to be redundant and a pain, I just want to do this right the first (second) time.
In my experience it's using the 17th time that you really get what you want... ;-)
Yes you are completely correct that the water in the down spout / drain pipe / whatever you choose to call it is both taking up space that is not water as well as creating restriction because it is trying to flow (upward force) in the water that is falling down (downward force)... It makes a massive difference...
The trick is if your pump does not push water up into the tank fast enough to fully utilize the drain at max capacity, your water level will likely rise and fall as air gets trapped (slowing it down allowing the water level to rise) then air is removed(causing the level to drop which allows air to get trapped)...
My solution to this is to use a pump slightly larger than needed and valve it back with a ball valve... This way you find the equilibrium and your happy... If you are putting just a tiny bit more water up than equilibrium, then when the water level rises a tiny bit the water pressure pushing water down the pipe increases a tiny bit and equilibrium is established a tiny bit higher than you meant for it to... Therefore do not set the overflow to be right at the top lip, set it to be right at the bottom of the plastic rim (this way the extra space is available, but unseem)... if it's an acrypical tank with no rim, well just leave an inch or so for safe keeping...
You can use a T with arms going down... but keep in mind once there is no air in the drain pipe it is a siphon... therefore when you turn the sump pump off the water in the main tank will drain to the bottom of the downward facing arms...
Instead I suggest chopping the top off of a T fitting... siliconing an upside down bowl like piece to the top of it in a way that restricts water flow into the T as little as possible (you should be able to do that in a way that allows more water flow than the original T did)... Just make sure the edges of the upsdie down 'bowl' are as close to even with the top opening of the drain pipe as possible. By "top Opening" of the drain pipe I mean the point the water crests the edge to begin it's downward journey into the sump...
Darn... a picture is worth a thousand words and I simply do not have a picture of a photographable example of this
Let me know what parts of that didn't make sense and I'll give it another shot...
