Hello all I have a quick question. I made a DIY overflow according to plans on here with a few modifications. The only thing I did diffrent was have the pipes sit a little lower in my tank. My problem is that they wont hold there prime. I have glued all the pieces and hot glued the check valves in place. I just don't understand cause the one shuts down after 2 hrs of running and the second will run well over 5 hrs before a problem happens. So any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
overflow shutting down
- Thread starter Valous
- Start date
Did you put the air valve on the part that loops over the edge of the tank?
It might be letting air in. When the air bubble gets big enough, it will block the siphon.
You could try modifying your overflow so it looks like this:
It's the same thing, just a little stripped down. This worked a little better for me when I built an overflow for my sump.
It might be letting air in. When the air bubble gets big enough, it will block the siphon.
You could try modifying your overflow so it looks like this:
It's the same thing, just a little stripped down. This worked a little better for me when I built an overflow for my sump.
yes the air check valve is on the part that loops over the tank. I have glued them into place several times just in case it was letting air in but they dont seem to be lose by the touch. they do work great when the dont randomly shut off.
Dunno! Check valve might be installed fine, but faulty. Could always plug over the check valve openings with some silicone or duct tape, and see if that changes anything. If it does not change anything, at least you can eliminate that as the problem.
I tried the design in the stickies, and had issues with the air release valve. I don't know if it was failing to release air, or letting air in, but it did not work. And when I thought about it, there didn't seem to be any real need for one.
Once I took that out, the force of water flow through the PVC pushed any air bubbles right through.
I also lopped off that other stuff on the output side, because it was heavy and actually slowed down water flow tremendously. It worked for my sump, because it was open top and behind the tank, so having water fountain out of the output was fine.
Mileage may vary depending on how your sump is set up, though.
I tried the design in the stickies, and had issues with the air release valve. I don't know if it was failing to release air, or letting air in, but it did not work. And when I thought about it, there didn't seem to be any real need for one.
Once I took that out, the force of water flow through the PVC pushed any air bubbles right through.
I also lopped off that other stuff on the output side, because it was heavy and actually slowed down water flow tremendously. It worked for my sump, because it was open top and behind the tank, so having water fountain out of the output was fine.
Mileage may vary depending on how your sump is set up, though.
Is it getting air in it? You might have a check valve that's bleeding. Once you suck the air out of it, put a tube from the check valve into the tank and see if it pulls water through the tube. If it does, it's a bad check valve.
When you don't understand something, just ask and someone will have an answer for you.Cashlaw;3349791; said:
It isn't a release valve. You have to manually suck the air out.
Again, don't leave yourself to your own devices. This is an information sharing forum. This actually comes up every now and then...it is so you can start or restart the system by sucking the air out.Cashlaw;3349791; said:
Cashlaw;3349791; said:
Do one test and in five minutes you'll convince yourself that redesigning it was the worst possible thing you could have done.The scenario:
Right after you leave for work, there is a temporary power failure. The power is restored after only two minutes and remains on there after.
My prediction:
You arrive home eight or nine hours later to extensive water damage and find your new pump is burned out and the lfs voids the warrantee.
Your design won't restart. When the pump shuts down, the water will drain to the sump until the water level reaches the overflow inlet. Then the overflow will drain itself. When the power is restored, the pump will send all of the water in your sump up to your tank. Since the overflow will not restart, the tank will overflow onto the floor until the sump is dry.
...Then the pump will burn itself out.
Unplug your pump for two minutes to simulate a power outage, and then plug it back in. Come back here and tell us what happened.
CHOMPERS;3350421; said:
The scenario:
Right after you leave for work, there is a temporary power failure. The power is restored after only two minutes and remains on there after.
My prediction:
You arrive home eight or nine hours later to extensive water damage and find your new pump is burned out and the lfs voids the warrantee.
Your design won't restart. When the pump shuts down, the water will drain to the sump until the water level reaches the overflow inlet. Then the overflow will drain itself. When the power is restored, the pump will send all of the water in your sump up to your tank. Since the overflow will not restart, the tank will overflow onto the floor until the sump is dry.
...Then the pump will burn itself out.
Unplug your pump for two minutes to simulate a power outage, and then plug it back in. Come back here and tell us what happened.
Word. I should have read the thread more carefully.
Well, I didn't mean to offend anyone, and I apologize if I did by accident.
I wasn't able to get pieces of the design to work. If I was going to guess, getting the air release valve properly sealed just wasn't happening. My thinking on that, anyway, was that the curve going over the top of the tank is the only "dangerous" place where you absolutely have to have everything sealed, so I took out the valve, because that compromised having a really good seal.
I've used the simplified design for about 8 months.
When I want to clean the walls of the tank, I lift it straight out of the tank . . . as long as it is not jostled too much, it holds water and restarts as soon as the pump goes back on again. I'm not an engineer, but whatever I did, it holds its water after you prime it, unless you tip the siphon enough that you're intentionally pouring the water out of it. I tried a bunch of variations. As long as there are a couple of verticle inches on the first U shape outside of the tank, it seems to be fine.
The shortened output is no big deal on my sump, because it's open top and has high walls. The output can splash water around a lot without, you know, splashes being an issue.
It's kind of moot for me, since I've had to let go of my larger tanks. I've been moving toward using sponge filters, anyway, and above-the-tank waterfall filters.
I wasn't able to get pieces of the design to work. If I was going to guess, getting the air release valve properly sealed just wasn't happening. My thinking on that, anyway, was that the curve going over the top of the tank is the only "dangerous" place where you absolutely have to have everything sealed, so I took out the valve, because that compromised having a really good seal.
I've used the simplified design for about 8 months.
When I want to clean the walls of the tank, I lift it straight out of the tank . . . as long as it is not jostled too much, it holds water and restarts as soon as the pump goes back on again. I'm not an engineer, but whatever I did, it holds its water after you prime it, unless you tip the siphon enough that you're intentionally pouring the water out of it. I tried a bunch of variations. As long as there are a couple of verticle inches on the first U shape outside of the tank, it seems to be fine.
The shortened output is no big deal on my sump, because it's open top and has high walls. The output can splash water around a lot without, you know, splashes being an issue.
It's kind of moot for me, since I've had to let go of my larger tanks. I've been moving toward using sponge filters, anyway, and above-the-tank waterfall filters.