Problem with overflow filling up and sump pump almost running dry. (VIDEO)

[jsodwi]

Bleed the pump back into the sump. looks like its too strong for the sump size. Just a T and a ball valve. I has the same issue

Do this and try it. If you really need the high flow, you are going to have to drill bigger bulkhead and put bigger drain. 3/4" is too small for drains. Should be at least 1" I.d. For the time being though put a tee and ball valve on the pump and just recirculate some water thru sump

 

[jlnguyen74]

Your bulkhead is 1.5in, but the hose look like 1in hose, that's why it doesn't drain as fast as the return pump. Also, you may need to drill and put a valve on top of the 90 degree elbow to bleed air

 

[boldtogether]

First, I would change the hard 90 to a sweep or tubing, and keep the drain line as straight as possible down to the sump.

Second, Make sure the inside diameter is consistantly 1.5" all the way through to the sump.

Note: My overflow is flowing 1600gph through 1.5" like a champ, in fact, it is its rating from the factory.

Third, Try to break the flushing effect by either running a piece of airline tubing through the assembly or like others said, valve at the 90.


There is no reason why 1290gph shouldn't drain through 1"-1.5" drain. You could also use a small 90 inside the overflow pointing down below the water line to reduce noise.
I dont think your sump is to small, I think it is to empty. Let the sump fill with everything off. It should fill to about 3/4 full. with everything off.
If you are trying to run the sump without any of the media being submerged, I dont think that possible.

 

[jdhuegel1]

There is no reason why 1290gph shouldn't drain through 1"-1.5" drain. You could also use a small 90 inside the overflow pointing down below the water line to reduce noise.
I dont think your sump is to small, I think it is to empty. Let the sump fill with everything off. It should fill to about 3/4 full. with everything off.
If you are trying to run the sump without any of the media being submerged, I dont think that possible.

another reference: I run two 1350gph pumps full blast and two 1" drains keep up. (265g 36"h)

Agree with whats being said here about the noise also. Keep workin it - you'll get it figured out.



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[David R]

I had a similar experience with my 1400L tank which had the overflow drains drilled at the tip of the tank (as yours is) compared to my other sump set ups that have all had drains drilled towards the bottom of a full-height overflow. What appears to be happening is that your overflow can't handle the volume of water the pump is flowing while sucking in air, so the water level in the overflow increases until the drain is submerged and operates as a full siphon and quickly drains the water down and you're back to square one.

Your two options are A; if you don't need as much flow as the pump is pumping put a T in the pipe and have some of it looping back thru the filter so the amount returned to your tank can be handled by the overflow, or B; get another overflow drilled if you think you're going to need the turn-over that your pump is currently pumping.

With option A you could add a durso to the overflow to help make it quieter (google it), and with B you could run a 'bean animal overflow' type set up (again, google it) with one drain operating as a full siphon and the other handling the small amount of water that is left. Once you've decided what option to go for you should be able to set the water level in your sump so it doesn't do the fill/empty cycle thing.


ps. great work making a video! so much easier to see what is going on...

 

[frnchjeep]

I didn't watch past 41 seconds. Get rid of that droop in the drain line. It is causing a trap in the drain and air locking. You can see it at 23ish seconds. Flow stops, air is released, flow starts until air is sucked in...round and round. It'll fix it... I promise.

EDIT: I just watched some more. It'll help with the noise, too, when it is flowing properly.

 

[mrwinkle]

Do this and try it. If you really need the high flow, you are going to have to drill bigger bulkhead and put bigger drain. 3/4" is too small for drains. Should be at least 1" I.d. For the time being though put a tee and ball valve on the pump and just recirculate some water thru sump

sorry if i was misleading. My return hose from the pump to the pvc is 3/4" the return pvc itself is 1"

Your bulkhead is 1.5in, but the hose look like 1in hose, that's why it doesn't drain as fast as the return pump. Also, you may need to drill and put a valve on top of the 90 degree elbow to bleed air

sorry if i was misleading. My bulk head is 2", i have a reducer down to 1.5" to use my 1.5" hose, the hose is 1.5" not 1"

 

[aldiaz33]

To resolve the flushing you are getting I would do the following:

Install a T fitting off of the bulkhead drain (If I were you I would not reduce it and stick with 2" all the way down, although 1.5" should be plenty big enough to handle the flow you are pushing through it, in my mind in regards to drains, bigger is always better). The T will give your drain the air it needs to prevent the full siphon flushing effect you are experiencing. Below are pictures of my old setup that was similar to yours, except I had a T to allow air into the drain in order to prevent the gurgling/flushing toilet effect. I placed a microfiber cloth folded over onto intself a few times to muffle the sound and the tank ran very quietly.

If you don't like the idea of the cloth muffler, you can make a traditional durso cap and drill a small hole to feed air into the drain to prevent the siphon and to quiet it down...either way would work.

In regards to your pump, you are probably getting around 900 to 950GPH out of it, since it's rated at 990GPH at 4' of head and 870GPH at 6' of head: http://www.riopump.net/products_pumps/hyperflow_desc.html

Good luck!

 

[mrwinkle]

I had a similar experience with my 1400L tank which had the overflow drains drilled at the tip of the tank (as yours is) compared to my other sump set ups that have all had drains drilled towards the bottom of a full-height overflow. What appears to be happening is that your overflow can't handle the volume of water the pump is flowing while sucking in air, so the water level in the overflow increases until the drain is submerged and operates as a full siphon and quickly drains the water down and you're back to square one.

Your two options are A; if you don't need as much flow as the pump is pumping put a T in the pipe and have some of it looping back thru the filter so the amount returned to your tank can be handled by the overflow, or B; get another overflow drilled if you think you're going to need the turn-over that your pump is currently pumping.

With option A you could add a durso to the overflow to help make it quieter (google it), and with B you could run a 'bean animal overflow' type set up (again, google it) with one drain operating as a full siphon and the other handling the small amount of water that is left. Once you've decided what option to go for you should be able to set the water level in your sump so it doesn't do the fill/empty cycle thing.


ps. great work making a video! so much easier to see what is going on...

Thanks i figured a vid would be much easier than explaining it thru text.

I think im going to go with option B

I didn't watch past 41 seconds. Get rid of that droop in the drain line. It is causing a trap in the drain and air locking. You can see it at 23ish seconds. Flow stops, air is released, flow starts until air is sucked in...round and round. It'll fix it... I promise.

EDIT: I just watched some more. It'll help with the noise, too, when it is flowing properly.

This is exactly what i figured like a p trap on a sink. the only problem is that there is no way for me to elimate a trap because of the location of my bulk head.

I think i'm just going to redo the how setup when i get time. just not use to overflows and bulkheads on the side wall of a tank.

First, I would change the hard 90 to a sweep or tubing, and keep the drain line as straight as possible down to the sump.

Second, Make sure the inside diameter is consistantly 1.5" all the way through to the sump.

Note: My overflow is flowing 1600gph through 1.5" like a champ, in fact, it is its rating from the factory.

Third, Try to break the flushing effect by either running a piece of airline tubing through the assembly or like others said, valve at the 90.


There is no reason why 1290gph shouldn't drain through 1"-1.5" drain. You could also use a small 90 inside the overflow pointing down below the water line to reduce noise.
I dont think your sump is to small, I think it is to empty. Let the sump fill with everything off. It should fill to about 3/4 full. with everything off.
If you are trying to run the sump without any of the media being submerged, I dont think that possible.

will try running all plumbing at 1.5 before i try to reconfigure the whole system

all ready tried the tubing, did not work.

 

[mrwinkle]

To resolve the flushing you are getting I would do the following:

Install a T fitting off of the bulkhead drain. This will give your drain the air it needs to prevent the full siphon flushing effect you are experiencing. Below are pictures of my old setup that was similar to yours, except I had a T to allow air into the drain in order to prevent the gurgling/flushing toilet effect. I placed a microfiber cloth folded over onto intself a few times to muffle the sound and the tank ran very quietly.

Thanks for the pics al, will try this tomorrow.