restraining drains on overflow

[dafine20]

I have an S.O.S. Overflow system and the water travels about 4 feet to the sump.

While looking for ways to reduce bubbles I was thinking about throwing on a ball valve to the overflow hose and contraining the flow to reduce the distance the water has to fall down the hose.

To test this, I simply squeezed the hose and watched the water level rise in the hose until it was about up to the actual overflow water level in the box. The result was no more bubbles because the water no longer fell down the tube, it was almost level to the water in the box.

Is there something wrong with doing this? I've never seen in mentioned but it seems fine. I have a secondary "safety" tube incase the other clogs so I don't see the harm.


Any feedback would be appreciated, I'd hate to flood my room due to stupidity!

P.S. - where can I find that entire article on sump construction?

Thanx,
Dan

[kgross]

THe only down side to this is that if something plugs your valve the water will rise even higher in the tube and possible drain slower than your overflow. But you say you have a backup of some type so you should not have any problems at all doing this.

Kim

[Mr Bojangles]

I do something simmaler. Id put a gate valve instead of a ball valve. Ball valves will not give you a pinched pipe effect. The gate will let you fine tune it

[dafine20]

that's awsome. Thanks!

[Entropy]

Reducing the size of your drain pipe might achieve a similar effect. I am running a 1.5 inch drain and I am starting to think it is too big and is a big part of my bubble problem. I am going to switch to 1 inch pipe tonight and see if that helps.

[dafine20]

Mr.Bojangles, you mentioned you used a gate valve. While doing a little research I came across this information...

Gate Valves:

"Gate valves are used only fully opened or fully closed; otherwise, the pressure of the water moving across the wedge will wear down its surface, resulting in an imperfect seal and a leaking valve. "

The solution to that would be a Stop Valve

"Stop valves are used for hot or cold water, oil or air. They are designed for supply lines in constant use; stop valves can be used to regulate flow as well as in the fully opened or fully closed position. The water pathway through a stop valve forms an "S" pattern. Water enters from one side on the lower half of the entrance opening, travels upward through an opening in the valve body and leaves by way of the top half of the opposite exit outlet. Stop valves have a rubber disc that rises and lowers to control the flow through the valve."

Courtesy of Home Depot's website :)

-Dan

[Mr Bojangles]

well I use them and I know others do. Here is a pic of my pluming, you can see in the far rite the valve, also look at the T fittings with the hoses, these also let air excape while the water is falling geting rid of the bubbles. I mostly use the valve to get ride of the noise.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/p520287ba88b724bdc6045232ea7dd239/fc154b34.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/pd01f155a7b0e6f0e9d9ef49b91942a19/fc154b31.jpg

[lllosingit]

I have one 3/4" drain with a ball valve on the end of it and a 1" drain for back up.
The 1" drain is about 3/4'' taller so I adjust the level in the box so it just starts to flow down the Back up drain.
Its completely silent and has been running for a year with no problems.

[kris4647]

I dont know if this helps. But prior to using a Durso I used a ball valve in my overflow to raise the water level above the drain. It takes care of the slurping sounds. A caveat to this is although it was hard to dial in sometimes I never had any problems with it. I also used a piece of flexible tubing placed into the drain itself to draw air into the drain lower than the drain opening. Hence no more noise.

As far as return bubbles have you tried baffles? I homemade some baffles and "wedged" them into my sump along with some submerged bio balls to help with this and it helped a lot.

Also if you have micro bubbles have you checked the suction piping to your return pump.? Any leak no matter how small can cause them. I had a leak that would not even drip when the pump was down. I found it and re-tefloned it and no more bubbles.

I hope at least some of this is helpful. I really hate the whole micro bubble thing.......:mad2: