diy overflow!!!!!!!!! check it out!!!!

isistius

isistius

Active Member
ok. to make a long story short, i broke 1 of my 2 overflows on saturday while i was cleaning them. in a quandry and not knowing what to do, i ran across plans on how to build your own overflow out of pvc. so, after $20 in pvc and $30 in spa-flex, here's what i did:
pre-glued

right side working

behind the right side

behind the tank
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Too cool. Great idea. The only thing I might have done different would be to make the vent tubes in the back a little taller.
Do they run quiet? Looks like they would.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by ifirefight
Very nicely done Jeff !
Youre not as dumb as you look...

Man that's cold....BTW I see the top of your Avatar in the first pic. Likes to watch Dad work.
Future Reefhead.
 
ifirefight

ifirefight

Active Member
Originally Posted by GrouperGenius
Man that's cold....
Jeffs a buddy of mine...he knows Im just busting his chops.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by ifirefight
Jeffs a buddy of mine...he knows Im just busting his chops.

I figured that much. I would do the same.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by Ibew
when power goes out and comes back on do you lose siphon though
Looking at the design I would say no. When the power comes back on, the water will pump from the sump back to the tank, overflow into the tube, and fill the tube to the height of the water in the tank. The return line is lower than that and would start the flow again. That's the reason for the vent in the back.
At least thats how it looks.
 
ibew

ibew

Active Member
Originally Posted by GrouperGenius
Looking at the design I would say no. When the power comes back on, the water will pump from the sump back to the tank, overflow into the tube, and fill the tube to the height of the water in the tank. The return line is lower than that and would start the flow again. That's the reason for the vent in the back.
At least thats how it looks.
confused
looks like when power goes out the water line goes below the tube in the tank and loses siphon the vent in the back I though it was just for noise like a dursco or a stockman and also to regain siphon not sure though
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by Ibew
confused
looks like when power goes out the water line goes below the tube in the tank and loses siphon the vent in the back I though it was just for noise like a dursco or a stockman and also to regain siphon not sure though
Ya got me thinkin'.

Only thing maybe is to block off the vents as the pump is restarted...maybe?? Sucking the air out of the lines then restarting the flow.
Possibly a 1 way flap valve on the vent??
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
it doesnt look like there is a siphon to worry about...looks like if the power goes out the water will drain to the top of the inlets in the tank...once they go below the water will stop flowing....when the power returns the return pump begins putting the water back into the tank from the sump once the level of the water gets back above the inlet drain the overflow begins draining again...i dont see where the siphon is??
 
isistius

isistius

Active Member
holy cow - i didn't expect this many responses. i'll try to answer as many questions as i can.
1. brett- i am as think as you dumb i is.
2. tripp and grouper - it is fairly quiet. i was running regular hob with stockman pipes. it's about that same noise level. i can make it quieter by using a cap with a small hole over the vent tubes
3. ibew- no syphon loss. it works (i think) just like a durso. except the initial startup in which the air in the tube needs to be sucked out. just like in a u-tube overflow. that's the reason for the check valves. other than that, it stays sealed.
4. reno- nothing right now. i will probable put a mesh screen on it when i can find a decent one. i was considering making the tubes taller and putting cuts in them, which is another option.
jr- i'm not really sure of the vent tube in the back either. i think it's to allow for any trapped air to escape.
hope this answers your questions
 
J

jrthomas40

Guest
i can see now what siphon they are talking about....if the power was to go out and the water drain...how are you going to make it come back over the side of the tank because the level should level out equal to the drain in the tank which is lower and will have create the air bubble to sit at the top...have you turned it off then turn it back on to see what it will do???
 
isistius

isistius

Active Member
i have shut it off. it works very much like a standard overflow box w/ u-tube. when the power goes off, the level of the tank will drop the the level of the pipe. the water level insind the pipe remains unchanged inside. so no air re-enters the piping. when the power comes back on, the water will enter the tube and pushit's way around and down the drain. i hope that's clear.
 
groupergenius

groupergenius

Active Member
Originally Posted by Isistius
i have shut it off. it works very much like a standard overflow box w/ u-tube. when the power goes off, the level of the tank will drop the the level of the pipe. the water level insind the pipe remains unchanged inside. so no air re-enters the piping. when the power comes back on, the water will enter the tube and pushit's way around and down the drain. i hope that's clear.

Brilliant!!! As far as a fish protector goes, how about that round sponge filter that goes on alot of powerheads?? Should be easy enough to take off and clean when needed.
 
saltn00b

saltn00b

Active Member
Originally Posted by ifirefight
Very nicely done Jeff !
Youre not as dumb as you look...

that is awesome!

im having trouble seeing it as a self-priming syphon when the power comes back on but i think it is because the pipe in the back is higher than the inlet allowing the water on that side trying to match the height of the tank.
 
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