Hopefully my last dumb question

[mystic7]

ok, I was reading about a return pump somewhere and it had a chart which showed it's rated gph according to how much tubing it has to go through to get back to the tank. This never occured to me before. I have about 2' more tubing between the pump and the tank than I really need. Would it make that big a difference if I trimmed it down?
Right now the tube goes from the pump to the top of the sump, then hangs all the way down to the ground where it meets with the splitter valve. From there the tubing that goes to the tank is also about a foot longer than necessary. Are we talking minimal performance improvement if I trim that extra 2 feet?

 

[nytrillium]

It kinda depends. If its just straight tubing with no elbows and what not, then no i dont think you will gain anything major, maybe a little.
Usually the number of feet relates to the "head" or vertical distance that hte water has to be pumped, so if you havent added any more head to the line then your losses will not be too much.

 

[turningtim]

Don't know how much it will change but hose size (length/diameter), bends in the hose, elbows, T's, valves, hor/vert distance all add to head pressure. Any type of resistance the water has to go through. If the water has to go down before it comes up you may see a difference. If its not very hard to fix I see no reason why you shouldn't do it.
JMO
Tim

 

[mystic7]

Yes, the water goes down for one foot before heading up towards the tank. I think I have a project this weekend ;-)
Which leads to another dumb question. After I turn off the pump and the water stops rising in the sump is it safe to assume that water won't come pouring out of the tube once I detach it from the pump?

 

[mrdc]

Originally Posted by mystic7
Yes, the water goes down for one foot before heading up towards the tank. I think I have a project this weekend ;-)
Which leads to another dumb question. After I turn off the pump and the water stops rising in the sump is it safe to assume that water won't come pouring out of the tube once I detach it from the pump?

Do you have a check valve?

 

[nytrillium]

if you dont have a check valve, and your returns to the tank are submerged you will get a syphon from them (unless you have a syphon break in them)
I assume that you have overflows to supply the sump so once those are empty and not flowing, you dont have to worry about water from them.

 

[mystic7]

Originally Posted by NYTrillium
if you dont have a check valve, and your returns to the tank are submerged you will get a syphon from them (unless you have a syphon break in them)
I assume that you have overflows to supply the sump so once those are empty and not flowing, you dont have to worry about water from them.
No check valve, but that second thing you said. My returns are submerged but I can easily bend them up above the water level.

 

[nytrillium]

no need. just put a hole for a syphon break right at the surface of the water

 

[sarwiz100]

P.S. The only "dumb question" is the one that was never asked.