Skimmer Overflow Cup?
- Thread starter mugg1977
- Start date
t316
Active Member
Not this exact method, but on my 55, I have a small hole in the side of the cup (maybe pencil size or smaller). Then I inserted a small tube, and the tube leads over to a 2 litter plastic bottle. So when the cup gets about 1/2 full, it starts overflowing into the bottle. You could modify this even further by running another tube from the first bottle to the 2nd, etc.
scopus tang
Active Member
I overflow into a old gallon water jug.
mugg1977
Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2597261
....or this may have been what you meant by "manifold together"
Yeah. That's what I was going for. My intent is to cap the 2L bottle and superglue a barbed fitting through the top, then manifold 2 additional bottles, both capped. My thinking is that if I cap the bottles, they can't over flow and eventually the skimmate will fill up the skimmer cup as well (on long trips) and whent eh level in the cup rises high enough it will block airflow and thus make the skimmer stop foaming. This will be my fail-safe so that I don't pump smimmate back into the tank.
http:///forum/post/2597261
....or this may have been what you meant by "manifold together"
Yeah. That's what I was going for. My intent is to cap the 2L bottle and superglue a barbed fitting through the top, then manifold 2 additional bottles, both capped. My thinking is that if I cap the bottles, they can't over flow and eventually the skimmate will fill up the skimmer cup as well (on long trips) and whent eh level in the cup rises high enough it will block airflow and thus make the skimmer stop foaming. This will be my fail-safe so that I don't pump smimmate back into the tank.
fats71
Active Member
Your going to either burn up the motor or blow out a bottle I would assume or the side of your skimer.
The pressure has to go somewhere and it will build up. How about putting your skimmer on a timer..... running a t-barb off the overflow to a couple 5 gallon buckets something other than making it air tight.
The pressure has to go somewhere and it will build up. How about putting your skimmer on a timer..... running a t-barb off the overflow to a couple 5 gallon buckets something other than making it air tight.
t316
Active Member
Yeah, I can't really say about the pressure thing. I don't have my bottle capped off. The tube just goes in thru the top and hangs there, and I have had no problem with the system still making scum. And I really can't see why you would have to only use a 2 liter. You could just run the hose over to a drain and it would never fill up. In mine, the stuff overflowing out of the cup (going into the bottle) is liquid anyway. The skimmer foams up and runs into the cup, but it doesn't go out of the overflow tube until the liquid rises high enough to get to the hole. So as long as you stay with the "everything goes downhill" method, you could run it anywhere.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by Fats71
http:///forum/post/2597287
Your going to either burn up the motor or blow out a bottle I would assume or the side of your skimer.
The pressure has to go somewhere and it will build up. How about putting your skimmer on a timer..... running a t-barb off the overflow to a couple 5 gallon buckets something other than making it air tight.
Huh?
The waste line from a skimmer's collection cup is under no pressure.
In fact, the lid on the top of the skimmer's collection cup is perforated to allow the skimmer to breathe. All of the air that a skimmer handles is eventually aspirated out of the top of the cup.
As long as he doesn't block that, but just adds a drain down to a larger, sealed collection container, he'll be just fine, provided air doesn't get trapped in the lines due to a belly in the hose or something. When doing something like this, sealing the bottles can prove problematic to allow gravity draining of the nog.
A more effective solution, and easier to build, would be to purchase a 2 gallon pail and sealing lid from Lowe's or Home Depot. Then simply mount a 1/2" bulkhead in the lid and attach your fittings.
To mitigate the risk of air being trapped, you can add a second bulkhead, which is attached a pipe that rises higher than the skimmer. This will allow the bucket to breathe yet not overflow.
http:///forum/post/2597287
Your going to either burn up the motor or blow out a bottle I would assume or the side of your skimer.
The pressure has to go somewhere and it will build up. How about putting your skimmer on a timer..... running a t-barb off the overflow to a couple 5 gallon buckets something other than making it air tight.
Huh?
The waste line from a skimmer's collection cup is under no pressure.
In fact, the lid on the top of the skimmer's collection cup is perforated to allow the skimmer to breathe. All of the air that a skimmer handles is eventually aspirated out of the top of the cup.
As long as he doesn't block that, but just adds a drain down to a larger, sealed collection container, he'll be just fine, provided air doesn't get trapped in the lines due to a belly in the hose or something. When doing something like this, sealing the bottles can prove problematic to allow gravity draining of the nog.
A more effective solution, and easier to build, would be to purchase a 2 gallon pail and sealing lid from Lowe's or Home Depot. Then simply mount a 1/2" bulkhead in the lid and attach your fittings.
To mitigate the risk of air being trapped, you can add a second bulkhead, which is attached a pipe that rises higher than the skimmer. This will allow the bucket to breathe yet not overflow.
mugg1977
Member
And with the vent higher than the skimmer, if the bottle fills up (I have to go with 2L biottles to fit in the stand) then the skimmate backs up into the collection cup until it fills and bleeds out of the vent in the top of the cup. Theoretically, when that happens, the airflow is blocked so the skimmer will "shut down", aka the foam drops and air bubbles from the top of the collection cup. Or am I completely off base?
mugg1977
Member
Perfect! That will keep me going while on vacation! Now I just need to figure out how to tie 3 2L bottles together. I'm thinking of running the bottles in series with tees abobe and a vent in each. I wish I could just use a 5g but I promised myself I would keep everything under the stand on this one!
scsinet
Active Member
BTW... you may consider using section(s) of 4" PVC pipe as collection cups.
Toilet flanges can be purchased (cheaply) that have a "knockout" that seals them closed until the plumber is ready to hook up the toilet. Used upside down and with the knockout left in place, they make perfect bases for 4" PVC pipe. Then just use a 4" pipe to the size you want, and put a cap on the top that reduces down to 1/2" or so.
Toilet flanges can be purchased (cheaply) that have a "knockout" that seals them closed until the plumber is ready to hook up the toilet. Used upside down and with the knockout left in place, they make perfect bases for 4" PVC pipe. Then just use a 4" pipe to the size you want, and put a cap on the top that reduces down to 1/2" or so.
fats71
Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2597340
Huh?
The waste line from a skimmer's collection cup is under no pressure.
In fact, the lid on the top of the skimmer's collection cup is perforated to allow the skimmer to breathe. All of the air that a skimmer handles is eventually aspirated out of the top of the cup.
As long as he doesn't block that, but just adds a drain down to a larger, sealed collection container, he'll be just fine, provided air doesn't get trapped in the lines due to a belly in the hose or something. When doing something like this, sealing the bottles can prove problematic to allow gravity draining of the nog.
A more effective solution, and easier to build, would be to purchase a 2 gallon pail and sealing lid from Lowe's or Home Depot. Then simply mount a 1/2" bulkhead in the lid and attach your fittings.
To mitigate the risk of air being trapped, you can add a second bulkhead, which is attached a pipe that rises higher than the skimmer. This will allow the bucket to breathe yet not overflow.
The post was edited where they said they were going to seal the tubes into the caps making it air tight. when full it would then goto the next one.
almostclueless
Member
The most failsafe method is probobly rig all those bottles together, and install a float switch in the last one, when its tripped it shuts down the power to the skimmer.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by Fats71
http:///forum/post/2597706
The post was edited where they said they were going to seal the tubes into the caps making it air tight. when full it would then goto the next one.
Ahhh....
Makes more sense now.
http:///forum/post/2597706
The post was edited where they said they were going to seal the tubes into the caps making it air tight. when full it would then goto the next one.
Ahhh....
Makes more sense now.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by almostclueless
http:///forum/post/2597732
The most failsafe method is probobly rig all those bottles together, and install a float switch in the last one, when its tripped it shuts down the power to the skimmer.
This is what I'd do also.
http:///forum/post/2597732
The most failsafe method is probobly rig all those bottles together, and install a float switch in the last one, when its tripped it shuts down the power to the skimmer.
This is what I'd do also.