Breaking a siphon???????

[gibson981]

I am trying to plumb in my Sea Swirl 3/4". In the process, I drilled a small hole in some PVC to act as a siphon break in case of a power failure. When I turned everything back on, water started shooting out of the hole and onto my living room floor. I can't find a really good place to drill the hole where it won't do that. What other options do I have?

 

[Mike Murphy]

The hole needs to be either under water slightly or in the tank where it will stay until the level of water siphons down until it is exposed after the power is out. At that time it will break the siphon unless it is clogged up.

 

[gibson981]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12933979#post12933979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike Murphy
The hole needs to be either under water slightly or in the tank where it will stay until the level of water siphons down until it is exposed after the power is out. At that time it will break the siphon unless it is clogged up.

My tank has a built in overflow running top to bottom of the tank. I drilled the hole in the return pipe just below the water line inside the overflow. I did this out of water. Then I put the pipe back in and turned the return pump back on. As soon as I did that, water started shooting out of the hole I drilled, hitting the inside of the overflow, and shooting out of the tank onto my living room floor. I put my hand over the spraying water to block it from shooting up any higher and watched for a minute as the water level inside the overflow rose. As soon as the water level covered the hole I drilled, it stopped shooting up. As soon as I put my canopy back on, that would stop water from shooting onto my floor, but it would get my lights wet and destroy them along with my canopy. I know I am doing something wrong here. What is it?

 

[BeanAnimal]

You may be better off with the hole on the display side of the return plumbing so that it is just slightly above the top edge of the overflow box. That way when the power goes out, the water will drain down to the overflow box level, start to siphon and then break due to the hole. When the power comes back on, the water will be AT the siphon break level already and it will only take a second to cover up. Face the hole(s) down if you can.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Also thank you for you service.

 

[gibson981]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12934314#post12934314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
Also thank you for you service.

I appreciate your comments here. I figure that I should spend at least a few years helping to defend the freedom that I live in. My wife is also serving and she feels the same way as me. My time is almost up now

I will try what you suggested in your other post. Thanks.

 

[Adamc1303]

I drilled a holw in the pvc and screwed a John Guest RODI fitting. It''s an elbow so I have it pointing down for when I turn the water one. And it breaks the siphon as well. Here is a picture.