Herbie drain gate valve question

[AntiSatan]

Setting up a Herbie Drain on my DSA 80.
Its 1" drain will be straight down shot to sump.
Looking to get Marine Depot Gate valve.
Do I stay with 1" gate valve as well as a couple of smaller ones look pretty restrictive on flow.
Will only be running 500 gph max through drain.

Thanks
Gregg

 

[Dapg8gt]

1" valve is what I run on 1" pipe.. I don't get the rest of the question though "smaller ones", for other things or the herbie? You only need one gate valve on a herbie the emergency is wide open..

If it's for other things like skimmers, manifolds etc.. Then yeah gates are better than ball valves but not necessarily needed unless fine tuning something like a skimmer or siphon IMO.. Also they sell schedule 40 ones cheaper on amazon and other places for like $12 vs the schedule 80 on marine depot for $20+..i wish I knew that before I got the schedule 80..

 

[AntiSatan]

Was at Ace Hardware and they had 3/4" gate valve sch40 but it looked very restrictive in water flow and their sch80 on Marine depot is actually good price when you look for the same one on amazon.

 

[Dapg8gt]

I don't think the Inner diameter will be that much different if at all between the different thickness of 40 vs 80..and I wouldn't run a 3/4" anything on a 1" siphon IMO..

 

[jimmyj7090]

Yup, Sch80 pipe is more restrictive but the fittings and valves are usually the same inside.

FWIW I would suggest getting the expensive "spears" gate valve. They are much more resistant to getting sticky and can be disassembled for cleaning unlike the cheaper options. Having that easy fine tuning is key for a herbie. Worth it even if it is a $40 valve.

 

[Dapg8gt]

Didn't even remember that best part of the marine depot one is it can be taken apart.. This is it

 

[jimmyj7090]

That's the one I'm talking about. It's like the ferrari of valves

 

[AntiSatan]

Thats the one I ordered and they are actually decent priced for those seen them other places for over $30 for exact same one

 

[Mudbeaver]

Thanks guys for the thread i'm also doing a Herbie and was debating about a valve great coincidence and timing , gate valve it is from marine depot. Oh another question, my drains are 1.5" do i order a 1.5" valve or the 2" valve, not sure here, i'm not good at plumbing, really.....thanks.

 

[jimmyj7090]

1.5", no need to upsize the valve.

 

[Mudbeaver]

1.5", no need to upsize the valve.

Ok thanks.

 

[Mudbeaver]

Hi guys i have two plumbers telling me that ball valve would be superior to the gate valve , i'm just asking what do you think. I looked at desings on google image of both , and i'm just asking, dilema.....:hmm2:

 

[jimmyj7090]

For fine adjustments (like you need for a herbie) gate valves are FAR better. For lots of other applications ball valves are better, but in this case the plumbers are 100% wrong

 

[reefermad619]

Ball vales are better when you need flow to be either on or off. Gates are better when you need to fine tune something. Ball valves might be "superior" because they can be bought at any big box store and are generally much cheaper too. You don't technically need a gate valve on a siphon line, but it makes things much easier to dial in.

 

[S13<3]

ball valves are also very restrictive

 

[Snausy]

I would never use a ball valve in a herbie.

My adjustments are TINY on the gate...as small as I can make them at the end in the fine tuning.

A ball valve could never do that.

The plumbers you talked to might be good plumbers but I'm betting that they are not experts in siphon overflow systems for saltwater fishtanks. Just sayin'...