Overflow box help please.

~RuSh~

~RuSh~

New member
Guys, I need some quick help.

I have the CPR Overflow box CS50 - 300gph. I have it hooked up to a tank in my kitchen for a few trial runs. I have a few issues though.

1. I wasn't able to find a PVC fitting for the bulkhead that is draining the overflow box. It's 3/4 inch diameter but the threads are tighter than anything I was able to find at Menards or Home depot. I ended up buying a few feet of 1/2 inch vinyl tubing that 'sort of' fits into the inner diameter of the bulkhead. This worked for experimentation only. Even if I were to silicone it in to the inside of the bulkhead I just wouldn't feel safe using it long term. I also couldn't find any tubing large enough to fit over the 3/4 inch bulkhead. The largest they had was 1 1/2 inch tubing but at that diameter it's so thick you can't force it over the threads. What do you guys use?

2. When using the Overflow box, I had the aqualifter (air pump) hooked up as well. It kept sucking water into the air line and pumping it out the outflow... I assume once the siphon is started all I need is to keep it air tight... do I just turn the air pump on until the siphon starts and the unplug the air pump?
 
You wont find the thread size CPR is using, its not standard threads that a hardware store would sell. Check a LFS and see if they have the fitting you need or you can order online. Once you establish the siphon you'll be rockin.
 
Turns out you aren't supposed to use those threads at all. You are meant to plumb to the inside of the bulkhead. A 3/4 inch pvc fits perfectly into it. A little pvc glue and you are ready to go.
 
The other posters are correct, the threads on the outside are only for the nut which creates the bulkhead seal. You should only attach to the ID of the bulkhead.

Now the really bad news. I've used HOB overflows for years. My first one was a CPR. IME, they are doomed to fail and flood. If the overflow is new, I would return it and buy a Eshopps or Lifereef - or one similar to these designs. The CPR overflow is simply a bad design and an accident waiting to happen. JMTC & GL!
 
zigzag1 said:
The other posters are correct, the threads on the outside are only for the nut which creates the bulkhead seal. You should only attach to the ID of the bulkhead.

Now the really bad news. I've used HOB overflows for years. My first one was a CPR. IME, they are doomed to fail and flood. If the overflow is new, I would return it and buy a Eshopps or Lifereef - or one similar to these designs. The CPR overflow is simply a bad design and an accident waiting to happen. JMTC & GL!
Click to expand...

+1 You will get flood from this CPR sooner or later, Lifereef is the best one.
 
+1 on the Lifereef... pretty sure mine would go for years if I didn't ever take it out to clean it.

As far as the aqualifter, I think that setup is designed to have the aqualifter pump running all the time. Isn't it supposed to just suck out the air to prime the overflow, and once the overflow is primed and flowing, the aqualifter pumps the little bit of water back into the tank the rest of the time until the next time it needs to prime? Maybe someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

It sounds as though you may be confused as to what the AQUAlifter pump does... it's a water pump after all, meant to suck out the AIR that is in the overflow first, then once the air is out the overflow will start flowing and the pump will just suck in WATER as long as there is no air in the line. It keeps the overflow primed and, for those types of overflows, is necessary to keep primed to prevent a flood. It is there to automatically restart the overflow after a power failure, because you won't always be there to do it manually.
 
I have an eshopps 800 with a Hofer gurgle buster and it's awesome. I tried several times to clog it and fowl it to creat a flood but it never failed. I would go make the exchange and then google "Hofer gurgle buster" to make yourself a silent riser tube because mine was really loud when I set it up. The buster is made from about $5 worth of PVC fittings.
 
zigzag1 said:
Now the really bad news. I've used HOB overflows for years. My first one was a CPR. IME, they are doomed to fail and flood. If the overflow is new, I would return it and buy a Eshopps or Lifereef - or one similar to these designs. The CPR overflow is simply a bad design and an accident waiting to happen. JMTC & GL!
Click to expand...


You guys are killing me. I do all sorts of research before buying and no one had anything bad to say about the CPR overflows then... @#$!

Well I already glued the pvc into the bulkhead. I doubt I can return it now. Plus I bought it online. How can I make this thing secure!?
 
cordell said:
As far as the aqualifter, I think that setup is designed to have the aqualifter pump running all the time. Isn't it supposed to just suck out the air to prime the overflow, and once the overflow is primed and flowing, the aqualifter pumps the little bit of water back into the tank the rest of the time until the next time it needs to prime? Maybe someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

It sounds as though you may be confused as to what the AQUAlifter pump does... it's a water pump after all, meant to suck out the AIR that is in the overflow first, then once the air is out the overflow will start flowing and the pump will just suck in WATER as long as there is no air in the line. It keeps the overflow primed and, for those types of overflows, is necessary to keep primed to prevent a flood. It is there to automatically restart the overflow after a power failure, because you won't always be there to do it manually.
Click to expand...


Ok, yea that is news to me. Then the outflow of the pump should be just some tubing going back into the tank?
 
+1 on the Hofer gurgle buster. I have the Eshopps 300 overflow. Very noisy until I built the gurgle buster. Now I can barely hear it. The directions for priming the siphon tube say to insert a piece of airline tubing in the tube and suck the air out until the siphon starts. A big problem will happen if the accumulated air in the siphon tube breaks the siphon. What I did was leave the airline tubing in the the siphon tube (zip tied in place) and attached the other end of the airline to the venturi of a nearby powerhead. Now tiny bubbles are immediately removed by the PH. Works great and is insurance against loosing siphon.
 
Yes the aqualifter is supposed to run all the time so if you loose power it will reprime the cpr overflow. the aqua lifter return can go back to tank or where ever sump, overflow,ect...
 
Add to your maint schedule to check your Aqualifter, mine failed twice ( causing floods) and I will never use one again, currently i have a small pump with venturi to do same thing an more reliable. Just FYI. Filter is a must on them too as they can handle any algea or trash in them.
 
CliftonArbogast said:
Add to your maint schedule to check your Aqualifter, mine failed twice ( causing floods) and I will never use one again, currently i have a small pump with venturi to do same thing an more reliable. Just FYI. Filter is a must on them too as they can handle any algea or trash in them.
Click to expand...

Sounds like I'm just going to have to take measures to prevent the tank from overflowing in such a case... any suggestions? Ideas?

I was thinking a float valve in the tank, but that's kind of ugly... and one more thing hanging off the back of the tank I'd rather not have...
 
~RuSh~ said:
Sounds like I'm just going to have to take measures to prevent the tank from overflowing in such a case... any suggestions? Ideas?

I was thinking a float valve in the tank, but that's kind of ugly... and one more thing hanging off the back of the tank I'd rather not have...
Click to expand...


Anything guys?
 
Cheapest long term solution is to toss the CPR in the trash and buy a u-tube style. Saltwater is not friendly to wood and your house is made of wood.
 
+1 on Lifereef. Mine is a little noisy however. Always restarts after power out. Mot one miss.
 
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