sump pump off overflow

mikenam

Member
well the other day i was switching out my sump. I turned off my return pump and all the water from the main tank reversed flow down through the return tube and out my return pump. Lets say i had about 5-10 gallons of water on my floor. luckily the tank is on marble and not carpet.

I was reading this article but had a question.

If i drill a hole on the side of the pump nozzle would I lose gph?

If sump levels evaporated below the drilled water nozzle the water will spray every where and create a mess?

I don't see how drilling a hole on the pump nozzle will help prevent back flow. Wouldn't water just flow out of the drilled hole resulting in a flooded sump? I just don't know the reason why this would work.



Thanks
 
Or drill a hole in your spray bar close or above the surface of the water to allow air in and break the siphon.
I have a pvc elbow that has a hole drilled in the L a little water trickles out over the surface of the water when running but it's enough to break the siphon when you shut off the return pump.
Or put a check valve in the return line so regardless it will only allow water to flow in one direction.
 
check valves have a high failure rate rate dont they? unless you constantly disassemble them and clean.they crud built up inside and fail. i have a dual loc-line return and one side is half out of water to avoid a siphon.
 
so instead of drilling the return pump nozzle I would drill the L tube that sits on top the main tank?

Thank I'll look into check valve
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12879156#post12879156 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by barfish
check valves have a high failure rate rate dont they? unless you constantly disassemble them and clean.they crud built up inside and fail. i have a dual loc-line return and one side is half out of water to avoid a siphon.

I would image they would if not cleaned I have a clear one so you can see the buildup though I have yet to get around to putting it on :)
Most people I know that use them use both a siphon break and check valve.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12879162#post12879162 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikenam
so instead of drilling the return pump nozzle I would drill the L tube that sits on top the main tank?

Thank I'll look into check valve

Yup as long as the hole is above the surface of the water it will stop the siphon pretty quickly. My hole is pretty small maybe a 7/64th drill bit.
 
Check valves is just something else that can fail and cause problems, just go with drilling a hole in your return right below the water level, I have also seen people drill a hole on the top of the return above water level and placing like airline tubing in there and running it to the surface of the water, but leaving it above water level, so when its on water will trickle to the surface and when it gets turned off it will suck air and break the siphon, this way it can't get clogged by snails or anything like that, thats why you are supposed to drill two holes if you do it under the water level, you also need to make sure you have room in your sump for the amount of water that will back siphon if the power goes out.
 
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