Two skimmmer plumbing questions

[Lavoisier]

I have two questions for all you wonderful DIYers. First question (and I have read the PanWorld manual, checked their website, and searched this forum with no results), can I run a PanWorld 100 on its "side," with appropriate foam cushing. If I can I will have a straight connection to my LifeReef with no curves in my vinyl tubing (or hard plumb).



Verses an 180 degree bend or 2 90s if I hard plumb:



Second question is if I should hard plumb or use vinyl tubing?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Kind Regards.

 

[mcgyvr]

I can't see why not.. best to ask the manufacturer though but I doubt any problems..
And I like to use a short piece of vinyl tubing just to cut down on any vibrations from any pump in any situation.

 

[Lavoisier]

Thank you for the input. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Yes, I like the idea of a damper on the vibration.

Uncle made a comment on one of his posts that the difference between "hard" and "soft" plumbing was a toss up but that the value of a clear vinyl tube was that you could see the build up inside and so knew to clean it!

 

[uncleof6]

Hmmmm, don't remember championing clear vinyl tubing, <shrugs> my question here would be why do you not just rotate the volute 90° rather than turning the pump on its side? Running it on its side, won't hurt it, but seems like a total waste of time....

 

[Lavoisier]

You post a lot so I apologize if I've caught you off guard (from a post last year) but you mentioned the positive aspect of seeing the build up of growth and dealing with it! I was thinking that the absence of the 180 degree turn would improve efficiency of the system. Do you think that the redirection of the pump is not really significant?

 

[sleepydoc]

Yes, avoiding the 2 90º bends would improve the efficiency. Can't say whether it's significant or not.

To uncle's point, can you simply remove, rotate and reattach the end cap of the pump so the discharge is horizontal instead of vertical? I don't know this pump, but it seems like you should be able to and that would obviate the original question.

 

[Lavoisier]

Hmmmm, don't remember championing clear vinyl tubing, <shrugs> my question here would be why do you not just rotate the volute 90° rather than turning the pump on its side? Running it on its side, won't hurt it, but seems like a total waste of time....

Yes, avoiding the 2 90º bends would improve the efficiency. Can't say whether it's significant or not.

To uncle's point, can you simply remove, rotate and reattach the end cap of the pump so the discharge is horizontal instead of vertical? I don't know this pump, but it seems like you should be able to and that would obviate the original question.

Yes, thank you guys for this idea. Much appreciated. I checked the schematics on line and do not see any reason I cannot rotate the end cap (volute--a new word for me! Closest I could find in the OED was: "A spiral conformation; a convolution, twist, or turn; a thing or part having a spiral form.")

 

[mcgyvr]

yeah its just the black part where you attach your tubing too.. most can be rotated.. assuming the screw holes are equal/line up and no other restrictions prevent you from doing so.

 

[Lavoisier]

I rotated it this afternoon. I'll try to get a pic up tomorrow. Given the screw holes I cannot rotate it 90 degrees...its more like 60 degrees which is still a significant factor. I plan on putting in a 1" bulkhead fitting in my sump and then reduce it to the 3/4" supply to the pump. I was fascinated to find that the online manual show the pump being placed above the water level and drawing up the water from a supply pipe running down to the water level. I would think such a set up would cause all sorts of turbulence and be quite inefficient. But what do I know!

 

[uncleof6]

I rotated it this afternoon. I'll try to get a pic up tomorrow. Given the screw holes I cannot rotate it 90 degrees...its more like 60 degrees which is still a significant factor. I plan on putting in a 1" bulkhead fitting in my sump and then reduce it to the 3/4" supply to the pump. I was fascinated to find that the online manual show the pump being placed above the water level and drawing up the water from a supply pipe running down to the water level. I would think such a set up would cause all sorts of turbulence and be quite inefficient. But what do I know!

Iwakis have the same problem. Why they chose to do that is beyond me... it is what it is though.

There is a way you can use a pump to draw water up, a foot valve is most often required as well as often some very large pipe (relatively speaking) to maintain the NPSHA above the NPSHR...most often there is a performance cost associated with this.

As far as the pump inlet plumbing, I would run it at 1", because for performance reasons you want to run 1" off the outlet, (reducing friction losses by 1/2 to 2/3) and having an inlet smaller than the output is a recipe for cavitation.

 

[Lavoisier]

Thanks again for your help. Here is the finished product.





I post pics on my build site when I get the skimmer plumbed. It'll be a couple of weeks.

 

[mcgyvr]

I'd whip up a small angled "foot wedge" for under the mounting plate to rotate the output all the way horizontal.. just because

 

[Lavoisier]

I like it! I'll post pics when I'M done.

 

[Gorgok]

I would probably have rotated it the other way, so the output is at the top going left looking at the intake. It would mean your skimmer and pump need to change places though. Also the wedge idea to get it horizontal is a good one i think, considering the silly design on the pump itself...