bigmatt1992
New member
how do i stop my overflow box from flooding when the power would come back on the sipion would be broken how would i do this
ways to stop over flow box from flooding form power outige
- Thread starter bigmatt1992
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bigmatt1992
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im geting it saturday its of u tube construction
cloakerpoked
New member
It has to be the way Paul described, or it won't work. The box in the back should be divided into two chambers, and the u tube should go into the one opposite the bulkhead.
cloakerpoked
New member
Was thinking about it...if it isn't divided, a standpipe in the back could work as long as it's about 1/2" higher than the u tube hangs down.
bigmatt1992
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can someone post a pick of theres that way i can visuly see what your talken about plss
bigmatt1992
New member
ok i sort of get it but im still a lil fuzzy on why it doesnt loose shphon
Aqua-World PITT
In Memoriam
Paul is right but sometimes it will lose siphon. They are not reliable and that's why I push the reason on getting tanks drilled. But sometimes tanks are already setup and they have to use a overflow box. The only way that I have seen that works is using a aqualifter pump. It looks like a air pump but has 2 nozzles one in and one out. It will work in sucking air or water. How it works is you stick a airline tube into the U-tube of the overflow box and connect that hose to the inlet of the aqualifter that way when the power comes back on it will get it siphoned again. But you have to keep the aqualifter on at all times and make sure you run a pre-filter on the aqualifter or it will clog the aqualifter and it will break it. The aqualifter is the cost of a airpump which is well worth the investment if you use a overflow box.
cloakerpoked
New member
I tapped the top of my utube with a small nozzle fitting from somewhere (not even sure where) and glued/siliconed it into place, to keep the u tube sealed. Then you just hook the aqualifter up to it, and let it spit out through another tube into the overflow box itself. This regulates the flow, and even if the syphon breaks, as long as both ends of the u tube are under water, it'll restart your syhon. Also SO much easier to get it started the first time
cloakerpoked
New member
As to the siphon question, siphon's are formed by gravity. The reason they work, is because the gravity forces water to fall through a closed system (in this case a tube.) Once you get it over the back of the tank, the force of gravity forcing it through the end of the tube or hose is greater than that pulling it back into the tank (note that siphons only work when the end is LOWER than the beginning). As this happens, the siphon creates a low pressure point (vacuum) where the water used to be, just like a straw. This forces more water into the tube, and it keeps perpetuating itself. Once air enters a siphon, it changes the pressure, and gravity will pull the water in the tube down, instead of through, so the water behind the tank in the u tube still goes down, but the water inside the u tube in the front part of the tank goes back into the tank, and your siphon is dead.
The reason an overflow box with two compartments, or with 1 and a standpipe work, is even when the power shuts off, there is still water in the one compartment, or in the whole box higher than the level of the u tube. The water level INSIDE the inside compartment of the box reaches the same level the box behind the tank, giving both equal pressure. The siphon stops, but doesn't break, because there is no air, it's just that the pressure is the same, so it reaches equilibrium. (water has stopped spilling over the inside overflow box, but it doesn't lower enough either, because in a well made overflow box, the water level on the other side of the system will be higher than the input end of the u tube also. That's why most U tubes you see have very little difference in which end is the high end and which is the low. Power comes back on, adds water to the inside box as it floods, and that increases the pressure on the inside box relative to the outside box, and the water naturally flows from high to low again, through the u tube.
One thing you have to worry about is getting too many bubbles collecting in the top of your u tube that they will actually break the siphon by themselves. This isn't common, but all it takes is once, and you'll really be in trouble unless you catch it quickly. The aqualifter fixes that problem, because it pumps all the air out of the top of the u tube, ensuring that enough bubbles could NEVER collect enough to break the siphon.
This would be so much easier if I was holding one in my hands, and even then it took me about 2 hours of staring at an overflow box before it made sense to me, so this may not help, but if nothing else, remember that air kills a siphon, and water (like everything else) moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas.
The reason an overflow box with two compartments, or with 1 and a standpipe work, is even when the power shuts off, there is still water in the one compartment, or in the whole box higher than the level of the u tube. The water level INSIDE the inside compartment of the box reaches the same level the box behind the tank, giving both equal pressure. The siphon stops, but doesn't break, because there is no air, it's just that the pressure is the same, so it reaches equilibrium. (water has stopped spilling over the inside overflow box, but it doesn't lower enough either, because in a well made overflow box, the water level on the other side of the system will be higher than the input end of the u tube also. That's why most U tubes you see have very little difference in which end is the high end and which is the low. Power comes back on, adds water to the inside box as it floods, and that increases the pressure on the inside box relative to the outside box, and the water naturally flows from high to low again, through the u tube.
One thing you have to worry about is getting too many bubbles collecting in the top of your u tube that they will actually break the siphon by themselves. This isn't common, but all it takes is once, and you'll really be in trouble unless you catch it quickly. The aqualifter fixes that problem, because it pumps all the air out of the top of the u tube, ensuring that enough bubbles could NEVER collect enough to break the siphon.
This would be so much easier if I was holding one in my hands, and even then it took me about 2 hours of staring at an overflow box before it made sense to me, so this may not help, but if nothing else, remember that air kills a siphon, and water (like everything else) moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas.
superstein61
New member
I used an overflow box for 3+ years, had many electrical outages and never lost siphon. I disagree that they are not reliable. A good one, set up properly IME will work very well, even without an aqualifter (which I never used)
cloakerpoked
New member
I'm not saying they aren't reliable...Just warning you that with these tanks, especially around power outlets (and I'm not sure if he'd be on a GFI in his parent's living room, but I'm guessing not), there is very little room for error, and it could happen, so you should plan for that eventuality in one way or another. IF, and it may be a big if, the siphon breaks with your pump running, or coming on after a storm, it could burn out the pump, flood the display, and ruin carpeting etc. Those risks are somewhat reduced with an aqualifter....
superstein61
New member
cloakerpoked
New member
Absolutely. I'd never put a tank on or near any outlet that wasn't GFI protected.
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