Storage tank plumbing

[bavaria36]

This must be a real dumb plumbing question but here goes...

I have a 55 gallon storage tank that I empty using a small external water pump. The pipe carrying the water from the tank to the pump is a flexible garden hose type. Sometimes I forget the pump and the pipe fills with air so the pipe needs to be filled with water as when I turn it on next time or the pump does not pull any water. It's easy with a flexible pipe .. I just pull the pipe out and fill it, place it back under the water and the pump is primed.

If I change the flexible pipe put for standard 3/4" plumbing ( which I need to do as I plan to add a couple more storage tanks ) how do I fill the pipe when it drains out ??? Do I need to add some sort of valve at the upper end to fill through ?

Aaron

[Ed13]

Easy solution, put a "T" at the peak of the curve and the a ball valve. Open to prime then close. You could hard plumb the tap line to that T, it'll be even easier to prime.
You could always drill a hole in the storage tank and use a bulkhead or a Flexible bulkhead like a "Uniseal"

[bavaria36]

Easy solution, put a "T" at the peak of the curve and the a ball valve. Open to prime then close. You could hard plumb the tap line to that T, it'll be even easier to prime.
You could always drill a hole in the storage tank and use a bulkhead or a Flexible bulkhead like a "Uniseal"

Ed, thks for replying

I am going to replace the flexible hose with 3/4 " pipe. So if I understand you correctly I just have to insert a T and then a ball valve at the highest point ( where it goes over the edge of the 55 gallon ). If the pump lose prime then do I just open the valve and fill the pipe with water from there ?

What is a Uniseal ? Anything I can get from Home Depot ?

Aaron

[Ed13]

Ed, thks for replying

I am going to replace the flexible hose with 3/4 " pipe. So if I understand you correctly I just have to insert a T and then a ball valve at the highest point ( where it goes over the edge of the 55 gallon ). If the pump lose prime then do I just open the valve and fill the pipe with water from there ?

What is a Uniseal ? Anything I can get from Home Depot ?

Aaron
I Kinda messed up in my previous answer, you need a way to trap the water there.
-you could use valves. Remember to place one before and depending on your plumbing, after the pump. If you plumb it like I said before, air can escape the pipe as the water level raises in the storage tank and then you just fill the rest. If I'm picturing this correctly the T in the intake part should be on the outside vertical pipe of the storage tank a second valve should be employed after to "trap it in"

-Or a PVC check valve or a foot valve inside the storage tank at the lowest possible spot. Plumb an opening like I mentioned before with a "T" and a valve after the pump to fill in case it needs to be primed. If you never allow air to enter the pipe by keeping the check valve and opening low under water (at least a few inches) it'll never lose primming

HTH

[bavaria36]

Thks Ed,

I finished off the project over the weekend but could not find the check valves at Lowes. I am using standard 3/4" PVC piping.......

I put a T at the highest point of the bend where it went over the tank edge and filled the pipes up from there to prime. The T is threaded so i just closed it with a cap. But as you pointed out, the pipe drains after the pump is turned off so I lose prime.

For now I will have to prime it every time but I will look again for those check valves this week.

What I do not understand is why I was not losing prime with the flexible hose ... that had no check valves and unless I actually emptied the holding tank it would stay filled with water.

Aaron

Aaron

[Peachtree Discus]

i came up with a design based on this method and didnt realize about losing the prime until after the system was finished and did not drain. the problem was that you could only drain to a certain point - anything more and you gotta reprime - PITA.

you can either get a self-priming pump and/or run a water source into you drain pipe and more-or-less refill your drain line - then close off the drain and you will have reestablished your prime.

[Ed13]

Thks Ed,

I finished off the project over the weekend but could not find the check valves at Lowes. I am using standard 3/4" PVC piping.......

I put a T at the highest point of the bend where it went over the tank edge and filled the pipes up from there to prime. The T is threaded so i just closed it with a cap. But as you pointed out, the pipe drains after the pump is turned off so I lose prime.

For now I will have to prime it every time but I will look again for those check valves this week.

What I do not understand is why I was not losing prime with the flexible hose ... that had no check valves and unless I actually emptied the holding tank it would stay filled with water.

Aaron

Aaron
I knew you'd run into this problem that's why I suggested the check valve. If you can't find it, or don't want to wait for it;), Ball valves can work for you. Since it's all PVC you could even have one inside the barrel at the bottom of the line. If you have to order it on line,you might as well order some bulkheads or flexible bulkheads like "Uniseals" and drill the tank.

As to why the flexible hose held prime..I think is because it's able to hold water inside while is not running. PVC pipe is straight, so water goes one way or the other and it escapes. I'm guessing though, since we don't have a pic of your current and previous set up.

HTH

[bavaria36]

Thks for the advice...... I also knew you'd be right about that ball valve but I have no patience. My fault for not listening !

If I use a ball valve at the bottom of the line do I need to close it manually every time I turn the pump off though ?

With the hose it was very simple... the green garden hose just went from the bottom of the tank over the lip and right into the pump which is sitting right next to the tank on the floor. It was sort of kinked up though so maybe you are right about the fact that it could hold water better. The PVC ipe route is identical so i dont know where it is draining to.

I think I will wait to find check valves. Reason is I want to hook up another storage tank now that is filled with RO water into the same pump via a T at the pump input. Then I want to be able to switch between storage tanks using the same pump as I have some fish tanks which I will fill with tap water and some with the RO water... hope this makes sense :confused: In my design I will have the taps ( ball valves ) on the bend in the PVC pipethat goes over the storage tanks . Then I should just be able to open the one I want to drain and close the other as needed.

Aaron

[Ed13]

If I use a ball valve at the bottom of the line do I need to close it manually every time I turn the pump off though ?

Yup, that's why is the worst case scenario, and it would only be used to keep primed the line. Might as well prime it everytime :( Even with the check valve, you may lose prime if you let it suck air.

You could search for footvalves instead of checkvalves. It's basically an end point check valve(fits at the lowest point of the suction line inside of the tank) , usually comes with an integrated strainer.

Sorry I can't be of more help:(

[bavaria36]

Thks Ed,

appreciate the help. I will just look around for footvalves or check valves. Should be easy to install them into the existing line.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=79589-34146-P32S&lpage=none

Is this what I need ? Can't believe I missed them at Lowe's ..

Aaron

[Ed13]

Thks Ed,

appreciate the help. I will just look around for footvalves or check valves. Should be easy to install them into the existing line.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=79589-34146-P32S&lpage=none

Is this what I need ? Can't believe I missed them at Lowe's ..

Aaron
Yup!:D
Mine had no minimum PSI rating though:confused:. 2 PSI is not much but...Should be under $10, can't hurt to try it;)

[Ed13]

I totally forgot to mention that Check valves do have a limited lifetime, should be a while on a regular setup, but Saltwater and RO water will corrode the spring inside rather quickly!

[bavaria36]

Thks, I will be using them in a tap water tank and an R/O mix tank so no salt or pure RO. In any case , i will jjst change them out when necessary. Tomorrow i will go out and buy them... I'll let you know how it goes :)

My reading of that rating was that it is the minimum required to open the valve in the flow direction. I think my pump should be able to handle this.
.
Aaron