Ball Check Valves????

ronau · #1 01-17-2014, 01:55 AM

Hello,

Has anyone ever tried ball check valves in their return lines? I bought a couple but I haven't decided yet if I will use them.

Thanks,

Ron

sphelps · #2 01-17-2014, 02:00 AM

The balls usually move around too much, cause a rattling noise, so I wouldn't recommend using that particular type of check valve. A swing type is better but ultimately unless you have some particular reason for using check valves in the first place I would suggest no check valve at all.

craigwmiller · #3 01-17-2014, 02:22 AM

I would also suggest no check valve. They will fail at some point (even with maintenance, and even a brand new one has a potential to allow backflow).

But, since I'm always open to new thoughts and ideas -- I would love to hear your requirement... maybe we can help brainstorm another option, or learn from it

BlueTang<3 · #4 01-17-2014, 02:30 AM

I went with this valve mounted on a horizontal, I never thought I should remove my returns and drill a Anti siphon in them, I added it on mine as I have 30 plus feet of plumbing and this helps even the return line draining at all.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/georg-...eck-valve.html

ronau · #5 01-17-2014, 03:17 AM

Thanks for the replies guys.

Quite honestly I probably don`t need any check valves but redundancy is always good. My tank is 70 gallons and my sump is 55 gallons. I am going to use 2 90° loc-line elbows to bring my return up and then barely back down into the water so it should break the siphon very quickly in the event of a power failure. I bet I could flow 15 gallons back to my sump without a problem but I guess we`ll see when I get it plumbed and tested.

Thanks again guys.

craigwmiller · #6 01-17-2014, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronau

Thanks for the replies guys.

Quite honestly I probably don`t need any check valves but redundancy is always good. My tank is 70 gallons and my sump is 55 gallons. I am going to use 2 90° loc-line elbows to bring my return up and then barely back down into the water so it should break the siphon very quickly in the event of a power failure. I bet I could flow 15 gallons back to my sump without a problem but I guess we`ll see when I get it plumbed and tested.

Thanks again guys.

Redundancy is a great word! (I have an extra emergency drain just in case LOL)... On the return side I would recommend that your loc-line is as short as possible, so it's not able to be bumped down and become too low (draining too much water in the event of outage), and then totally skip the check valve.

ronau · #7 01-17-2014, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigwmiller

Redundancy is a great word! (I have an extra emergency drain just in case LOL)... On the return side I would recommend that your loc-line is as short as possible, so it's not able to be bumped down and become too low (draining too much water in the event of outage), and then totally skip the check valve.

I was thinking of adding an extra emergency drain as I have a 28" semi coast to coast external overflow. Then I could try a Bean Animal drain in the future but with the flow rates I will have, the Herbie should be more than sufficient.

The plan right now is the 2 90° elbows and then a flare but I am gonna try a couple different loc-line set ups. For each different set up, I will drop them as low as possible and do my power outage drill.

craigwmiller · #8 01-17-2014, 06:17 AM

Yep, the Bean Animal is what I setup on this tank. 3 x 1.5" drains, with 1 x 1.5" return. 1 drain in full siphon with a gate valve choking it, another drain with barely a trickle, and the third is 1/2" higher than water line at the top, and 2" above water line in the sump completely dry. So technically I have a Herbie (2 drains with water), but my herbie-emergency has the bean-animal extra siphon tube on the top which turns it into a 2nd full-siphon even before the 3rd drain even gets wet!!

Sounds like you have a good test plan. I did many power outage tests on my tank while in the first couple months of tinkering, needless to say I changed a few things after each test, and a couple tests I had to abort before I needed rubber boots

Scythanith · #9 01-17-2014, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueTang<3

I went with this valve mounted on a horizontal, I never thought I should remove my returns and drill a Anti siphon in them, I added it on mine as I have 30 plus feet of plumbing and this helps even the return line draining at all.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/georg-...eck-valve.html

This is the same type I am running. Easy to take apart and clean, pure gravity driven, no springs, membranes etc.

The Guy · #10 01-17-2014, 07:22 AM

The best way to install a swing check is vertical, then the head of water above the valve will always drive the flapper closed when the return pump stops. I just went to new Speedwave pump and pulled my check valve apart to clean it and it was spotless inside. Anti syphon hole or a short lock line outlet at the water surface is also a great idea, redundancy is a good thing.