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- Thread starter darren24
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Glad to hear. Dont worry we all do dumb **** sometimes lol
Darren,Darren24;969653 wrote: OK I get the ******* award of the month. Added about 3 g to the sump and 2 g to the display and guess what.....Thanks folks.
Now that you have enough water, if you cut power to the return pump, can your sump handle the drain down into the sump without overflowing? Important thing to know.
I was just about to ask that - the 'power off' test. Very important step there.
For anyone reading who doesn't understand what happened here, Darren had not put enough water in the system.
While the fix is simple, the 'power off' test makes sure he didn't put too much.
There needs to be enough water in the system so there is enough water in the sump to keep the pump submerged (if it's a submersible pump), or keep an external pump fed. In either case if there isn't enough water the pump will cavitate (suck air) and if left too long, will burn out.
The flip-side of that problem is that there is too much water. When power is cut, either by shutting off the pump, or by power failure, gravity will cause the water in the plumbing to drop back into the sump. If there is too much water in the system, the sump will overflow.
It's a good idea too, to check that your siphon holes in your return pipes are unimpaired too - and should be checked periodically for obstructions because back-siphon in a power failure can also cause sump overflow, even in a properly filled system.
What I suggest, is with the power off, and the tank full to the point where it has drainage to the sump, continue to fill the sump to a point as full as you ever want to see it with the power off. Then, turn the system ON. At that point, when it's running, the water level in the sump will drop to where it will be when the system is operating normally. Take an indelible marker (ie Sharpie) and mark the sump at that point. You never want to add more water to the system while it's running, than where that mark is. That takes the guesswork away when topping off, etc.
Also find the low water mark - the least amount of water in the system, when it's running, that the pump will not cavitate.
The area in between those two marks, high and low, is where you always want the water level to be. Remember, the level in the tank will not vary, but the level in the sump, will. Making those marks makes it easy to know how much wiggle room you have.
Jenn
For anyone reading who doesn't understand what happened here, Darren had not put enough water in the system.
While the fix is simple, the 'power off' test makes sure he didn't put too much.
There needs to be enough water in the system so there is enough water in the sump to keep the pump submerged (if it's a submersible pump), or keep an external pump fed. In either case if there isn't enough water the pump will cavitate (suck air) and if left too long, will burn out.
The flip-side of that problem is that there is too much water. When power is cut, either by shutting off the pump, or by power failure, gravity will cause the water in the plumbing to drop back into the sump. If there is too much water in the system, the sump will overflow.
It's a good idea too, to check that your siphon holes in your return pipes are unimpaired too - and should be checked periodically for obstructions because back-siphon in a power failure can also cause sump overflow, even in a properly filled system.
What I suggest, is with the power off, and the tank full to the point where it has drainage to the sump, continue to fill the sump to a point as full as you ever want to see it with the power off. Then, turn the system ON. At that point, when it's running, the water level in the sump will drop to where it will be when the system is operating normally. Take an indelible marker (ie Sharpie) and mark the sump at that point. You never want to add more water to the system while it's running, than where that mark is. That takes the guesswork away when topping off, etc.
Also find the low water mark - the least amount of water in the system, when it's running, that the pump will not cavitate.
The area in between those two marks, high and low, is where you always want the water level to be. Remember, the level in the tank will not vary, but the level in the sump, will. Making those marks makes it easy to know how much wiggle room you have.
Jenn
