Noisy Overflow

[TomD]

I know there are a lot of threads out there but this is pretty simple so looking for suggestions, and I have really never had to mess with these before.

Long story short, my return is too powerful, but I am still going to throttle it back and use it for a while.

I have a center overflow. 4 pipes. 2 returns in the middle. One on the left is higher then one on the right. With the pump throttled back, the one on the left is not being used and the one on the right sounds like a loud toilet with the air trying to escape.

Tomorrow I am going to drill some holes in the pipe on the left so it is in use. Should I drill a hole or two on the right pipe? Will that stop most the loud noise? How about some holes, then putting a cap on it with a hole in it?

 

[Behrmon]

Do you have any sort of rev durso in the sump?

 

[Sportsmann]

Try throwing a sponge i the overflow and than make a cover for it. Mine was noisy as hell. I kept changing things until I found aHappy medium.

 

[TomD]

Kevin, not yet, but the last person with this tank didn't either and it was very quite. I think I have to just drill some holes and get the pump throttled to the right point but wanted to see if anybody had tips. I really don't want to buy a new pump right now.

Sportsman, that really doesn't sound good to me. I wouldn't want a sponge holding nitrates.

 

[TomD]

I feel a little dumb right now! I have a ball valve on one of my returns (The one in use). I just restricted the return flow a little and it stopped. It should not be dangerous because the taller return pipe is still too high to even be in use yet. So almost the same concept as a herbie. I still have some work but MUCH better to deal with for now.

 

[Sportsmann]

how many times in your tank over turning? GPH? x size if tank? I have a 90 gallon with 1200 gph return. I bought an overflow sponge/fileter (not a sponge your thinking of) and it worked.

 

[TomD]

Blueline 55 HD which is 1100 GPH. Although, it doesn't always matter what size your tank is. I have to search what my overflow is rated for but I am a little tied up right now studying (Doing my MBA).

Tuning back one return helped greatly which I believe is a similar concept to this herbie method. I am going to play with it more tomorrow night. I am also going to close off that return line all the way just to make sure the other one can handle it if I was too leave it this way.

 

[Sportsmann]

how many returns? Any splts or Y's?
I am telling you, try a aftermarket sponge/filter in is like insulation.

It dampens the sound.

 

[lemartin777]

Here's somthing I did that helped. Take a 5inch piece of pipe drill 4 to 6 holes in it put a cap with a hole in it insert 1/4inch tubing works wonders here's a photo
http://emob781.photobucket.com/albums/yy97/lemartin777/024.jpg

 

[lemartin777]

Let me know if you can see it

 

[Joel A]

restricting the flow from a return pump is never dangerous? That's not a herbie method.. herbie method is restricting the drains, which can get dangerous... but not if you do it right.

It sounds like you just needed to throttle down your return pump a little (like you did with the ball valve). You don't want to use a ton of flow from your return anyways, just enough to bring water through your sump to be skimmed and what not.. you don't want to create flow for the tank with your return pump.. that's why we have powerheads

 

[TomD]

That's what I was talking about, I restricted a drain...I have another one to fall back on.

 

[Joel A]

That's what I was talking about, I restricted a drain...I have another one to fall back on.

ahh.. ok i gotcha.. you said return though .

The herbie method works well, and it is pretty darn silent if you get it working well.. just be a bit cautious with it. Throttling back a return pump never hurt anything either.. in fact in most cases it makes them more efficient (less watt draw).

 

[Jim Tansey]

"Throttling back a return pump never hurt anything either.. in fact in most cases it makes them more efficient (less watt draw)."

Are you sure that throttling back, thus increasing head pressure, makes a pump more efficient????

Jim

 

[Joel A]

"Throttling back a return pump never hurt anything either.. in fact in most cases it makes them more efficient (less watt draw)."

Are you sure that throttling back, thus increasing head pressure, makes a pump more efficient????

Jim

depends on the actual pump design.. i know a lot of pumps are like this, but there are some that it's not the case.. but i think most pumps on the market now a days fall into the aforementioned category of "throttling back = less watt draw". What a lot of people will do is throttle it back via ball valve and then use another line via "T" fitting,which in turn releases that water back into the sump, but i don't even think that's necessary.

There was a really good thread on RC about it i read once, some really smart engineer guys explained it.. i didn't quite follow, but the gist of it was for whatever reason throttling back a pump will decrease watt draw.

 

[fire911]

I was having the same probems as you. I just snake a piece of airline tubing down the 2 drains in my overflow each time i start up the pump then I pull them out and it queits it right down. As for tuning the returns.... I highly recomend a Gate valve. The make them in PVC but they are not common. You have to go to a plumbing supply house. A ball valve is on/off and somewhere in the middle. A gate valve you can fine tune how much water is going through. It is much better. As far as I know you can only restrict the flow on magnetically driven pumps or they will burn out.