drip irrigation pump siphoning when off

[oldog]

I just connected a pump to twelve 1/4" lines feeding from 1/2 " PVC, and switched on the pump to test it but it kept pulling/siphoning water when the pump was switched off. The table is about 10" above the pump in the drum. Someone said I need a bleeder valve in the line but I can't find any info on that.
Thanks !

 

[Lone Wolf]

yeah you need to get a little elbow piece and poke a hole in ur line, then run a little hose from the elbow piece which goes into little hole you poke... then put the little hose over ur rez so it can spill into there if need be - really its just for air... kinda hard to explain... go look at some pre-made ebb/flow sets - you will see the bleeder valves that they have in the setup...

 

[Sam the Caveman]

Yeah, what lone wolf said

basically the hose coming out of the rez, there needs to be a way for air to get into the line when the pump turns off. If you poke a hole in the line near the top of the bucket and shove a 1/4" elbow in there pointed straight down back into the rez, it will work just fine, no more siphoning. When the pump is running, water will be squirting out of it back into the rez, but when the pump turns off air will fill the lines and prevent siphoning.

 

[dunkydunk]

I take it the table is above the pump, yet below the top of the rez. You don't need a very big hole in the pump line, just big enough that it will suck in air when the pump turns off.

 

[oldog]

DD: " I take it the table is above the pump, yet below the top of the rez " Yes, drum is 55 gals with pump at bottom, table is 10" above bottom of drum plus height of the pots.

Thanks to all - I'll try that and see, although it seems if water is coming out of the bleeder line when the pump is on then I'm going to be loseing pressure when the pump is running and the pump is not very powerful, but I'll try it.

 

[Sam the Caveman]

If you think you'll lose too much pressure, you could try a small hole using a needle to where there is just a slight drizzle coming out.

 

[Guest 18340]

DD: " I take it the table is above the pump, yet below the top of the rez " Yes, drum is 55 gals with pump at bottom, table is 10" above bottom of drum plus height of the pots.

Thanks to all - I'll try that and see, although it seems if water is coming out of the bleeder line when the pump is on then I'm going to be loseing pressure when the pump is running and the pump is not very powerful, but I'll try it.

The pressure loss should be minimal, you're just adding a 13th line is all.
I run mine exactly like everyone has described.
Here's a visual...

 

[oldog]

Thanks ! I drilled a 15/64 hole in the PVC and forced a piece of 1/4 plastic tubing into
it. Works great .
How do you get photos into the body of the posting full size not thumbnails ??

https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=91414&stc=1&d=1291246354

 

[mendo420]

You could try an electric solenoid valve.

 

[Son_of_a_Batch]

you need a one way non return valve fitted to stop the siphon.


edit: i misunderstood your problem. duh, should've read more

 

[jocat]

re

re

i set my pump up a little different, i have it plumped through a backflow preventer and a filter, then on to the girls, the hole in tube method sounds simpler but i am a gearhead and never settle for simple. the nice thing about the filter is how easy it is to mix the nutes i just spin off the filter housing and water/nutes mix, when mixed reinstal filter and check timer...good to go.

 

[fasteddy0]

I use an adjustable spring loaded check valve. It has 3/4" threads so you can put it inline with pvc, or put barbed fittings and run inline with your flexible tubing. It was the third check valve I tried, I got it from my local garden supply store. If you are interested in it anymore let me know, I can take photos and get you info on where to get it.

Also I'm sure you could get it in 1/2", it was about 10 dollars iirc.

eddy

 

[growshopfrank]

You could try an electric solenoid valve.

nevermind