bean style overflow question

[joe0813]

My wife bought a I/M 100int, it has a bean style overflow. Question is, why does the water seem to drop over time in the back of the overflow? We have a auto top off in the sump for evaporation water. We set the water level in the back so its just barely trickling down the secondary drain and about an eighth of an inch from the emergency drain.

 

[JoshH]

@Highgrade I believe has an INT setup and might be able to help.

 

[joe0813]

@Highgrade I believe has an INT setup and might be able to help.

thank you

 

[JoshH]

The only thing I can think of myself is the pipes for the overflow are loose where they meet the bulkheads and water is getting into the other drains without you knowing.

 

[lapin]

Maybe a leak as above , or the valve has something in it that moves causing less or more water to move thru it.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Leak or valve needs as slight tweak more open.

 

[joe0813]

just checked the secondary and emergency drains to see if the bottom of them are wet. both bone dry, ill adjust the valve a little bit and see if that helps

 

[Highgrade]

My wife bought a I/M 100int, it has a bean style overflow. Question is, why does the water seem to drop over time in the back of the overflow? We have a auto top off in the sump for evaporation water. We set the water level in the back so its just barely trickling down the secondary drain and about an eighth of an inch from the emergency drain.

I'm in the same boat. My INT112 seems to have the same issue. I can have the water level set in the back just slightly below the emergency drain per the IM instructions and over a weeks time the water level will drop all the way down to the primary drain then start sucking air. My return pump is sufficient enough and I have an ATO of course. The water level in the sump is always consistent. Not sure if it is my gate valve but I can adjust it ever so slightly to compensate for the primary drain sucking air. Then eventually the same issue occurs. I may go with a new gate valve or change the primary drain plumbing. I've tolerated it since I set up the tank 8 months ago and have lived with it but its starting to get frustrating.

 

[eggplantparrot]

is other possible your return pumps are getting slowly clogged up/dirtying and slowing down, and delivering less and less water?

I had same thing happen in Herbie set up with new return pump that was breaking in. I would have to clean the pump and tweak gate valve, but now it is very consistent and doesn't really slow down enough to make a difference.

 

[JoshH]

just checked the secondary and emergency drains to see if the bottom of them are wet. both bone dry, ill adjust the valve a little bit and see if that helps

I'm in the same boat. My INT112 seems to have the same issue. I can have the water level set in the back just slightly below the emergency drain per the IM instructions and over a weeks time the water level will drop all the way down to the primary drain then start sucking air. My return pump is sufficient enough and I have an ATO of course. The water level in the sump is always consistent. Not sure if it is my gate valve but I can adjust it ever so slightly to compensate for the primary drain sucking air. Then eventually the same issue occurs. I may go with a new gate valve or change the primary drain plumbing. I've tolerated it since I set up the tank 8 months ago and have lived with it but its starting to get frustrating.

Looking at how the IM INT is plumbed can you guys simply pull the entire plumbing assembly out of the main siphon and just use the bulkhead? I feel there really weird plumbing design might be contributing to the issue...

 

[Highgrade]

is other possible your return pumps are getting slowly clogged up/dirtying and slowing down, and delivering less and less water?

I had same thing happen in Herbie set up with new return pump that was breaking in. I would have to clean the pump and tweak gate valve, but now it is very consistent and doesn't really slow down enough to make a difference.

Unfortunately not. Mine did this from the start with a brand new return pump. I've cleaned the pump thoroughly and still the same results.

 

[Highgrade]

Looking at how the IM INT is plumbed can you guys simply pull the entire plumbing assembly out of the main siphon and just use the bulkhead? I feel there really weird plumbing design might be contributing to the issue...

I may try this or run a straight pipe for the main siphon to see if there is any improvement.

 

[eggplantparrot]

Unfortunately not. Mine did this from the start with a brand new return pump. I've cleaned the pump thoroughly and still the same results.

I'm saying it's BECAUSE the pump is new and you are cleaning it that it is being inconsistent. I'd imagine biofilm/goop grows on a shiny new/clean pump more easily and so you see more of a change from just cleaned to gummed up again.

I used to clean my return pump all the time and I would also have to adjust the gate valve constantly, eventually I just set it to dumping more water down the second pipe, and by the time it has gummed up enough to lower the water level it was time to clean again. now I haven't cleaned in a while and I haven't seen any change in water level in the overflow.

 

[Highgrade]

I'm saying it's BECAUSE the pump is new and you are cleaning it that it is being inconsistent. I'd imagine biofilm/goop grows on a shiny new/clean pump more easily and so you see more of a change from just cleaned to gummed up again.

I used to clean my return pump all the time and I would also have to adjust the gate valve constantly, eventually I just set it to dumping more water down the second pipe, and by the time it has gummed up enough to lower the water level it was time to clean again. now I haven't cleaned in a while and I haven't seen any change in water level in the overflow.

Either way if its cleaned or not cleaned for sometime there is no improvement.