hard plumbing a return

[somechinesereefer]

Hey folks,

What's the best approach when hard plumbing a return and making sure the measurements are exact with the bulkhead so when it's all connected, there's no unnecessary stress on the bulkhead connection with the return pump connected? I'm worried about my plumbing being too short to reach the pvc and it placing unnecessary weight on the pvc up through the bulkhead. What's the best way to measure/cut the pvc for this?

 

[member 99594]

Do you have pictures of the setup?

I had to pin my return in place. At the bottom of the stand as it goes up the back and it hooks over the top.

my sump is in a room behind the tank and so I have another pin where it comes through the wall.

 

[homer1475]

I dry fit everything before glueing.

Just keep in mind that if you don't chamfer the ends of your cut pipe, when you go to glue things in place, they will fit further into your fittings making your plumbing short.

 

[somechinesereefer]

Do you have pictures of the setup?

I had to pin my return in place. At the bottom of the stand as it goes up the back and it hooks over the top.

my sump is in a room behind the tank and so I have another pin where it comes through the wall.

Here is how it's currently plumbed.

I bought the full setup from another reefer and want to redo the plumbing with more unions

 

[somechinesereefer]

I dry fit everything before glueing.

Just keep in mind that if you don't chamfer the ends of your cut pipe, when you go to glue things in place, they will fit further into your fittings making your plumbing short.

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the pipe would fit more into the fitting without chamfer instead of fit more into the fitting, wouldn't the smoothed out edge be easier to push in?

 

[homer1475]

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the pipe would fit more into the fitting without chamfer instead of fit more into the fitting, wouldn't the smoothed out edge be easier to push in?

Maybe my wording wasn't the best.....

Without the chamfer, you'll have a hard time getting them to sit "home".

 

[member 99594]

Here is how it's currently plumbed.

I bought the full setup from another reefer and want to redo the plumbing with more unions

That looks like you should be fine. There is not a huge amount of flow that one clamp can’t hold. As long as you are secured into the bottom of the overflow you’ll be good there.

 

[W1ngz]

What's the best approach when hard plumbing a return

I wouldn't worry too much about getting the pipe to meet the pump right down to the last fraction, here's why: You should consider using a small length of silicone tubing to connect the pump to the hard plumbing with a barb fitting. Even a quiet DC pump will have some vibration that resonates the pipe. The silicone will insulate all of the vibration.

I'm having a hard time figuring out why the pipe would fit more into the fitting without chamfer instead of fit more into the fitting, wouldn't the smoothed out edge be easier to push in?

The chamfer will help, but even with it the PVC cement will lubricate the pipe and it will seat deeper than it did when dry.