Need some feedback on my plumbing and manifold layout

jeffberens · Mar 17, 2017

I'm hoping I researched enough and copied the members on here that know what they are doing more than myself.

I built a manifold modified from Broadfield's build because I needed room to include the Apex flow sensors. I had to rework the layout and I'm hoping there aren't any major design flaws.

Any gurus out there want to chime in and see if I am on the right track? I'm really trying to do this right.

Here are a couple more images to make it a little more obvious what I did:

Bronc · Mar 17, 2017

Complete crap. You should spend a little time planning rather than just slapping it together!

In all seriousness, it's beautiful! A work of art. Very impressive!!

jeffberens · Mar 18, 2017

Thanks. Every time I think I planned it out, I find out I need to order more plumbing parts.

Salt Empire · Mar 18, 2017

jeffberens said:
Thanks. Every time I think I planned it out, I find out I need to order more plumbing parts.

EVERY FRIGN TIME!!! LOL :/ !!!!

Salty1962 · Mar 19, 2017

Looks great! Can see you really worked hard on it and took the time to do it right!

Shawn Cybulski · Mar 19, 2017

Wow man!

jeffberens · Mar 19, 2017

Shawn Cybulski said:
Wow man!

Salty1962 said:
Looks great! Can see you really worked hard on it and took the time to do it right!

Thanks for the compliments! I'm trying to step up my game after being out of the hobby for 6 years. After seeing some of the builds like Broadfield and others, I was inspired to take my time and make it something I can be proud to show off.

We'll see if I can keep it that way.

jeffberens · Mar 20, 2017

Here is a little better picture now that I have some light in the sump area

And a close-up of my reactors. I had to learn how to bend PVC to do these and the "U" feeding the return.

vertigo01 · Mar 20, 2017

Sweet set up.
Care to share how you bent the PVC?

jeffberens · Mar 20, 2017

vertigo01 said:
Sweet set up.
Care to share how you bent the PVC?

I used a heat gun to slowly heat up the area of the pipe that I needed to bend and used a spring that fit the inside diameter of the pipe to slip in to maintain the integrity of the pipe as I bent it. Then I simply let it cool and pulled out the spring.

I did practice on a few pieces of basic white PVC before I started bending my blue colored stuff. I also screwed up a few pieces because I was trying to do a few complex bends which was not so easy. If you search for PVC bending with spring on Youtube, you will find numerous methods including heated sand and expensive gear to heat up entire pieces of pvc to the point that you can bend it however you want. I just wanted to eliminate some fittings to hopefully keep head pressure down and have it look cool at the same time.

ddwmedic · Mar 21, 2017

Wow! No body likes a show off LOL

JBradford · Mar 21, 2017

Amazing! Great job. I like the look of the curved pipe.

Iballhog · Mar 21, 2017

Very nice setup. The pvc bending is a great idea, Thanks.

vertigo01 · Mar 21, 2017

jeffberens said:
I used a heat gun to slowly heat up the area of the pipe that I needed to bend and used a spring that fit the inside diameter of the pipe to slip in to maintain the integrity of the pipe as I bent it. Then I simply let it cool and pulled out the spring.

I did practice on a few pieces of basic white PVC before I started bending my blue colored stuff. I also screwed up a few pieces because I was trying to do a few complex bends which was not so easy. If you search for PVC bending with spring on Youtube, you will find numerous methods including heated sand and expensive gear to heat up entire pieces of pvc to the point that you can bend it however you want. I just wanted to eliminate some fittings to hopefully keep head pressure down and have it look cool at the same time.

Thanks for the input. Now I have some more planning to do..

jeffberens · Mar 21, 2017

ddwmedic said:
Wow! No body likes a show off LOL

I like a show off! I think I have spent at least a couple of hours reading Broadfield's build thread and I really enjoyed seeing how and why he did the things he did.

JoshH · Mar 22, 2017

Fantastic work, thought about bending pvc myself and was looking at a pvc bender ($300). I like the spring idea, MUCH less work than the sand and far less messy.