Skimmer overflow???

[Sacohen]

No clogs or restrictions.
I just think that the weight of the water column in the tubing is more than what the cup can hold.

This 1st picture shows the water just trying to make it over the edge...

The 2nd picture shows the height that the water needs to raise over the edge and that there are now kinks.

 

[FarmerTy]

That's truly odd. Mine overflows from the tubing exactly as your first picture except that the height of the water in my skimmer cup is exactly the same height in the tube overflowing... not the 2-3" difference as in your picture.

I have no kinks and the tube is not at the mercy of any vacuums or pressure scenarios.

I am at a loss. Hopefully you figure it out without having to drill.

 

[Sacohen]

Thanks, but right now I'm stumped.

I'll think on it a bit more before I do anything.

 

[Windy]

What am I missing? From the picture, it appears the skimmer cup's top lip is higher than the sump edge. If that is true then eventually the water filling the cup will overflow the tank edge, starting a siphon and emptying the cup. This cycle will repeat itself over and over. This is physics. So why doesn't it work in your case?

 

[Sacohen]

I don't know why it's not working.

The water level in this picture is top of the throat.

It won't go at higher without floating back into the skimmer.

 

[FarmerTy]

What am I missing? From the picture, it appears the skimmer cup's top lip is higher than the sump edge. If that is true then eventually the water filling the cup will overflow the tank edge, starting a siphon and emptying the cup. This cycle will repeat itself over and over. This is physics. So why doesn't it work in your case?

That's what has us stumped as well. Simple physics says it should flow, unless there is a vacuum or clog that prevents it to do so.

 

[FarmerTy]

Dumb question but what is the other side of the tubing doing? Just sitting in an empty bucket?

 

[Windy]

The only thing I can think of is the tubing is kinking. Hold up the tubing and see if the water level in the tube is the same as the skimmer cup. If not you have something plugged. Have you cleaned the inside of the exit hole?

 

[Sacohen]

Dumb question but what is the other side of the tubing doing? Just sitting in an empty bucket?

Yes. Why?

The only thing I can think of is the tubing is kinking. Hold up the tubing and see if the water level in the tube is the same as the skimmer cup. If not you have something plugged. Have you cleaned the inside of the exit hole?

The tube is not kinked or it would go as far as it does and it wouldn't drain once I start a siphon.
And yes the water level does rise to the level in the cup if I raise the tubing up.

The exit hole and everything has been cleaned.
This was a skimmer I bought used and I cleaned it thoroughly when I got it.

 

[Windy]

Well two choices

Water will flow downhill unless blocked,
or it is trying to pull a vacuum in the cup somehow.

So either the level in the cup is not higher than the tank rim or one of the two options must be true................or we have a new physics theory coming on fluid properties.

 

[FarmerTy]

I was thinking the same thing. I'd love to co-author the paper! [emoji5]

Only reason I asked about the other end of the tube is to make sure it wasn't somehow pressurized by mistake.

 

[Sacohen]

There must have been a slight kink that was not visable.
I repositioned the skimmer a bit and used a thicker tubing and it drained fine now.

Thanks for the help.

 

[FarmerTy]

Glad it worked out.