Wye am I missing something?

[jgvergo]

I just bought a Wye check valve from BRS. Despite my careful planning, my sump is JUST big enough to handle my drain down when the power goes off. I also have a very slow trickle that continues and after 30 minutes my sump overflows.

I've done all the obvious things...siphon break on my return line...adjusted the heights of my bean animal full siphon and open channel returns...placed my return line lock lines as close to the surface as possible. I don't was to get a larger sump, so hence the Wye check valve.

Now to my question. When it comes time clean the valve, won't I get a lot of water gushing out of the valve when I take the cap off??? Wye am I missing something?

 

[Be102]

I just bought a Wye check valve from BRS. Despite my careful planning, my sump is JUST big enough to handle my drain down when the power goes off. I also have a very slow trickle that continues and after 30 minutes my sump overflows.

I've done all the obvious things...siphon break on my return line...adjusted the heights of my bean animal full siphon and open channel returns...placed my return line lock lines as close to the surface as possible. I don't was to get a larger sump, so hence the Wye check valve.

Now to my question. When it comes time clean the valve, won't I get a lot of water gushing out of the valve when I take the cap off??? Wye am I missing something?

I may be an idiot... but wouldn't the return pump be off, therefore no water would be in it? Or is your return always lower than the surface level? Is that what you're asking? Like how won't the water from your tank flow into it? Lol @ "Wye am I missing something"

 

[lou dog420]

Should have put an isolation valve between check valve and display tank.

 

[jgvergo]

I may be an idiot... but wouldn't the return pump be off, therefore no water would be in it? Or is your return always lower than the surface level? Is that what you're asking? Like how won't the water from your tank flow into it? Lol @ "Wye am I missing something"

My return pump is in my basement. I plan to put the Wye valve on the return line, close to my return pump. That should limit a LOT of drain down into my sump. When the pump turn off, the valve will close and all the water in the line *should* be above the valve.

 

[jgvergo]

Should have put an isolation valve between check valve and display tank.

Are you saying that I should put an isolation valve immediately above the Wye check valve and turn it off when cleaning the Wye?

 

[lou dog420]

Are you saying that I should put an isolation valve immediately above the Wye check valve and turn it off when cleaning the Wye?

Correct

 

[jgvergo]

OK, Thanks everyone. I'm going with the isolation valve. Glad I asked before I installed the Wye valve!

 

[Pola0502ds]

But what happens when the power goes out and you are not home to shut off the valve? It's still going to overflow?

 

[Lovemycj7]

OK, Thanks everyone. I'm going with the isolation valve. Glad I asked before I installed the Wye valve!

You need a gate valve between the check valve and the return nozzle so you can close the gate valve to stop backflow when you clean the check valve. The gate valve won't save you when you lose power and you back siphon. So for your situation you would want both not either or. Good luck!!!

 

[jgvergo]

To clarify, I am going to install the Wye check valve and (immediately it) a Cepex Ball valve to isolate the Wye valve. I will close the ball valve ONLY when cleaning the Wye valve. The check valve should prevent sump overflows in the vast majority of situations, including power outages.