Wye check valve VS Flapper

[NowGlazeIT]

Good day marine lovers!
I made this post so I could reach out to those that have trialed and tested both! Did the WYE valve live up to the price!? Did you swap your flappers out routinely instead? Would you ever use both in unison? Yes there are ways around them. But those that still have them. Those that have used them, what was/is your method of practice in achieving piece of mind?

 

[ca1ore]

I don't use checks anymore, but when I did I preferred Y checks over either flapper or ball checks. Easier to clean (and you should clean them frequently), orientation agnostic. Flappers also tended to bounce on me, Y checks did not.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Did the WYE every leak on you?

 

[DarkSky]

I've used wye for maintenance reasons, but now I design my plumbing and sumps so that I don't need them anymore. A failed check valve in a system that isn't designed to handle a bit of back flow is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[ca1ore]

Y checks didn't leak that I recall. Need to account for water hammer when they close though. Just need to keep the plunger cap o ring in good shape.

 

[Mar344]

I've used wye for maintenance reasons, but now I design my plumbing and sumps so that I don't need them anymore. A failed check valve in a system that isn't designed to handle a bit of back flow is a disaster waiting to happen.

How do you plumb? I can't think of way to plum a return where you wouldn't need a check valve? I hate the idea of relying on one so I'd love to learn your methods if you don't mind sharing.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

How do you plumb? I can't think of way to plum a return where you wouldn't need a check valve? I hate the idea of relying on one so I'd love to learn your methods if you don't mind sharing.

One way is to have a large enough sump to accommodate the amount of water that will back siphon.

 

[DarkSky]

How do you plumb? I can't think of way to plum a return where you wouldn't need a check valve? I hate the idea of relying on one so I'd love to learn your methods if you don't mind sharing.

Keep your return outlet at or slightly above the waterline so the siphon breaks immediately if the power goes out. Then get a large enough sump to accommodate any back siphon that may happen, and if you custom build yours, make sure under normal use it doesn't fill above half.

 

[jda]

I drill an anti-siphon hole and also have the return very near the top. Also have a large enough sump.

 

[Mar344]

Thanks guys. Planned on having a sump large enough but the back siphon worries me. Anti siphon hole makes sense.

 

[Passedyouby]

I had a full tank failure while gone on vacation due to a cheapo home depot check valve. When I rebuilt I swapped to the $50+ wye. Not bad, but that still allows for a small backflow! And after some time when it built up and got dirty things got much worse. Shocking! Called BRS and they recommend a 2nd check inline for redundancy. Had a wye on each of my two return lines (1/2in), then put a flapper on the 1in main trunk where everything met together. Dont forget all checks are directional! The wye need to be vertical and the flapper needs to be hinge side up! The 2nd valve stopped 100% of the flow, and even when dirty the wye works better now! (Less overall pressure I think, allowing it to seat easier)

Double down!!!!

 

[Passedyouby]

Oh!!! And fun fact, they dont sell extra union parts, so if you want to change your plumbing make sure to leave enough extra pipe to cut that expensive SOB out and still have room to glue new fittings.

 

[symon_say]

Put a cap on top of return line drill a hole for a 1/4" hose and place the hose inside tank about 1/8" of the water, that way if power goes out, siphon will break instantly.

I have always use this instead of check valves and never have had a failure, you just need to verify once in a while for salt creep (I have never seen any salt build up in mine).

 

[Silent]

I use a ball check valve right above my return pump. Works flawlessly. Having it at the bottom ensures the water pressure during pump cutoff creates a good seal. Also makes it easy to remove pump to clean.