Bean animal overflow adjustment

TheReeferer · 09/11/2018, 05:45 AM

Hello, I’ve recently installed a standard bean animal overflow, one from modular marine. I think I’m missing something in terms of adjustment...
with the drain valve fully open, it works correctly that the full siphon pipe is full and silent, partial pipe is partial and also silent. However that does happen all the time; other times where I’ve made no modification other than changing filter sock, both full drain and partial drain will operate partially and waterline in the overflow box is low and makes a lot of noise. I can then close the drain valve enough so it’s silent but then it means the partial pipe is going full and full pipe is going partial.

Can someone help me out? Seems like there is a way to prime the pipe or start pump in a way that it will operate in first case I’m describing where full pipe is operating at full and partial pipe is operating at partial.

Thanks!

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mcgyvr · 09/11/2018, 06:12 AM

Close the valve on the full siphon some until the water level in the box isn't low/sucking air.. Shouldn't take much..
In the bean setups I've had my full siphon valve is always between 1/4 and 1/2 closed..

IMO a full siphon valve should NEVER be fully open.. If so your overflow system is too small or pump to large..

lapin · 09/11/2018, 07:54 AM

Another cause can be the main drain pipe is not purging all of the air. Make sure it is not too far under water in the sump. 1" is the std max. My pipes are about 1/2" under water. My partial is a little higher than the main in my overflow box.

TheReeferer · 09/12/2018, 08:45 AM

Ah ok I think you are right on it not purging all the air. I will try running it for a bit without end piece into the water at sump.

It definitely works where the valves pipe can go full siphon with valve fully open and second pipe partial. Just a matter of how to get to that. Right now it’s partial on both pipes and making a lot of noise.

And I didn’t want to close the valve too much in case of blockage.

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Lsufan · 09/12/2018, 05:56 PM

What do u mean when u say the second pipe is partial? I assume your talking about the open channel but what do u mean by partial. Do u have a valve on both the open channel & the syphon or only the syphon?

If u leave the valve fully open I dought the syphon ever really kicks in. That is why it is being so inconsistent. When the water in the overflow box all of a sudden drops then that is probably the syphon finally starting. What happens is when the syphon starts & empties the overflow box it sucks air so the syphon stops syphoning again. If that happens I know u need to close the valve more. Do u have a ball valve or gate valve on the plumbing? Regardless, u may be surprised how much u have to have the valve closed for it to function properly. Don’t worry about how much u have to close the valve. If it ever gets clogged that is what the emergency & open channel are for. It depends on the plumbing configuration, size of the plumbing & how much flow the return pump is putting out, but there will be a pretty specific position u will have to have the valve for it to function properly. I don’t think the syphon is ever really starting because u don’t have the valve closed enough.

09/11/2018, 05:45 AM	#1
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	Bean animal overflow adjustment Hello, I’ve recently installed a standard bean animal overflow, one from modular marine. I think I’m missing something in terms of adjustment... with the drain valve fully open, it works correctly that the full siphon pipe is full and silent, partial pipe is partial and also silent. However that does happen all the time; other times where I’ve made no modification other than changing filter sock, both full drain and partial drain will operate partially and waterline in the overflow box is low and makes a lot of noise. I can then close the drain valve enough so it’s silent but then it means the partial pipe is going full and full pipe is going partial. Can someone help me out? Seems like there is a way to prime the pipe or start pump in a way that it will operate in first case I’m describing where full pipe is operating at full and partial pipe is operating at partial. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/11/2018, 06:12 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Close the valve on the full siphon some until the water level in the box isn't low/sucking air.. Shouldn't take much.. In the bean setups I've had my full siphon valve is always between 1/4 and 1/2 closed.. IMO a full siphon valve should NEVER be fully open.. If so your overflow system is too small or pump to large.. __________________ Who me?

09/11/2018, 07:54 AM	#3
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Another cause can be the main drain pipe is not purging all of the air. Make sure it is not too far under water in the sump. 1" is the std max. My pipes are about 1/2" under water. My partial is a little higher than the main in my overflow box. __________________ Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening

09/12/2018, 08:45 AM	#4
TheReeferer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 251	Bean animal overflow adjustment Ah ok I think you are right on it not purging all the air. I will try running it for a bit without end piece into the water at sump. It definitely works where the valves pipe can go full siphon with valve fully open and second pipe partial. Just a matter of how to get to that. Right now it’s partial on both pipes and making a lot of noise. And I didn’t want to close the valve too much in case of blockage. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/12/2018, 05:56 PM	#5
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	What do u mean when u say the second pipe is partial? I assume your talking about the open channel but what do u mean by partial. Do u have a valve on both the open channel & the syphon or only the syphon? If u leave the valve fully open I dought the syphon ever really kicks in. That is why it is being so inconsistent. When the water in the overflow box all of a sudden drops then that is probably the syphon finally starting. What happens is when the syphon starts & empties the overflow box it sucks air so the syphon stops syphoning again. If that happens I know u need to close the valve more. Do u have a ball valve or gate valve on the plumbing? Regardless, u may be surprised how much u have to have the valve closed for it to function properly. Don’t worry about how much u have to close the valve. If it ever gets clogged that is what the emergency & open channel are for. It depends on the plumbing configuration, size of the plumbing & how much flow the return pump is putting out, but there will be a pretty specific position u will have to have the valve for it to function properly. I don’t think the syphon is ever really starting because u don’t have the valve closed enough.