Diy Overflow Drip System Problem

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M

msebar

AC Members
Oct 9, 2013
14
0
1
South Florida
Real Name
Michael
Ok everyone here is my problem.

I want to do an overflow drip system. I think I have the drip system down good for now. The problem is with the overflow. The overflow needs to be on the sump and my bathroom is on the other side of the wall were the tank will be. All good so far. The issue is I cant get the flow height over the height of the drain under the sink for the excess water to drain. Water cant flow up hill. I thought of putting in a vent under the sink and then insert a small line into the drain, in enough until the end of the line is about 3 or 4 inches below the level needed. The problem I see is water would still have flow about 1 or 2 inches up first.

I dont want to do a float and pump as I wont sleep nights.

I hope someone comes up with something otherwise, I am back to manual water changes.
 
Pinkey

Pinkey

AC Members
Nov 16, 2004
221
20
18
Denver
Real Name
Nate
Interesting and fun conundrum.

To make sure I understand this correctly you want the sump to intentionally overflow and drain in some way where you don't have to manually deal with the discarded water.

I also read it that the desired waterline in your sump is 3-4 inches lower than your easiest drain access making gravity flow impossible. If these assumptions are not correct please let me know.

Assuming we can find a way to make this work it would be very important to have a backflow valve in your system. The last thing you want is to accidentally mix soapy water from your sink into your tank.

Starting with the obvious: is there room in the stand to put the sump on blocks to raise your water level high enough?
Is it aesthetically, structurally, and financially possible to raise the stand thereby lifting the sump?

Next level of skill: Do you have the plumbing and home repair expertise to open the wall behind the sink and add another access point to the main drain much closer to floor level? It could be as easy as cutting out a patch of drywall and adding some PVC parts closer to floor level (if that kind of thing is easy for you).

Good luck. Please let us know what you end up doing.
 
P

pbeemer

AC Members
Apr 27, 2010
460
13
18
So Cal
not to be picky, but to meet code the "drain" has to have a trap (the loop of pipe at the bottom of the sink drain). this isn't an academic thing -- if you don't have a trap, sewer gas has a straight shot into your house, and we all know how much fun that will be for you and the fish.

not a big deal -- you can make the downward loop with the plastic tubing you are using. just make sure that the line going from the sump into the loop is always higher than the exit from the loop to the drain line
 
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