Quiet sump pump check valves ?


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Old 04-09-17, 11:18 PM
J
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Quiet sump pump check valves ?

These check valves are supposedly the ""elite in the consumer check valve market. Yet most plumbing companies in our area install the less expensive ""flapper check valves which (in this homeowner's experience) are the primary cause of annoying, loud water-hammer.

When I installed the Zoeller M-53 pump in my deep ~ 6 foot sump pit a couple of years ago due to a couple of major rain/wet snow events and an associated unexplainable rise in our water table (at least according to our City engineers). My ""consultants brought over a cheap local store check valve which they said I needed "by our City code" and we put up the resulting loud water hammer for some months.

After doing some 'net reading about this problem I installed a "Campbell-type" quiet check valve\was the Clear-Vue one, and it immediately stopped the loud water hammer . (I don't know why these flapper type check valves are even sold any more & haven't disappeared off the market completely, much less why major plumbing companies still install them.
(asked one of the plumbers of one of the largest plumbing companies in our metro area who happened to be doing emergency service on one of my neighbors homes on a Saturday, what sump pump check valves they used?, & he showed me a major manufacturer flapper valve which he had in his truck & he said it was the only one they used). My cheaply made flapper valve (imo) also began to leak & I haven't determined yet if it was from a break in this valve's thin plastic or in it's cheap rubber fittings/connects yet)

Some questions

1) by observation thru the clear PVC of this valve, this spring valve only opens up about 1/4" when the pump pumps, yet it appears to move about the same amount of water out of the pit & the pump time is about the same as with the previous flapper . Is the normal?

I suppose it could be because these valves are ""bowed in the middle, but this seems strange that the valve is only opening a small amount, yet there seems to be the same amount of water traveling thru the 1-1/2" diameter pvc pipe. (both from the amount of water lowering in the pit/vs pump time and estimating the amount at the outside exit). Also does this put an extra strain on the pump to push the water thru this spring valve (More pressure -- ?)?

2) about the only noise from this valve is produced by about a 1 or 2 second air-blow-by on initial opening (and this is very minimal compared to the previous annoying flapper closing water-hammer). Since this M-53 sits ~ 5 feet down in this ~ 24" diameter pit (there is also about a 1/16 weep hole in the PVC about foot above the pump which my consultants said may solve the previous water hammer problem --it didn't). I guess the water in the pipe below the valve drains down thru the pump, and when the pump starts, it blows the residual air out first.
It seems I read previously on this forum, that air doesn't compress like H20, so it may cause PVC to splinter. Do you think there is any danger from this intial air blow-by both to the pvc pipe and the valve....and would I be better served by moving this quiet check valve immediately above the pump in the pit itself (guess it won't do any good to stop this air-bleed if our water-table ever falls below the pump).
I've been debating whether to move the check valve into the pit itself just below the sealed clear pit cover (not completely down to the pump which it seems would make it a pain to service the valve), and putting something like about a 1 foot length of quick connect hose) This hose would be a quick disconnect so I could easily remove the pit cover to service the pump as well as secured by ring clamps. (I think Campbell also makes/markets a similar 10" 1-1/2 diameter hose [supposed to fit over 1-1/2 PVC pipe so its probably a larger diameter] but I don't know about the pressure rating as this was not in the specs & don't know how to contact them. Also the Pro-Flex type fittings are still rated for a low pressure although they say with this extra shielding it makes it harder for shear forces such as external earth movement to dislodge/break them.

thx
 
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Old 04-10-17, 10:31 AM
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I'm not the pro in this forum but I'll just offer some observations/opinions.

The small hole you put in the pipe just above the pump will do absolutely nothing for air hammer. It allows the water to drain out of the pipe so that the pump doesn't try to start against a full head of water. Many pumps won't start without having that little bit of air down there.

In my experience I have found that the lower a check valve is (closer to the pump) the louder it is. I believe this is caused by the weight of water above it causing it to close.

Is this the one you're using ?

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