Plumbing to Basement Question

reelss · Nov 30, 2019

Hi - I am plumbing my 180 gallon to a basement sump. The overflow has two holes for drain for the herbie method.

Do I have to run both drain lines independently to the basement sump? Or can i start with two separate drains, but tie them together once they've passed through the floor?

Flippers4pups · Nov 30, 2019

reelss said:
Hi - I am plumbing my 180 gallon to a basement sump. The overflow has two holes for drain for the herbie method.

Do I have to run both drain lines independently to the basement sump? Or can i start with two separate drains, but tie them together once they've passed through the floor?

You could do one or the other and be okay. I like two separate drains myself and if possible emergency drains as well.

Mine when I wet tested my system before I baffled the sump for bubble buster.

I also chose to attach my drain lines to the wall for support. Just not hanging from the DT.

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WVNed · Nov 30, 2019

Would the main drain not suck air through the other drain and be noisy all the time?

Flippers4pups · Nov 30, 2019

WVNed said:
Would the main drain not suck air through the other drain and be noisy all the time?

I think that if there is no 90's and little horizontal runs, it should be okay.

WVNed · Nov 30, 2019

I always run my drains separate so the main drain can purge air and stay that way. The best way to avoid bubble problems is don't make them.

Greg P · Nov 30, 2019

My Herbie lines run separately to the sump. I keep the Emerg dry and wouldn't know it's getting wet if they were tied together. This then wouldn't tell me the tank level is getting higher than I'd prefer. I do have a float switch in the overflow box to shut off the return, but still want to know what's going on before the level is too high.

I don't have personal experience with the 2 being tied together but suspect you'll hear air sucking through the Emerg if you do.
Plus you won't achieve a full siphon on the Main if it's constantly sucking air through the Emerg. No full siphon means less flow. Less flow, emerg gets wet ... no point in the Emerg being an actual emergency overflow. Now it's just a second drain ;)
This negates the whole purpose of a true Herbie.
Your Main drain needs to handle ALL your tank flow on it's own.
The Emergency drain is only there to handle fluctuations or in the case of a restricted/plugged Main drain then be able to also handle ALL your tank flow until you fix the Main problem.