Thank you all for taking time to post your replies I learned a lot. I
have two sump pumps one is connected to the drain tile the other to a
sump hole that is use to remove the discharge of wash water from the
basement wash tub, it came that way with the house. The pumps are both
located in heated areas inside the house. The discharge line all 1½
inch pipe about 100 feet long and down hill, connected through an in
ground, outside "Y" from the two pumps. The winter here can get to
freezing or below but I have not had any problems with freezing. What
I do experience is one pump turns on and when it quits I hear water
running which I guess is the water in the line inside the house
flowing back into the sump hole or holes. But I can't understand how
it could get through the check valves, which should be closed.
Thinking it might be cause by suction, I added a standpipe about 3
foot high inside the house to see if that would help but it didn't.
Both pumps have new operating check valves about 5 feet above the
bottom of the sump hole. The vertical length of discharge pipe from
the bottom of the pit is about 6 feet. One pump needs to be replaced
and I just did not know how many check valves to use or if the valve
was really needed. From what I read here, I guess that it is the water
below the check valve that I hear so I suppose a valve at the pedestal
would be correct for my installation?

"Sudy Nim" writes:

What I do experience is one pump turns on and when it quits I hear
water running which I guess is the water in the line inside the
house flowing back into the sump hole or holes.

Hrmm...

But I can't understand how it could get through the check valves,
which should be closed.

Check valves do go bad over time. If you see the pit substantially
refilling after operation, or hear water flowing in the piping on the
discharge side of the valve, you'll want to replace it.

Thinking it might be cause by suction, I
added a standpipe about 3 foot high inside the house to see if that
would help but it didn't. Both pumps have new operating check
valves about 5 feet above the bottom of the sump hole.

Good.

The vertical length of discharge pipe from the bottom of the pit is
about 6 feet. One pump needs to be replaced and I just did not know
how many check valves to use

One per pump, somewhere indoors, typically 2 or 3 feet above the sump
cover.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Sudy Nim wrote:
Thank you all for taking time to post your replies I learned a lot. I
have two sump pumps one is connected to the drain tile the other to a
sump hole that is use to remove the discharge of wash water from the
basement wash tub, it came that way with the house. The pumps are both
located in heated areas inside the house. The discharge line all 1½
inch pipe about 100 feet long and down hill, connected through an in
ground, outside "Y" from the two pumps. The winter here can get to
freezing or below but I have not had any problems with freezing. What
I do experience is one pump turns on and when it quits I hear water
running which I guess is the water in the line inside the house
flowing back into the sump hole or holes. But I can't understand how
it could get through the check valves, which should be closed.
Thinking it might be cause by suction, I added a standpipe about 3
foot high inside the house to see if that would help but it didn't.
Both pumps have new operating check valves about 5 feet above the
bottom of the sump hole. The vertical length of discharge pipe from
the bottom of the pit is about 6 feet. One pump needs to be replaced
and I just did not know how many check valves to use or if the valve
was really needed. From what I read here, I guess that it is the water
below the check valve that I hear so I suppose a valve at the pedestal
would be correct for my installation?

My set up is pretty similar. One pump, check valve jsut above pump,
pipe up to ceiling - 30 ft run across basement with a slight down
slope, verticle down to exit the basement and 75 ft to the outlet - all
1 1/4". Yes, I can hear water running after the pump shuts off but it
is the pipe emptying, nothing running back into the pit. Remember that
you have a -long- run of pipe that can only empty by air entering and
that air has to come in the outlet end unless you have some type of
vacuum breaker installed above the check valve. Not really needed IMO
unless you have a poor slope to the pipe.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:
Sudy Nim wrote:
Thank you all for taking time to post your replies I learned a lot. I
have two sump pumps one is connected to the drain tile the other to a
sump hole that is use to remove the discharge of wash water from the
basement wash tub, it came that way with the house. The pumps are both
located in heated areas inside the house. The discharge line all 1½
inch pipe about 100 feet long and down hill, connected through an in
ground, outside "Y" from the two pumps. The winter here can get to
freezing or below but I have not had any problems with freezing. What
I do experience is one pump turns on and when it quits I hear water
running which I guess is the water in the line inside the house
flowing back into the sump hole or holes. But I can't understand how
it could get through the check valves, which should be closed.
Thinking it might be cause by suction, I added a standpipe about 3
foot high inside the house to see if that would help but it didn't.
Both pumps have new operating check valves about 5 feet above the
bottom of the sump hole. The vertical length of discharge pipe from
the bottom of the pit is about 6 feet. One pump needs to be replaced
and I just did not know how many check valves to use or if the valve
was really needed. From what I read here, I guess that it is the water
below the check valve that I hear so I suppose a valve at the pedestal
would be correct for my installation?

My set up is pretty similar. One pump, check valve jsut above pump,
pipe up to ceiling - 30 ft run across basement with a slight down
slope, verticle down to exit the basement and 75 ft to the outlet - all
1 1/4". Yes, I can hear water running after the pump shuts off but it
is the pipe emptying, nothing running back into the pit. Remember that
you have a -long- run of pipe that can only empty by air entering and
that air has to come in the outlet end unless you have some type of
vacuum breaker installed above the check valve. Not really needed IMO
unless you have a poor slope to the pipe.

Harry K


Harry
First be advised that my father was a plumber and out of pure orneriness
I did not follow him into that craft. What I don't know about plumbing
would be almost everything there is to know about it.

My question is wouldn't having a vent allow the drain line to empty far
more quickly and quietly? Any time my Dad was looking into a drain
problem he would listen first. He seemed to believe that noisy drains
always had a vent problem.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison