Bama, having looked at all the parts I have to agree, most parts look easy to obtain with the exception of the Flow meter which I take you can buy seperately?
LQ 3/8 line conversion (How to increase flow)
- Thread starter Rabbit
- Start date
flyboy320
Well-known member
Also I believe the height of the two holes near the top of the LQ where the floats screw into may be important (I think one is slightly higher than the other to allow the level of the water to vary a small bit).
Sal has been a great help and it appears that I can get these shipped to Europe, so I shall order one unit to start off with and then I'll have a good idea of what kind of bin I will need but I've found another bin which should do the trick. The sides appear more flat. Plus it will allow me to look at things like the size and placement of the holes.
I got tired of the line bending under the weight of water and pinching the tube so I upgraded the upgrade!
[attachment=0:23syo3je]liquidatorelbow.jpg[/attachment:23syo3je]
Its a threaded elbow part #29101 1/4" 90° CPVC Threaded Pipe Elbow from US Plastics.
Strain is gone!
[attachment=0:23syo3je]liquidatorelbow.jpg[/attachment:23syo3je]
Its a threaded elbow part #29101 1/4" 90° CPVC Threaded Pipe Elbow from US Plastics.
Strain is gone!
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So...the 3/8" upgrade that PST sells still uses tube that is 3/8" outer dia and 1/4" inner dia. It looks like this thread is about using 3/8" inner dia tube right? So what outer dia is that?
The o.d. of the tubing in this thread is 1/2". It has a 1/16" wall, but by using the push-on fittings the flow is greatly improved with the standard tubing. The reason that the flow was comprimised was that the barbed fittings reduced the I.d. so much.
Thanks Bama.
Rabbit's original post indicates that there is a big difference moving up to 3/8" ID tube, which I assume as wth no fittings. But the setup was with barbed fittings which would seem to reduce the flow again negating some of the benefits of the bigger tube right (though obviously still better than the 1/4" ID tube wiht barbed fittings). In terms of the fluid dynamcs, is the bigger tube still helpful if you have bottlenecks like these? i.e. is the 1/4" ID with no barbed fittings approx the same as the 3/8" ID with restrictive barbed fittings?
Did you switch to 3/8" ID for both suction and supply sides?
I appreciate your help; I'm honing in on a solution for my low speed setup and when I saw these threads earlier I missed that the tube diameter was changed. This presents another solution but kind of scraps some of the pieces I've assembled so far. Not a big deal, I love to tinker I do admit. But I am glad I haven't bought that needle valve yet.
Rabbit's original post indicates that there is a big difference moving up to 3/8" ID tube, which I assume as wth no fittings. But the setup was with barbed fittings which would seem to reduce the flow again negating some of the benefits of the bigger tube right (though obviously still better than the 1/4" ID tube wiht barbed fittings). In terms of the fluid dynamcs, is the bigger tube still helpful if you have bottlenecks like these? i.e. is the 1/4" ID with no barbed fittings approx the same as the 3/8" ID with restrictive barbed fittings?
Did you switch to 3/8" ID for both suction and supply sides?
I appreciate your help; I'm honing in on a solution for my low speed setup and when I saw these threads earlier I missed that the tube diameter was changed. This presents another solution but kind of scraps some of the pieces I've assembled so far. Not a big deal, I love to tinker I do admit. But I am glad I haven't bought that needle valve yet.
I don't think Rabbit realized that the push-on fittings would solve the issue and that the barbed fittings were where most of the problem was. I also believe part of the reason to upgrade was the W.S. (white stuff).
Yes, the 1/4" tubing without barbed fittings works out to about the same as the 3/8" tubing with all the barbed fittings. The inlet side will probably be better with the 3/8" tubing because there's only 4 fittings, but the inlet isn't usually where the problem is. The outlet side has 8 fittings (1 at each end (2), 2 on the flow meter (4), 2 on the control valve (6), & 2 on the check valve (8).
I actually ran mine both ways, and it didn't make any difference between the 1/4" tubing with the push-on fittings, and the 3/8" tubing with the barbed fittings. The things that made the biggest difference were the 3/8" npt low cracking pressure check valve and the Hayward needle valve.
How you place things are important too, but since yours is an inground pool you should have higher suction head at the pump, if your equipment is above the pool level, which helps a lot getting the LQ to flow correctly.
Yes, the 1/4" tubing without barbed fittings works out to about the same as the 3/8" tubing with all the barbed fittings. The inlet side will probably be better with the 3/8" tubing because there's only 4 fittings, but the inlet isn't usually where the problem is. The outlet side has 8 fittings (1 at each end (2), 2 on the flow meter (4), 2 on the control valve (6), & 2 on the check valve (8).
I actually ran mine both ways, and it didn't make any difference between the 1/4" tubing with the push-on fittings, and the 3/8" tubing with the barbed fittings. The things that made the biggest difference were the 3/8" npt low cracking pressure check valve and the Hayward needle valve.
How you place things are important too, but since yours is an inground pool you should have higher suction head at the pump, if your equipment is above the pool level, which helps a lot getting the LQ to flow correctly.
One thing I am missing is how to attach 3/8 line to the floats because it has 1/4” barbs. Sorry I am not able to see any pictures. Thanks