Wondering what size hose everyone prefers to use on the bypass from the unloader and also from my hose reel to the Hudson float valve?
I currently have .75" and 1" and I wasn’t sure if they were too big?
Also, the 2 bulkheads I have - they’re both 1", but one has 1/2" threaded female and the other I believe is .75. Not sure which would be better to use.
3/8 or 1/2, depends on setup a lot of times
Depends on the unloader. Zk1 you can use just about anything. zK7, either get the reducing orifice or run 1/4" and expect your hose to blow off ever few weeks. Pressure trap I have no idea, never ran one.
No need to run through the reel, you’re going to be pulling the hose off the reel anyway or deal with a supply restriction if you don’t.
Final question needs more info. 2 bulkheads? Are you dual feeding from one tank? What’s the pump specs?
I use 1/4in bypass hose, and pressure trapped unloader. In the supply end, I use a camlock on hose end to a camlock end on a 5/8 hose connected to Hudson valve in tank. No reel connection
Pressure trapped you can run whatever bypass hose you want anywhere from 3/8 to 3/4" you’ll be happy… 3/8 on my 5.5 was a little forceful though 1/2 is much better
What?
I will attempt to translate for the mortals here:
You use 1/4” hose for your bypass back to the tank. (That’s tiny, btw. No need for such small hose on a trapped pressure unloader).
On your supply reel/hose, you use camlocks, so you can disconnect your hose from the reel and connect directly to the float valve on the buffer tank.
Correct?
My setup:
Bypass hose is 3/4”. It has a camlock connection so that I can disconnect it when winterizing, and I don’t end up with antifreeze in the bottom of the tank.
Bypass line goes into a 3/4” or 1/2” bulkhead, IIRC. I just used an appropriately sized barb-pipe thread elbow to connect the hose to the threads. I also have an elbow on the inner side of the bulkhead, which directs the flow against the side of the tank to eliminate bubbles.
My supply reel has 1” internals, and I have 1” hose going from the reel to the float valve.
I also have camlocks on all my garden hose, and camlock fittings tee’d into my supply plumbing, so I can do like @redjess and bypass the reel when needed, or even dual feed from two different spigots.
My hudson valve doesn’t have its own bulkhead. I just cut a hole in the tank lid large enough for the neck of the valve to stick up through (I used hose clamps to hold it up). That way the tank fills to the brim before shutting off. Got the idea from @SchertzServicesLLC.
I really need to shoot a video of my plumbing setup someday. It’s a bit much to try and describe in writing.
Yes, the bypass is 1/4in its what i had at the tike and never had a problem, it’s even braided vinyl and ss nipples with one 90deg elbow, and quick comnect on unloaderside. But this is on the 5 5gpm 14hp geardrive.
Hey just curious why you care if a little antifreeze gets in your tank? When I winterize, I drain my tank, run antifreeze through the pump but keep the bypass connected and end up with a tiny bit of it in my tank for the winter. Nothing harmful as far as I know. Just thinking it saves a step and fittings.
I have sort of a minimalist approach to using antifreeze. I gravity drain all my hoses, and just run enough antifreeze to protect the pump and unloader. I like to see it as soon as the antifreeze is running out.
I drain my hoses with air and do the same as you on the pump but probably 2-3 seconds longer…I go until I see it in my tank. I go through maybe three gallons a year. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like winterizing and unwinterizing many times. I try to shoot for an end date of November 1 and start date of April 15. If I had a heated shop I could probably add an extra week or maybe two throughout the year with the sporadically warm days in the spring and fall. How about you?
I dislike winterizing, as well. I have a slightly longer season down here in the southern part of the state; I still had work in the first week of December last year. My first job this year was April 7th, but I could’ve started earlier.
I’ll sometimes tarp the truck and stick a little space heater under it if temps are only going into the high 20’s. I’ve thought about building a hard-topper out of 1.5” rigid foam, but storage would be an issue.
Edit: I think I’m going to build an insulated topper this fall out of 1/2” foil faced poly-iso, and a tarp for an air barrier. Install button snaps around the bottom of my bed, and on the tarp. Figure out a way for the sheets of poly-iso to clip together.
That should keep it safe down to 20° at least. After that, I’ll winterize once and be done for the season.
@Infinity i just spent the past week in your area traveling mostly west of Bratt in the small mountain towns of Jamaica, Stratton, Londonderry, Wilmington, etc. Beautiful country up there! Last time I had been up there was over a decade ago right around Thanksgiving and it was all snow and ice. I don’t know how I’d survive those long, cold, gray winters but I do know that if the weather was like it was this past Monday for most of the year I’d be moving north!
