siphon problem

[quietlike]

I just started my set up, and after like an hour or so of just letting it run, my bell siphon stopped working (and my pump started making this wierd noise -its not dirty). Everything seemed ok by looking at it -no blockages, so what should I be looking for to fix it? I dont get why it would just stop working.
As for the pump, Im going to exchange it for a new one.

[JCO]

Welcome to the show....pull up an easy chair, relax and stay awhile. New voices are always a welcome addition to our family..! Whatever questions you have on you mind, this is the place to get the answers so pick a topic of your interest and start your own thread and Enjoy. Please go to your profile and put in the city and state where you live, there may be members close by. Since pump started making a funny sound, maybe it didn't pump enough water to actuate your Bell. See what happens when you get the new pump and we'll go from there. :mrgreen:

[cedarswamp]

Did it stop working at when your bed was full or empty?

[badflash]

If it was cycling and stopped and nothing is plugged up, the flow is probably the issue. Once you get the pump exchanged I'll bet things start working again. If the siphon is built correctly it is almost always too much flow or too little.

[quietlike]

Hey all thanks for the help. I think I screwed up the pump with hydroton dust... Home depot was happy to take it back -I didnt tell them it was making noises. I got a stronger pump. I think the problem is that my siphon's middle part? (the part that sticks up in the middle, inside of the siphon, not the strainer) is 1/2", and it goes into a 1" pvc down into my rez. Sometimes it kicks on, sometimes not. When it doesn't it just trickles down as if the siphon wasn't there.
I also played with turning up the pump, and noticed that it kicked on better when I was filling the beds faster. Once it kicked on, sometimes, after draining, it would break the siphon, other times not. When the pump was going faster, it seemed like the siphon wasn't draining fast enough to compensate for the water coming in. The siphon just wouldn't break.

I'm assuming the real issue is the 1/2" to 1"... would 3/4" to 1" work? Or does it have to be all the same 1" or go from bigger (1") to smaller (1/2") (as opposed to small (1/2")to big (1") in the siphon loop -which is what I have now)? Thanks for the help guys, I'd like some clarification on that pvc sizing before going back to the "depot"
If that is the problem, I dont get why it would work sometimes, and not others. Shouldnt it just never work or always work, since Im not really changing anything?
Also the beds dont drain completely, but mostly. I assume that's how it works, draining to where the siphon break gets to. But I thought I'd ask anyway.

[badflash]

I use a 1" standpipe and a 2" bell. See if that works.

[JCO]

quietlike if you search google, there are avatar maker sites that can help with your avatar issue. :mrgreen:

[badflash]

quietlike if you search google, there are avatar maker sites that can help with your avatar issue. :mrgreen:
If you don't have a photobucket account, get one. They are free. You can upload any image you want to your album and re-size it for your avatar. Check it out.