HELP!! Lee's Gravel Vac not working.

[WRXchic]

I have a Lee's Gravel Vac, which is same as a python gravel vac that I connect one end to the tap and run tap water to drain the tank's water out.

I barely use it before, because it never works for me. Now I have a 90 gallon tank, there is no way I can just a bucket anymore.

Basically, as long as my tank is higher than my sink, then the water should start drainning, right? My tank is at least 1 ft taller than my kitchen sink. I thought it is because I have to go from living room to kitchen, and there is a 'corner turn'. But that is not the case, and it shouldn't be. I turn on the cold water and have increase the water flow of my sink tap to the max. But there is never enough water pressure to drain water out of the tank. Then I tried to go all the away into my bathroom and put the hose on the floor, still doesn't work.

There is no problem when I fill the tank with the end sink tap, so there is no gravel or anything in the tube..

Anyone has any idea?

My head hurts.... :chair:

[johnsmith]

Here's what I do with my Python (that came out wrong )

Put one end in the bath tub

Close off the gravel vac section and fill it with water from the tank making sure to get all the air out

Put the gravel vac in the tank making sure not to collect any air

Make sure the switch is below the water level then open it

The water begins to drain out into the tub.

The only problem with this method is that the suction isn't strong enough to get out the waste. I use a smaller hose and a bucket for that.

HTH

[vic]

The "height" you are concerned with should be the "height" from the entance to the gravel pickup to the faucet in your sink. You may well not have enough drop to support the syphone. Try putting the gravel pickup just below the surface in the tank. The drop that I have is so small that I can not perform this feat by myself. I have to have the assistane of my best friend (Brenda) to man the faucet while I regulate the level of the pickup. Works fine once I get it started. Will be much better in the summer. The tank water will be going in the flower beads! The next option is to look for an outflow drain that is lower than your kitchen sink. The tub comes to mind. The lenght of the run is not really relevant as long as you have enough drop to maintain the syphone. You may have to do the vacuuming into a pail and the rest of the water change with the "python" into a lower outflow.

Good luck.

[WRXchic]

The "height" you are concerned with should be the "height" from the entance to the gravel pickup to the faucet in your sink. You may well not have enough drop to support the syphone. Try putting the gravel pickup just below the surface in the tank. The drop that I have is so small that I can not perform this feat by myself.....

Thanks for the advise. I tried to turn on the tap, and level the gravel pickup from top to bottom of the tank it still doesn't work.

My tanks is 48" tall and my tank stand is 52" tall, so it is 100" above the floor. It is way taller than my (normal) sink height. There is just not enough suction to pull the water out.

I tried to put the tube on my bathroom floor and use a air pump to at least get the water going, there is still no suction at all.

[pat]

Try put the python in fill mode and fill the hose with water first. Make sure there is no air in the hose, then switch it to siphon mode.

[Mighty Prawn]

This is the kind where the device plugs into a tap, and the water sucks it out. I don't know why it's not working, but I don't think it's height that matters. I have my hose going UPSTAIRS to my upstairs bathroom, and my tank is on the main floor, the sink is a lot higher than my tank, and it sucks up just fine. It works to pick up waste as well, but I don't want to pull off the "claw" part so I do that seperately. I personally think there is something else wrong, because I know mine is not magic, and since I'm dealing with probably 6 feet height difference, it shouldn't be a problem for you. I'd have to see the vac itself, I think it's probably got a hole, or something is not sealed properly somewhere.

-Hideo

[punman]

I agree with Pat. I had a Lee's and took it back thinking defect but I took it home and tried again.

Put claw into tank, submerge it a bit so water fills the claw but don't put it too deep. Put tap end to fill and run a bit of water INTO the tank - maybe 20 seconds, make sure tank does not over flow. While this is happening after 20 seconds, switch blue tap end to "Drain" and turn hot and cold on full blast for 20 seconds -water should start draining and then you can turn off the taps unless you are tryting to drain "up a mountain."

Edited March 14, 2006 by punman

[CRMW]

I don't fill the hose or have to play with the level of the gravel vac to get it to operate & I am using a waterbed pump (Its even the same color os the Lee's) and a 25' garden hose. The only time I have problems draining the tank is when I have air leaks. Make sure the hose washer is in place between the hose and the pump, & the hose connector is tight. Also check the fittings between the pump and the tank for air leaks. The "Python, Lee's, Waterbed pump," does not rely on a syphon for the system to work, and as Mighty Prawn mentioned it will even pull water up a short distance. Don't forget, they were originally designed to empty waterbeds and waterbeds were generally lower than any sink on the same floor. If there are no air leaks, the pump should work unless there is a kink in the pipe.

Other than an air leak, the only other problem area I could see would be the pump itself. If it was either cracked or deffective in some way that may stop it from working. A waterbed kit from wallmart is about $8 or so if my memory serves me and the venturi pumps are the same design as a Lee's or Python.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[HOSStile]

I have a Lee's Gravel Vac, which is same as a python gravel vac that I connect one end to the tap and run tap water to drain the tank's water out.

I barely use it before, because it never works for me. Now I have a 90 gallon tank, there is no way I can just a bucket anymore.

Basically, as long as my tank is higher than my sink, then the water should start drainning, right? My tank is at least 1 ft taller than my kitchen sink. I thought it is because I have to go from living room to kitchen, and there is a 'corner turn'. But that is not the case, and it shouldn't be. I turn on the cold water and have increase the water flow of my sink tap to the max. But there is never enough water pressure to drain water out of the tank. Then I tried to go all the away into my bathroom and put the hose on the floor, still doesn't work.

There is no problem when I fill the tank with the end sink tap, so there is no gravel or anything in the tube..

Anyone has any idea?

My head hurts.... :chair:

You may have a problem that I have seen before.

1. You know the part you twist to open when you put it into suction mode, the blue bell shaped thingy on the bottom.

2. Notice that there are a couple of screws holding this piece onto the rest of the unit.

3. Remove the screws and take the bell shaped piece off.

4. Look through the unit through the end you just took the piece off of.

5. You should see a 1/4 inch hole, if there is no hole or the hole appears to be covered over with plastic, poke the screwdriver through it to open up the hole. It may sound confusing but you will see what I mean when you are there. There is a problem with plastic flashing remaining in the unit, partially blocking the venturi. If you clear that hole you should be able to drain Glenmore reservoir. I will try to find a picture. H

Edited March 14, 2006 by HOSStile

[HOSStile]

Here is another picture

[WRXchic]

I finally got my Lee's gravel vac working, but not easy.

Instead of my kicthen and bathroom on the main floor, I finally tries to connect the hose to the bathroom in the basement. While I am pulling the hose down the stairs, before it hit the toilet in the basement, the water start flowing and drain out, my floor was all wet. (There was water in the hose that I never could get it out before.) Finally the water is drainning out the at a normal flow rate.

Lots of lots of work, when I have to run up and down stair to check on both end of the hose.

It has to be the gravity. My house is a bi-level split. My tank is on the main floor living room. Techincally, my living room is 1 ft above the 'ground' level. I know this doesn't really make sense, but it is true. I am still thinking why.

Then I can't pour water back in to the tank, once again, the water is not flowing. I have to take the hose, attach to my kitchen sink again, and fill the tank.

I start thinking, people living in apartments and not on the main floor. Do they have the same problem?

Or it is just me, living in a 'anti-gravity' house.

[Mighty Prawn]

Read my post. Something is wrong or your house is crazy. I fill up and drain my tank, and my sink is much higher than my tank. My pump is the exact same one as yours, only with 50 feet of hose that just barely reaches my upstairs sink. Maybe the valve near the gravel head is messed up and almost closed.

-Hideo

[HOSStile]

I can if the water pressures good, suck water up to the first floor with mine from the basement, and my house has a water pressure limiter. Thats why I thought the venturi on hers was blocked . What she is doing is siphoning, not drawing the water out.

Edited March 15, 2006 by HOSStile

[WRXchic]

It has to be something to do with my house water pressure. I took the hose apart and put it back to together so many times.

My friend has the exactly same Lee's gravel vac as I do, in fact , we bought them together. His vac works in his house, but when he bring it over, the same thing happened. NO water pressure or draining at all.

I don't know where and how can I increase the water pressure for my house.

[Vapor]

Usually where the main water shut off is. See if it is opened all the way.There is most likely a pressure valve of some sort on the same pipe. Try adjusting this also. Adjusted mine when we first bought our house, have great pressure now.