System Failure, Help!

[felixtcat11]

I followed the instructions exactly and the greywater is sitting in the HDPE tubing causing water to back up into the PVC and explode out of the auto vent! Here are the specs:
- 1" PVC from washing machine with auto vent 6" above highest point
- Backflow preventer between 1" PVC and 1" HDPE flat tubing
- 1" HDPE flat tubing runs 50 ft. on flat ground to plants
So, nothing comes out of the end of the line and the water sits in the flat tubing until it gets backed up. At this point, the water has nowhere to go and gushes out of the auto vent!! What did I do wrong? Help!!
Felicia in Pasadena, CA

[oasis]

- 1" PVC from washing machine with auto vent 6" above highest point

I'm assuming your washer is the usual 3-4' above flat ground outside...?

- Backflow preventer between 1" PVC and 1" HDPE flat tubing

Take that out--you only need it if the line slopes up, and it is a likely clog point.

- 1" HDPE flat tubing runs 50 ft. on flat ground to plants
So, nothing comes out of the end of the line and the water sits in the flat tubing until it gets backed up. At this point, the water has nowhere to go and gushes out of the auto vent!! What did I do wrong? Help!!
Felicia in Pasadena, CA

Hmm...water shouldn't go out of the auto vent...pressure must be really building up.

What do you have in the way of outlets? The very end of the line should curl up to a level a foot or two above the flat line, and a foot or two below the auto vent, and be left open, so the water will come out there.

[felixtcat11]

wow, quick response! Here are the answers:
1) washing machine is on a stand and sits appx. 4 ft. above ground level
2) end of the is open and sits about 1 ft. above the line. There area 4 reducing tees before the end (1" reducing to 1/2"). The end also sits about 4' below the auto vent.
Perhaps I should try the following:
- flushing and emptying out the line
- removing backflow preventer and re-connecting tubing to PVC
- manipulating the tubing so it's less flat (man, that flat tubing is hard to manage!)
Any other suggestions?

[oasis]

Felix,

I am a bit baffled by this situation, I have to say. I suspect the answer lies outside of the mental image I've formed thus far.

What is the deal with the flat tubing, for example? Is it the flat tubing from dripworks, that has a kink every two feet? Perhaps that is the issue?

(BTW, I deleted your high efficiency washer post so you could repost it as part of this thread..I doubt that is the problem, as other high efficiency washers seem to be working fine.)

Art

[felixtcat11]

Yes, the flat tubing is from Dripworks :( I've tried to straighten out all of the kinks, but the tube is only 25' long out to the garden and it's a straight line. Do you know of anyone in the Pasadena/Altadena area that can take a look? Thanks!

[oasis]

Felix,

I don't know of anyone down there...I suggest going along the tubing inch by inch and unkinking. Perhaps a crimp tool with bands of the sort shown on our L2L video could be used to prevent kinks from re-forming?

Laura Allen of greywater action is going to be down your way doing a class...perhaps you could get her to come by? you could contact her through her web site.

Art

[cleanwatercomponents]

The 1" flat tubing from dripworks should not be used. It causes to much friction loss and backpressure. Also, get rid of the backflow preventor which is also creating backpressure.