Three way valve woes!

[Mulchtank]

OK, this was supposed to be very simple. Gotta a tank skid with the BY-pass unloader. Added an OEM float tank and trying to add a three way valve. The instructions and photos from Hydrotek have little relevance to the machine we've got. The unloader has a hose going right back to the 200 gallon tank. When we throw the three way valve to run from the float tank, instead of the big 200 gallon tank, what happens to the by pass unloader hose? Still dump back into the big tank?

Also, can we cut out the 200 gallon tank and run straight from the wall spigot, via the little float tank?

What I really need is a couple photos of someone who has the Hydrotek float tank and three way valve setup. Help!

 

[Christopher]

Why mess with the little float tank if you have a larger tank to pull from?

Run the water from the large tank to filter to pump inlet (bottom on either side or both sides).

On the unloader you have a pressure hose going to burner coil (if you have hot water) or to the hose reel, the softer hose (no pressure hose) will run to the large tank, just put a fitting and connect the hose there. It can be as simple as a hose barb for that size of hose, a stainless steel washer or plastic washer with the hole a little bit larger than the hose barb but smaller than the outside diameter of the hose and a hose clamp for the hose.

You drill a hole in the top or side of the tank near the top about the size of the barb of the hose barb and then from the inside of the tank, you put the hose barb inside the tank with the barbs going through to the outside of the tank.

Next you put the washer on the hose barb against the wall of the tank and then put the hose clamp over the hose and slide the hose onto the barb up against the washer and then tighten the hose clamp.

The washer will keep the hose from going into the tank and the threaded side of the hose barb will keep the barb from going out of the tank so the hose will stay there.

You can use different kinds of hose for the bypass as there is not much pressure on that side of the unloader, I have used regular rubber hose but you can use the clear polybraid hose or ag hose or whatever you have or can find.

Now your unloader is setup to bypass when you let go of the trigger.

If you want to use the float tank then you will have to have the 3 way ball valves on both the inlet of the pump (to choose from buffer tank (large tank) or the little float tank) and then on the bypass of the unloader you will have to have a 3 way ball valve to send the water from the buffer tank (large tank) or to the small little float tank.

If you do this with the 3 way ball valves, it might get confusing and end up flooding the float tank when it is not being used or start filling up the large tank when using the float tank if the valves are not matched up with the other valves as to where the water is coming from and going to.

Good luck.