Fresh Water Treatment Systems ltd.

Header, Valve and Fitting Kit

Headers have several uses in an aeration system and should be included in even the smallest examples.  On an ongoing basis they are important for the dissipation of heat generated by a compressor that may otherwise melt or deform plastic feeder lines or air distribution valves.  In normal operation, a glycerine filled gauge (sold seperately), will read the pressure that the aeration system is operating at.  Pressures will change over time due to the fouling of diffusers from organic sources such as egg masses being laid by aquatic organisms or from inorganic sources such as oxidized metals that have precipitated out of solution in the water onto the diffuser.  Both situations are normal and an increase in pressure on a header’s gauge tells you that cleaning of the diffuser or diffuser line may be required.

header kit pipe fittings

Headers

In old ponds and lakes with thick organic bottom sediments, an increase in operating pressure may also indicate that the sediments are being bio-degraded and that the waterbody’s depth is being restored over time.

Also by briefly partially closing the ball valve on the header an operator of the system can pressure up the compressor to evaluate its condition.  Typically, if the gauge indicates that the compressor can build pressure to twice the normal operating pressure (then the compressor is still serviceable).  If the pressure increase is less than double, the compressor will soon require that rebuild kits be installed as part of normal extended service.

Headers with more than one feeder line will also have ball valves that will allow airflow to be throttled to each line.  Multiple lines usually only come into play in larger lake or reservoir systems that utilize multiple compressors feeding air to a multi-ported air distribution manifold.

There is a trend happening, however, with small systems, to tee in a second short length of feeder line to the shallow edge of the pond for the purpose of keeping a small area of open water in winter ice close to shore for animals to safely drink from.

Thin ice caused by the aeration system’s bubbles circulating heat stored in the water to the surface in deep water can then be clearly marked and isolated with a barrier such as construction fencing or covered with a floating island type bio-filter.  This will greatly reduce risk of mishap by recreational users, live stock or wild animals.

A header is one area where a person may be able to save a few dollars by going to the local hardware store and acquiring good galvanized nipples, tees and brass or bronze ball valves.  Glycerine filled gauges of an appropriate pressure range can be a bit hard to find and air filled gauges will fail prematurely from constant compressor pulsation.  It depends what your time is worth to round up the correct parts.

Assembly Tips

Tools required; pair of side cutters, a small crescent wrench and a small pipe wrench

All threaded parts should have 3 wraps of Teflon tape.

If any gauges are used, never tighten the gauge into the 90° elbow by twisting on the body of the gauge.  They only need to be hand tight, but must be installed with a crescent wrench on the square base below the body and above the threads.  Gauges are ALWAYS mounted vertically to prevent leakage of glycerine.

To tighten the ball valve onto the 3” nipple, torque is only applied to the upstream side of the valve as per the drawing (K to G) to prevent damage to the valve body.

Prior to connecting the ADS tubing to the appropriate insert nipples, approximately 1” of the encapsulated lead ballast is removed from the bottom of the tubing.  This is done carefully with a pair of side cutters.  All insert nipples and plugs are pushed into the appropriate size of tubing with crimp clamps already slid onto the tubing to facilitate crimping the different materials together.  When properly positioned the ear on the crimp clamp is squeezed with a pair of side cutters to secure the insert inside the tubing.

EXCESSIVE FORCE BEYOND HAND TIGHT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY OF ANY COMPONENTS

Kit Includes

header kit pipe fittings

  1. 2  - Plugs (either HDPE or metal)
  2. 2 - MPT X ½“Insert Nipples
  3. 1 - ½” PVC Insert Hose Plug
  4. 2 - ½” HDPE Insert Nipples
  5. 2 - ½” PVC MPT x Insert Nipple
  6. 1 – PVC ½” Insert Nipple
  7. 3 -  3’ x 1/4  Galv. MPT Nipples
  8. 1 - ¼“ Galv. FPT ‘T’
  9. 2 - Galv. ½“ x ¼“ FPT Reducer
  10. 1 - Galv. ¼“ FPT x MPT Elbow
  11. 1 – ¼“ FPT Brass Ball Valve
  12. 1 – Roll of Teflon Tape
  13. 6 – 185 Oetiker clamps
  14. 6 – 210 Oetiker Clamps

 

Option 1

½” Poly pipe to ½” ADS Tubing

Option 2

½” ADS Tubing