• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Diy spray bar! I need help!

MikeJojo

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2013
Messages
78
Hi

Question is simple but it drives me absolutely mad. I made 4 acrylic spray bars so far. I drilled holes by hand in two of them and using drill stand in last two. All of them have streams of water going sideway. Water goes sideway from every hole at the same angle.

Please is someone here able to explain me what to do so it streams straight?

Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Could it be the burr in the middle of the spray bar?
Just a suggestion as I have never made a DIY spray bar myself.
 
I wouldn't worry about it unless it's causing flow problems
My eheim spraybar does this. Its because of the flow in the spraybar. Burrs can make the water come out at a different angle but if there all spraying in the same direction then i would say its the flow causing it and not the burrs
Is it spraying towards the closed end of the spraybar?
You could try drilling the holes at an angle, it might help but I dont think it will make much, if any difference
My friend made an acrylic spraybar but i didn't pay much attention to the angle, only to see if he'd drilled all the holes inline.
 
Big clown, yes they all at angle towards closed end. I don't know if that will cause any flow issue/ algae but I want to get it right.

Mike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Its the angle of the drill when you drilled it. Make sure the drill is vertical and the holes are on top that your drilling.

I also heated the drill bit before each hole, which means it melts the plastic and doesnt slip on the outside of the spraybar, aswell as preventing a burr on the inside.
 
I used brand new drill at high speed and drilled in absolute slow motion. Can't see any burrs.
 
Using a sharp drill bit and the right speed and feed will stop the burr and the need for

Did it help?

I used a spanking drill bit too :D
Yeah seemed to do the trick. I was hoping any burr created, would melt back into the plastic.
 
Did you work out the hole size you needed in regards to the input, or just randomly choose a hole/drill size?

I calculated hole size and ended up with area of all holes at 92% of hose's area.

Are you certain you had it centred then? Off centre even a millimetre would cause jets at funny angles.

I did my best but would it cause angled stream? It certainly would only stream higher or lower than other holes, right?
 
I calculated hole size and ended up with area of all holes at 92% of hose's area.

:thumbup:

Do you have more tube left? If there are no burrs, correct area and you're convinced they're lined up, I suppose the only thing you can do is give it another go if you want it perfect....but then again you have tried 4 times already??

It's got to be something simple though. I made mine with an old bit using a regular hand held drill and no problems at all. Did you draw a line down the centre of the bar to make sure they're lined up?
 
:thumbup:

Do you have more tube left? If there are no burrs, correct area and you're convinced they're lined up, I suppose the only thing you can do is give it another go if you want it perfect....but then again you have tried 4 times already??

It's got to be something simple though. Did you draw a line down the centre of the bar to make sure they're lined up?

I have one new left and previous spray bar as well. 4 times where only two using drill stand. I did not draw a line and done it by eye. Still does it really matter if one holes is higher than another if you look at the bar ? Not trying to be smart it just streams are angled to the left not up or down... o_O They all angled the same and to be honest when i looked at them they are not all lined up perfectly.

If you wonder if size of the holes causes it hence pressure in spray bar I must say they were at the same angle when I tried bar in bath. Pressure was much lower there.

Still wonder what causes it? :([DOUBLEPOST=1405449859][/DOUBLEPOST]
..I did not draw a line and done it by eye..

Exactly what I've done is I marked line every 4cm on bar and then crossed those looking at the bar from one end kind of like when you shot a rifle way ;)
 
Last edited:
I don't know how to describe it really, but the more you drill off centre, the more you're drilling into the side walls of the bar (looking down on it) so surely this will alter flow and the size of the originally intended hole. The lower pressure is obviously just hiding any flaws.

If I were you, I'd just do exactly what you've done before using the pillar drill/stand BUT don't use your eyes :geek: :lol:

First just draw a line down dead centre and then there's no guess work or random judging involved. All I did was place the bar up against a wall and run a Sharpie (marker pen) down the length. I'm sure there are more technical ways if you have a vice or something but I have limited tools :D

Also see if you can get better than 92%, just so you can rule that out at the same time. One less or one more hole at a different size bit may do it, just try a few more combos anyway.

5th time lucky :thumbup::D
 
If I were you, I'd just do exactly what you've done before using the pillar drill/stand BUT don't use your eyes :geek: :lol:

Won't use it next time, maybe only for looking after what I'm doing. ;) In fact having spray bar in aquarium I'll take time, a lot time doing next one. No cutting corners. :)

Also see if you can get better than 92%, just so you can rule that out at the same time. One less or one more hole at a different size bit may do it, just try a few more combos anyway.

5th time lucky :thumbup::D

Are you saying to match area of the hose? ceg4048 mentioned somewhere if I remember properly it's good to achieve about 80% of hose area.
 
Maybe a stupid question... You mentioned that you used a stand, but did you fix the spraybar? I didn't use a column but I fixed very well the spraybar. Also used a small driller, helps a lot. Also made the holes much smaller than needed and end them by hand, maybe it helps to correct any visible mistake.
Anyway each jet of my spraybar has a slight different direction. I want them to hit the front glass, then the flow moves downwards without any possible control. I wouldn't worry too much as long as you see a more or less uniform rippling on the water surface.

Jordi
 
Jordi I fixed tube in vice but still it didn't help a lot with making all holes lined up. After you drill one hole you must release tube and reposition it again to do next hole..

I can see pretty uniform circular flow but I want to make sure whole width gets the same flow.
 
Are you saying to match area of the hose? ceg4048 mentioned somewhere if I remember properly it's good to achieve about 80% of hose area.

I've always gone by exactly what's exiting, is exactly what's entering, or as close as possible anyway. I've not had any problems so far.

92% isn't something you should be losing sleep about anyway, just sort out getting them all in line at the highest point and you should be fine. Good luck anyway mate :thumbup:

Edit: Just to add, I used the wood drill bits, the ones with a sharp point. Not sure what type you're using. Obviously you can put the point on exactly where your mark is for accuracy.
 
Last edited:
I first draw a line and then drill the holes. Fix the spraybar between two pieces of wood and slide them as one piece. This way the position won't change.... Just a suggestion.

Jordi
 
Back
Top