i ordered my ampmaster today
if i take the 1.5 inch pipe and split it up to 4 1 inch pipes will i lose any gph?(on the return)
i have read conflicting things on this
thanks
Head losses can come from the actual height differences of the inlet and outlets. It can also come from frictional losses in pipe and elbows, "T"'s, "Y"'s, and other fittings.
Fittings add a suprising amount of resistance to flow. They should be minimized, and if possible fittings that higher radius bends and smoother transitios should be chosen. Hard 90 degree bends should be avoided.
The bottom line for pipe sizes is to remember that the fewer bends and fittings the better, and that the head loss in straight pipe is determined by the cross sectional (pi*r^2) area not just the diameter. One inch pipe creates four times the resistance to flow that two inch pipe creates.
So, yes you will lose some. How much is complicated, but reefcentral has a good "horseshoes and handgrenades" calculator
In terms of the pump itself, I have an ampmaster as does a local friend, and we both agree that it is a great low head circulation pump, but performance drops rapidly with the addition of any head.
