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How does it work?
A rubber flapper gasket inside the foot valve swings open and out
of the flow while pumping. When pumping stops, the flapper swings
shut and closes the foot valve. There are no springs. The water
column itself provides the pressure on the flapper, which in turn
seals the valve. A steel disk on each side of the flapper holds
the flapper in the proper position.
How much head does it take to seal?
We recommend a minimum of 4 feet of static head ( a vertical dimension
measured from the pump centerline to the surface of the water source)
in order to properly seal the valve.
How do I attach it?
Sure-Flo foot valves are available in three attachment styles.
The standard valve utilizes a ring gasket and flange to
make a compression seal. These valves are designed to be used
on OD tubing dimensions only and will not fit on IPS pipe
or PVC pipe.
Threaded foot valves have an IPS female thread attachment.
Companion flange foot valves will attach to
any standard 125 pound cast iron flange or schedule 80 PVC
companion flange.
What position should I install it in?
All Sure-Flo foot valves have a hump designed into the body casting.
This hump allows the flapper to get out of the water flow and reduce
friction loss. This hump also locates the flapper hinge area. When
installing the foot valve, it is important that this hump be located
in the uppermost position.
It's hard to pull the suction
line out, is there any way to drain the suction line?
All foot valves, 4& and larger, have a tapped 1/2& FPT
outlet on the side of the valve body. This outlet is plugged with
a 1/2& pipe plug before leaving the factory. A simple method
for draining the suction line is as follows:
Remove the original 1/2& pipe plug.
Replace with a 1/2& NPT X 5/8& garden hose adapter
(available from Sure-Flo)
Attach an inexpensive hose of sufficient length to reach
from the foot valve to the pump.
Tightly place a hose cap on the pump end of the hose and
secure the hose end to or near the pump.
When you need to drain the suction line, remove the hose
cap and place the hose end at the water level. This will allow
the suction line to drain down to the level of the water source.
My water has a lot of debris,
can I get a larger screen?
There are several alternatives to the standard foot valve configuration
which provide greater screening areas.
X Series- 2 inch through 6 inch foot valves are available
in the X series. These valves are outfitted with a larger
diameter seat ring casting, bottom disk casting and a longer
and thicker screen. 1/8& perforations are standard for
this series.
J Series- 4 inch through 10 inch foot valves are available
in the J series. All J series screens are 18& in height
and 13.5& in diameter. This series is also available
in a double decked configuration which provides a screened
height of 36&
XL Series- 6&, 8&, and 10& foot valves are
available in the XL series. The XL screen is 36& in height
and 22.5& in diameter. This is the standard screen for
the 12& foot valve.
Self-cleaning strainers- All Sure-Flo foot valves
can easily be modified to attach to Sure-Flo self-cleaning
strainers.
What options are available?
Standard Sure-Flo foot valves are built with plated or coated steel
nuts and bolts. Stainless steel nuts and bolts are available as
an option.
The standard Sure-Flo foot valve screen is .050& thick with
1/4& perforations. Thicker screens are available for regular
foot valves and are standard for the X and J series. 1/8&,
1/4&, and 1/2& perforations are available for most foot
valves. J series and Xl series are also available with 1& perforations.
In addition, the J series is available with 3/4& perforations.
A stainless steel, 16 gauge, 1/4& perforation
screen is available for the J series only.
How do they work?
A small portion (typically, less than 4%) of the pressurized pump
discharge is returned back to the strainer through suitably sized
hose or piping. This water is distributed to a series of specially
designed internal nozzles. As this water is sprayed outward through
the screen at a designed angle, it continually rotates the screen
and any debris attracted to the strainer is blown off as it passes
in front of the nozzles.
How do I attach it?
The strainer neck is standard PVC pipe, tapped and provided with
a series of stainless steel set screws. If the suction line is aluminum
tube, it can be inserted into the PVC neck and the set screws tightened
to secure it. Since the neck is standard PVC an assorted choice
of PVC fittings (couplers, threaded adapters, companion flanges,
etc.) can be installed to attach the strainer to a wide range of
suction lines. Caution:
To facilitate future servicing of the strainer, never cement an
adapter to the strainer neck. Instead, drill and bolt the fitting
What do I need to make it work?
An outlet on the discharge line from the pump.
A supply line of sufficient size (refer to the strainer
literature) from the pump discharge back to the strainer.
A method of supporting the suction line so that the strainer
is held up off the bottom and is free to rotate.
Why do I need a gate valve on
my discharge line?
A discharge gate valve allows the pump to provide the pressurized
discharge required by the strainer. Without this valve, during the
startup and line filling phase, the strainer could become clogged
and without the pressurized spray, be unable to clean itself. Once
the lines are filled and full pressure is developed, the valve can
be fully opened to allow the desired flow.
How often does it clean?
The strainer is designed to operate continuously during the pumping
cycle. Intermittent cleaning is not recommended.
Can I use a foot valve with it?
Yes, the standard screen on Sure-Flo foot valves is replaced with
a short aluminum stub, which easily inserts into the self-cleaner's
neck and is secured by the stainless set screws.
Should I use a filter on the backwash line?
If the proper precautions are taken during installation (flushing
the pump and supply line) a supply line filter is not required.
Particles which can pass through the self-cleaner's screen are too
small to clog the nozzles. If you do use a supply line filter, be
sure to use a mesh that is larger than the self-cleaner mesh. Otherwise,
the supply filter can quickly clog and fail to provide the self-cleaner
with the pressurized water it requires for proper operation.
How fast does it rotate?
This varies, depending upon operating pressure and the strainer
model. Typical rotation speeds range from 10 to 20 revolutions per
Why does the screen rotate instead
of the spray?
By maintaining a constant direction for the spray, a fairly strong
current away from the strainer is created. Debris blown off the
screen is moved a sufficient distance (20 to 30 feet in many cases)
to prevent being reattracted to the strainer. A rotating spray,
while able to blow off the screen, is too short in duration to move
the debris far enough from the strainer to avoid being reattracted
and therefore requires a natural current to assist in cleaning.
What's the reason for the different
size holes in the center tube?
The graduated hole sizing in the internal tube is the secret to
the Sure-Flo self-cleaning strainer's uniform flow from top to bottom
of the screen. Without the &hotspot&, common with most
other self-cleaners, The Sure-Flo is more resistant to clogging
and easier to clean.
What screen options are available?
The standard screen is a powder epoxy coated, aluminum, .080 thick
with 3/16& perforations. For finer filtration, this screen
can be covered with either an 18 or 32 mesh stainless steel mesh.
A 16 gauge, 316 stainless, perforated screen with .117& perforation
is also available.
How do you determine the rated capacities?
Maximum rated capacities (for single drive models) are based on
a through screen velocity of .5 feet per second. This low rate of
flow reduces debris attraction and is easily cleaned. In conjunction
with the uniform top to bottom attraction, these factors make the
Sure-Flo self-cleaning strainers a great choice for areas with state
or federal regulations, concerned with fish protection. Local requirements
What's the difference between
a regular model and a dual drive model?
For applications with insufficient pressure to operate the strainers,
Sure-Flo created the dual drive series. Identical to the regular
strainer with an additional set of cleaning nozzles located 180
degrees from the primary nozzles. Although these strainers require
more gallons of cleaning water, they can operate at lower pressures.
Since the screen is cleaned twice per revolution, the dual drive
models have become popular for applications in very heavy debris
sources, even when higher pressure is available.
Can I use higher pressures than
those recommended?
Sure-Flo self-cleaning strainers can safely handle pressures much
higher than their required minimum pressure. Generally, the use
of slightly higher pressures will provide improved cleaning action.
Pressures above 70 PSI usually produce no additional benefits and
lead to premature wear.
What if a nozzle gets plugged?
In the unlikely event of a clogged nozzle, access to the inside
of the strainer is simple. Remove the outer circle of nuts from
the bottom of the strainer. Remove the bottom outer plastic disk.
The screen is now easily removed from the strainer.