Empty a water pipe using fluid transfer pump

[Joehomeowner1]

Have a water line I want to turn off that is a branch of my main system and doesn't have a low point but has a shutoff that I can isolate from the rest of my system. Would there be any downside to using an electric fluid transfer pump to make sure the line is empty? It's a Drummond 1/10 HP Transfer Pump 320 GPH.

 

[John Gayewski]

You want it to pull the water out of a fixture branch? I don't see how this could work without possibly ruining the pump. You need to replace the water with air if your trying to empty it. I guess think of it this way. Dip metal a straw into a glass of water, put your finger over the end and lift it from the glass. Now suck on the end that was in the water.

Without taking your finger off of the other end your just sucking against your finger or in this case you'd be sucking against the closed valve.

Why does the line need to be empty?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[LLigetfa]

There needs to be a way for air to enter the far end of the line and even then, that may not work. What I do is use compressed air to blow out lines.

 

[Reach4]

Have a water line I want to turn off that is a branch of my main system and doesn't have a low point but has a shutoff that I can isolate from the rest of my system. Would there be any downside to using an electric fluid transfer pump to make sure the line is empty? It's a Drummond 1/10 HP Transfer Pump 320 GPH.

That pump is described as "self priming". So I don't think you would hurt the pump. As in any self-priming pump, you would like for it to have drawn water initially.

I agree with the comments of the others regarding air.

I would add that your wet-vac could be useful. How far above your low-spot is your suction place?