Hydroponic Drain

thingiverse

A hydroponic trough drain, suitable for rectangular trough NTF systems (Nutrient Film Technique), is available. This drain can also be used to empty tubs and barrels, featuring a standard 3/4" BSP threaded section, approximately 1" (26mm) in diameter. The naming conventions of these threads are somewhat illogical! A 1/2" (13mm) barb is located at the pointed end for insertion into the drainage tube of matching size. It's beneficial to warm the tube with hot water or sunlight before fitting the barb. Use an appropriate washer from a hardware store, or apply instant gasket on the drain flange before assembly. The nut thread has been enhanced in this updated version. This drain is printed with Diamond Age PLA, which is non-toxic and performs well in hydroponic systems. To ensure smooth operation without leaks, make sure the barb is smooth. If necessary, use a flame or fine grit sandpaper to smoothen it. In case of slackness, wrap PTFE thread seal tape around the barb. For OpenSCAD users starting from scratch, download Dan Kirshner's threads.scad library first and disable the metric example at the beginning (https://github.com/jcrocholl/kossel/blob/master/threads.scad). Unfortunately, this file does not seem to be available on Thingiverse. The drain in the photo was printed using a DiamondMind V2 printer with a 0.45mm nozzle and 0.28mm layer height.