Drain Vortex
05-17-2008, 09:15 AM
#1
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Drain Vortex
OK, let'* settle this once and for all. 
I am currently on the opposite side of the equator than most, if not all, of you right now.
We have had this discussion before and never really confirmed it.
The drain vortexes south of the equator rotate counter clockwise
Which direction does your drain rotate. :?:
I am currently on the opposite side of the equator than most, if not all, of you right now.
We have had this discussion before and never really confirmed it.
The drain vortexes south of the equator rotate counter clockwise
Which direction does your drain rotate. :?:
05-17-2008, 10:16 AM
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Ha! The sink goes clockwise but the toilet goes counter clockwise 
Lol which is it :?: :P I think the toilet has to do with the way the jets are designed.
Lol which is it :?: :P I think the toilet has to do with the way the jets are designed.
05-17-2008, 10:20 AM
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Paul, I've checked this out several times in several different homes with the same results every time. I just checked again and still find that my upstairs toilet goes counter- clockwise and the downstairs toilet flushes clockwise.
05-17-2008, 12:21 PM
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You can't trust toilets because they force water in. It could be given direction in a way that is counter-natural. The only way to know is to fill a sink or tub and then yank the drain.
05-17-2008, 01:32 PM
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Any vortex that isn't forced in the Northern Hemisphere SHOULD go clockwise. Toilets are a different matter, because the jets force the vortex.
On that note, all of ours are clockwise. Also, working on a vac truck, when it forms a vortex, it'* clockwise, EXCEPT once when it formed counterclockwise because it was against a pile of mud that forced it to from that way.
EDIT!!!
Sorry, had my directions screwy, reverse all of the above....
On that note, all of ours are clockwise. Also, working on a vac truck, when it forms a vortex, it'* clockwise, EXCEPT once when it formed counterclockwise because it was against a pile of mud that forced it to from that way.
EDIT!!!
Sorry, had my directions screwy, reverse all of the above....
05-17-2008, 01:52 PM
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IT MATTERS NOT!!!!
no matter where you are, the vortex will simply form dependent on which ever way the water moves one way or the other to start with.. even the slightest movement with deside what way it goes.
ITS A MYTH!
no matter where you are, the vortex will simply form dependent on which ever way the water moves one way or the other to start with.. even the slightest movement with deside what way it goes.
ITS A MYTH!
05-17-2008, 02:29 PM
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Myth? Ok, try this. Drain the sink. When a vortex forms, take your finger and spin in the opposite direction till you get a new vortex. Remove your finger. What happens?
05-17-2008, 03:27 PM
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I fully agree that you can't trust toilets because it is induced by the direction the jets come out of the bowl.
I ran very careful experiments and made sure that the water in the two sinks and bathtub I tried it in contained completely stagnant water.
I even tried to induce a pre rotation in both directions. It didn't matter.
Counter Clock wise in the Southern hemisphere.
Before coming down here I was convinced it was a myth.
Now I really want to find out for sure.
So what direction does your Northern hemisphere drain rotate :?:
Googled it and this was the best explanation I found.
So maybe I am wrong on the Southern hemisphere direction. :?
I ran very careful experiments and made sure that the water in the two sinks and bathtub I tried it in contained completely stagnant water.
I even tried to induce a pre rotation in both directions. It didn't matter.
Counter Clock wise in the Southern hemisphere.
Before coming down here I was convinced it was a myth.
Now I really want to find out for sure.
So what direction does your Northern hemisphere drain rotate :?:
Googled it and this was the best explanation I found.
So maybe I am wrong on the Southern hemisphere direction. :?
“All this was demonstrated way back in 1962 by one Ascher Shapiro, a
researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Shapiro
filled a circular tank six feet in diameter and six inches high in
such a way that the water swirled in a clockwise direction. (Remember,
now, that Coriolis forces in the Northern Hemisphere act in a
counterclockwise direction.)”
“Shapiro then covered the tank with a plastic sheet, kept the
temperature constant, and sat down to read comic books or whatever
scientists do while they wait for their experiments to percolate. When
he pulled the plug after an hour or two, the water went down the drain
clockwise, presumably because it still retained some clockwise motion
from filling.”
“On the other hand, if Shapiro pulled the plug after waiting a full 24
hours, the draining water spiraled counterclockwise, indicating that
the motion from filling had subsided enough for the Coriolis effect to
take over. When the plug was pulled after four to five hours, the
water started draining clockwise, then gradually slowed down and
finally started swirling in the opposite direction.”
researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Shapiro
filled a circular tank six feet in diameter and six inches high in
such a way that the water swirled in a clockwise direction. (Remember,
now, that Coriolis forces in the Northern Hemisphere act in a
counterclockwise direction.)”
“Shapiro then covered the tank with a plastic sheet, kept the
temperature constant, and sat down to read comic books or whatever
scientists do while they wait for their experiments to percolate. When
he pulled the plug after an hour or two, the water went down the drain
clockwise, presumably because it still retained some clockwise motion
from filling.”
“On the other hand, if Shapiro pulled the plug after waiting a full 24
hours, the draining water spiraled counterclockwise, indicating that
the motion from filling had subsided enough for the Coriolis effect to
take over. When the plug was pulled after four to five hours, the
water started draining clockwise, then gradually slowed down and
finally started swirling in the opposite direction.”
05-17-2008, 05:57 PM
#10
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