Learn from my expensive mistake-sump pump

[tarmy]

Well, after 14 years the old pump stopped pumping...

I am near a lake and must pump the septic effluent away from the edge...so I lift about 40' feet and about 400' horizontal...

Old 1/2 horse worked great(Gould pump)...guy came out and pulled old...put in new...sucked down about 20 gal then nothing...ran and ran...nothing.

Pulled that and put in 3/4 hp...same thing...also replaced all of the alarms, back flow...everything...

Must have a bad line...put in 400' of new line...20 hours of me and two guys and back hoe...

Third pump...nothing...cleaned tank, wet well...nothing...

Well...turns out there are TWO types of lift pumps....those with a grinder...and those without...

Lesson...check carefully if you have a regular pump or grinder pump...the grinder can't lift water much at all...the head I had was too much for the different model...

Couple of three days, couple grand later....

 

[pancho400cid]

Thanks for the info. I have a sump pump that is getting up there in age. Did not know grinders have less lift.

 

[73RR]

...so the 'guy' that installed the new pump didn't compare to the old pump before install?

There is usually a reason for things being the way we find them.

 

[6768rogues]

Was that guy supposed to know what he was doing?

 

[nh_yota]

Most people would think that you need a grinder pump in a pump-up septic tank setup but that's usually not the case. My parents have a similar setup at their lake house put in about 8 years ago with a two-stage 1500 gallon tank, an effluent pump and a leach mound about 20' up and 200' away towards the road. It had to be put in that way so it was far enough from the lake and the drinking water well which is on the lake side of the house.

Grinder pumps or ejector pumps are generally used when the sewage (blackwater) straight out of the house needs to be pumped up to a septic tank or up to the city sewer line, and in such case a sewage pit or ejector pit (like a sump pit) is used to collect and pump up the sewage. In a setup with a pump-up leach field after the septic tank, the sewage from the house flows via gravity into the septic tank where it breaks down into effluent and solids that pile up in the tank. The effluent then either flows into a second stage of the tank or into a separate smaller tank which has a non-grinder effluent pump that pumps it up to the leach field/mound. The effluent pumped up to the leach field usually doesn't have any solid in it, otherwise it would clog up the leach pipes, so a non-grinder pump can be used.

 

[tarmy]

Most people would think that you need a grinder pump in a pump-up septic tank setup but that's usually not the case. My parents have a similar setup at their lake house put in about 8 years ago with a two-stage 1500 gallon tank, an effluent pump and a leach mound about 20' up and 200' away towards the road. It had to be put in that way so it was far enough from the lake and the drinking water well which is on the lake side of the house.

Grinder pumps or ejector pumps are generally used when the sewage (blackwater) straight out of the house needs to be pumped up to a septic tank or up to the city sewer line, and in such case a sewage pit or ejector pit (like a sump pit) is used to collect and pump up the sewage. In a setup with a pump-up leach field after the septic tank, the sewage from the house flows via gravity into the septic tank where it breaks down into effluent and solids that pile up in the tank. The effluent then either flows into a second stage of the tank or into a separate smaller tank which has a non-grinder effluent pump that pumps it up to the leach field/mound. The effluent pumped up to the leach field usually doesn't have any solid in it, otherwise it would clog up the leach pipes, so a non-grinder pump can be used.

Essentially what was going on here...

The guy does this when called...put in alot of them...

The cabins all are older and need the grinder...my system is newish...has the two stage tank by the lake and lifts essentially solid free water...no grinder needed.


The thing to check BEFORE you put in a new pump is the lift curve from the manufacturer...and know what your elevation change is...or the amount of head the pump needs to lift...

I think the installer took for granted the pump would lift enough...thought he was doing me a favor by installing a grinder pump in case the tank let solids into the wet well...

He felt bad...and I am out a couple grand.

The system now has two perfectly good discharge lines...a brand new pump and sytem...and I supported most of the local economy for the last three days...

Oh well...**** happens...

 

[nh_yota]

Did he still charge you for his screw up?

 

[bob15]

The installer screws up and you pay for it? That doesn't sound kosher.........

 

[pstnbly]

Lift and head documents are right in the box the pump comes in. A little research and you can calculate static and dynamic head loss to calculate the "Q" of the pump. Why the installer didn't just replace with the same or equivalent pump is a question, the old pump has a data plate on it. Anyway a sewer ejector pump will pass 2" solids, a grinder pump is generally only needed for heavy effluent conditions.

 

[Waterh20]

Thanks for sharing. It's tough to not assume the installer knows what they're doing. I'll be sure to double check if I run into a situation like this.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[DFB]

I have the same type of system all the bells and whistles its clear water (no solids )that get pumped from the second tank chamber

Overall my system has been trouble pretty free over the last 10 years now but I had one incident where my alarm was like ghosting a very faint alarm sound could be heard back at the box my electrician had put the box with all the connection on ceiling of my tank so down the hole I go turned out when I opened the box it had water in it after I dried it all it out all was good again.

Just 2 weeks ago on Sunday night I came home from my weekend work and walked by the control panel in the garage and pump light was on didn't think twice about it...the next morning I was out in the yard and walked nearby the tank vent and I heard the pump running must have run all night for some reason the low float switch didn't shut it off I went down the tank manually operated the floats by hand on then low level off even high level alarm all seemed to work ok. Did it again last night too though if I manually shut off the running pump switch then reset back to auto it stops.

Now I'm thinking again there may a problem in the junction box once again so back in hole tomorrow after I get back from doc's and will take the box cover off and check those connections again.

Not my most favorite thing to do.

If it does keeps up I may have to replace that float

 

[budmur]

Ashland AGP-200. Grinder with plenty of lift.