Originally Posted By: dconstant This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I inspected a home in the country the other day which had an electric sewage pump in the basement. Two bathroom drains dumped into a common line which then dumped into a sealed tank. Coming out of the tank was a waste line which was sloped upward, exiting the outside wall to the outside, where I believe it went to the septic tank. I assume the pump was in the bottom of this tank as wires when in through a sealed cover. Has anyone ever run across this type of a waste disposal system? What are some things to check as to its proper operation. Any idea of frequency of pumping i.e. every flush? I can’t be in both places at the same time and the house is unoccupied.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Douglas:
Some areas of the country call them effluent pumps. Others call them grinder pumps. They operate with a float much like a sump pump except they can handle solids. You should probably at least check to make sure the thing kicks on. You can usually hear it after you run enough water into it. Most have alarms but the alarms are usually inaccessible and can only be checked by unplugging the pump and letting the effluent tank level raise...risky. So perhaps forget about testing the alarm. Usually the pump and alarm are on different circuits so the alarm functions if the pump circuit trips. This is usually easy to notice and note. A check valve usually exists too and is usually located above the cavity lid or at the discharge end of the pump itself. For obvious reasons the cavity lid should be well sealed for fumes. In some homes most or all fixtures go into one of these systems to get the effluent up to the street or septic system. In these rare cases I would recommend that the owner procure a new pump and have it ready to install in case the current one goes bad on Christmas morning. Plumbers are usually available 24/7 but most don't stock the $400 pump.
Originally Posted By: chorne This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Guys,
In these neck of the woods we call it a sanitary pump/
sanitary crock. Usually these are used because
bathrooms or whatever are in the basement below
the grade of the septic system. Therefore it will pump
up to the system tank or whatever the case may be.
They work good and I inspect that 1st its working,
and check around it to make sure that it is not leaking,
that the pump is operating and the aprox. age of the
pump.
Hope this helps.
Carla
Originally Posted By: dvalley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Jeff,
Excellent Suggestion.
I noticed one of these sewer ejectors without a check valve and definately red flagged this situation.
Also… I let my customers know about the check valve in the sump pump hoses that go up the foundation and to the outside. Without this valve, all the water that just got pumped outside (and is in the line when the pump stops) comes right back in the sump hole.