Septic lift pump

2»

Comments

  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2019 #32
    If the separate pump chamber can't fill fast enough, then at some point, the pump in it will draw in air, greatly reducing its flow rate.  This would cause long run times.   Note that there is very little pressure pushing water from one chamber to another - so flow rate might be low. 

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The flow rate into the pump chamber does seem to be slow, sort of a dribble.  The pump shuts off when the float switch gets low enough though.

    The float itself is a hollow ball on a wire attached to the pump.  Not sure how it works exactly, but assume it has an internal  switch which opens/closes based on the angle of the ball.  It does eventually stop the pump, but I can't say for sure it doesn't suck some air near the low level.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    EST you don’t need a timer , if you have one float switch just shorten the lead wire to about 12” the ball floats turn on off at 45o so you will drop the water level in the tank about 12”  
     We use 3 Floats  a float to turn the pump on , a float to turn the pump off , and a alarm so if your tank is full and the pumps don’t work you will here the buzzer and the red light . 
     1250 gallon tank  with a pump chamber has 2 500 gallon sections and a 250 gallon pump chamber .
     So if you pump down 12” that would be about 35 gallons and you should pump that volume of water @ 3 gallons a minute so 10  minutes  of run time +- 
      What size discharge pipe is coming out of the pump I would think you should have 11/2 main line with 11/4 leach lines .
     leach lines Are designed to run full of fluid  so the leach field get a equal amounts of water. 
      You can only pump the fluid as fast as the holes in the leach lines will let you . 
        You should have a hole in your discharge pipe that will spray down when you pump fluid and let your lines drain in the winter so they don’t Freeze up . 
      This weep hole drains your pipe and relieves   Pressure on your check valve and head on your pump on start up .  John 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    > you should pump that volume of water @ 3 gallons a minute

    But when I look at typical pump specs, they say ~15x that.  A big difference when it comes to efficiency.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    Yes , that’s what I’m getting at , the engineers don’t care about drawing down battery’s or how much power they use . 
    They want there  manifold to run full of fluid for equal  watering of the field . 
      It’s Possible the manifold is very small and is watering slowly . 
     All so it’s easy to get some thing jammed up in the pipe , the piping sits around and gets dropped in the dirt and dragged around the lengths are 20 ‘ it’s hard to see in there 
    The pump would run until the water in the tank went down to the Required level .
     The pump chamber is 6’ tall  the pumps get set up on blocks 4“ and the floats turn on at 3’ And off at 4’ or they get set as far down in the tank as I can reach with out getting in the hole . 
     There should be a pvc union that can be unscrewed to pull the pump up and adjust floats . 
      This check valve works good has a union and you can see it pumping .
       The system is new I’m sure the Installer didn’t Draw a plan on a donut napkin there has to be a paper trail with specs on the system ,a permit would require a plan , board of health requires a plan ? 
      I’m sure the  installer would be more than happy to help you with your system u paid him good money for the work ? 

      After thinking more about your problem i don’t think your field could be  throttle down enough to run for an hour or two .
    If your  leitchfield was clogged you would be swimming in your yard . 
       If you buy pass the check valve and it still not pumping as expected  the check valve is not the problem .
       I think Your leach lines are attached on both ends with tees so if a pipe was clogged in the field you would still get good flow . 
        Soooooo that leaves a bad pump ? Or a rock in the line . 
      Is the pump  220 could you be running on one leg of 120 v ? 
      You could check the pipe with a  electrical snake cut the pipe bend a loop in the end of the snake so it Dosent get hung up on the joints 
     push it in the pipe , it will stop when it hits your field or not ? But if it get jammed up 10’ Out or even 50’ short of the field you will know where the clogg is . 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I like the idea of shortening the float wire.  That might make the dose size more managable.  I have done the 5-10minute roughly hourly thing, and it does seem to help.  It still took most of the day, but actual running time was far less.

    The pump is 120v.

    The installer actually lives off grid himself, so is certainly aware of battery limitations etc.  He has to do what the health people want though, and they don't care.

    I looked up the original paperwork.  Design flow is 1600l/day (~425gal).  Tank is 4320l (~1150gal).  Design soil t-rate is 5, mantle and native soil is 15.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    I well it’s time to pull the pump if it Checks out , there is a stone iamed in you main line .
     Your tank should pump down in 10 minutes or so not all day 
     that’s a good size system .
     What size pipe do you have   ?  
     I have a pipe pinger   , when I run a snake down a pipe I can hook the pinger to the wire and follow it in the yard when it stops you have found the clogg , you could have a drain service come out with a  camera and peek in the pipe 
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The line is, I think, 1 1/2".  I'm not sure what a pipe pinger is.  I could run an electric wire fish tape in the pipe to see if there's a blockage?

    In the city I've had a drain service do the camera thing, but it isn't likely to happen out here.


    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    You should be able to rent a boroscope/sewer cam from someone?

    t
  • wellbuilt
    wellbuilt Solar Expert Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    O sorry , pinger 
     it’s hooks to a wire 
    or in your case the snake and sends a pulce thru the wire that you can fallow with a detector . 
    The gas compony wraps the plastic gas line with wire So they can  locate the line . 
     I have snake a plastic sewer line and fallowed it with a Metal detector or even steal coat hangers 
     like a  divining rod for finding water .  Don’t ask me why the rods cross when you walkover the pipe but they do 😊
    Out back  flex power one  with out back 3648 inverter fm80 charge controler  flex net  mate 16 gc215 battery’s 4425 Watts solar .