jlawso21
Bronze Member
My set up has a box outside with all the start capacitors and contacts, only the power cord going to the pump itself.
effluent pump
- Thread starter 6sunset6
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Egon
Epic Contributor
The weep hole plugging might just be the problem.
Checking start up amp draw might be a way of telling??
Checking start up amp draw might be a way of telling??
PILOON
Super Star Member
At first I had a 3/4 220 and blew it.
I now run a 1/3 with no problems and the lift is 18 ft to the field and it is about 18 years old.
The advise that seems to work is that I have a check valve at the pump outlet in which I was advised to drill a 1/4" or so hole to allow gentle leak down.
A regular check valve would cause a lot of resistance due to the column of water and overheat/burn the pump.
Leaky check valve allows a gentle drainage while no check valve could cause the impeller to reverse direction and an start up during reverse burn the motor OR even unscrew the impeller blade.
The other advise was to mount the pump on a cinder block to keep it raised above the basin floor to prevent ingesting any tough items that could jamb the impeller.
I have 2 installations set up that way with equally long life on both.
As stated the one is 18 ft lift while the other about 25/30 lift with about a 125 uphill run (using 1 1/2 poly pipe) also with the drain down/check valve, this one is barely buried 12" and due to drain down never freezes (even with 25/30 deg minus weather around here..
I now run a 1/3 with no problems and the lift is 18 ft to the field and it is about 18 years old.
The advise that seems to work is that I have a check valve at the pump outlet in which I was advised to drill a 1/4" or so hole to allow gentle leak down.
A regular check valve would cause a lot of resistance due to the column of water and overheat/burn the pump.
Leaky check valve allows a gentle drainage while no check valve could cause the impeller to reverse direction and an start up during reverse burn the motor OR even unscrew the impeller blade.
The other advise was to mount the pump on a cinder block to keep it raised above the basin floor to prevent ingesting any tough items that could jamb the impeller.
I have 2 installations set up that way with equally long life on both.
As stated the one is 18 ft lift while the other about 25/30 lift with about a 125 uphill run (using 1 1/2 poly pipe) also with the drain down/check valve, this one is barely buried 12" and due to drain down never freezes (even with 25/30 deg minus weather around here..
RedNeckRacin
Elite Member
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have you looked at what the actual pump requirements are? How many vertical feet of head are you dealing with and how much of a pipe run? I'm curious about your pump sizing. Liberty pumps has a pump chart on all of their pumps that you can look at and see where you fall on the graphs.
OP
6sunset6
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- NH TC34DA 34HP HST, 2 rear remotes, front diverter, loaded R4's
Here is the end of the story. Don't believe the pump curves especially for cheaper pumps. I am too old to keep going down into 9' deep pump chambers.
Hired a pump guy. Remove the top manhole adapter 1300# replace with 4' diam x 3 foot riser and lid . Install 2 rail mounted 1/2 hp high head pumps with integrated checkvalves. i,e pull the pump from the surface and everything comes out. 3 year warranty on the pumps. New float tower with 3 new floats.
Looks like 4k retail for parts and 4k for labor. I started thinking I could do this myself but then I thought why . Besides my wife gets a sticker on the alarm panel with the pump guys ph no. Something happens to me no issues. Easier to sell the place if it ever comes to that.
Pump guy also said he likes 1/4" weep holes as long as the pumps are big enough.
Hired a pump guy. Remove the top manhole adapter 1300# replace with 4' diam x 3 foot riser and lid . Install 2 rail mounted 1/2 hp high head pumps with integrated checkvalves. i,e pull the pump from the surface and everything comes out. 3 year warranty on the pumps. New float tower with 3 new floats.
Looks like 4k retail for parts and 4k for labor. I started thinking I could do this myself but then I thought why . Besides my wife gets a sticker on the alarm panel with the pump guys ph no. Something happens to me no issues. Easier to sell the place if it ever comes to that.
Pump guy also said he likes 1/4" weep holes as long as the pumps are big enough.
Billrog
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I'm sure you'll be pleased with peace of mind now that it's been dealt with & your wife as well. Good executive decision.
OP
6sunset6
Veteran Member
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- NH TC34DA 34HP HST, 2 rear remotes, front diverter, loaded R4's
pictures
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Should have gotten a 2 ft riser . The top is 10 inches higher than before so the control box is a little low. sit to work on it . We had a lot of roots sneaking down the old manhole between the cast iron and the concrete. That joint was sort of hidden. We are going to leave the backfill as it is so we can see the joint and cut off roots before they fill up the chamber. probably 40 years my guess. Next project is to landscape the thing. Inkberries , I think, they are green all year and a bit dense.
[/ATTACH]Should have gotten a 2 ft riser . The top is 10 inches higher than before so the control box is a little low. sit to work on it . We had a lot of roots sneaking down the old manhole between the cast iron and the concrete. That joint was sort of hidden. We are going to leave the backfill as it is so we can see the joint and cut off roots before they fill up the chamber. probably 40 years my guess. Next project is to landscape the thing. Inkberries , I think, they are green all year and a bit dense.
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Egon
Epic Contributor
There are folks who have gone down into pump chambers and not come out. You made a wise choice.
