How to wire sewer ejector pump

[Cord]

Have a remote cabin up north and I have an inspection coming up where I'll need the sewer ejector pump to function. For the record, this place is off grid and the inspector says no electrical permit is required. That said, I'll pay him a fee to come and perform an inspection just to make sure I did things right. The pump is a 2hp 220v grinder pump that is outside of the home. The pump is in a 300 gallon plastic tank. The tank lid is flush with grade. I've never wired up a pump like this so I'm a but confused as to how it's done. Per the instruction manual, there appears to be a junction box where the pump wires and float wires are connected to the service. From what I can find on line, this box would be a 12x12 plastic box and you bring a 2" conduit out of the box and then pull the pump and float wires through the conduit. The wires are then potted to seal the conduit. A electrical plug goes in the box and the pump gets plugged into the outlet so the plug serves as the disconnect. Ok, that all makes sense. What I can't figure out how to bring a conduit from the outlet inside of a box through the tank wall. Anybody ever wire one of these? Pictures would be appreciated!

 

[mrmikey]

Is there no pass thru molded in the tank? Threaded female fitting molded in the tank where you can screw in a nipple. threaded pipe or what have you? In the cover?.............Mike

 

[Cord]

Honestly, I don't remember. I put the tank in 7 years ago and it's 2.5 hours away so I can't check it. The hardware store is an hour away from the cabin so I was hoping to just bring everything with me and then return what I don't need. Looking at the tank cut sheets, I now see a 1.5" SCH 80 pvc pipe grommet in the side opposite the pipe inlet. The fitting is set low and horizontal so I'd have to run a pipe into the bottom of the junction box which would be mounted in the riser. Ok, that makes a little more sense. I presume you just shove the conduit through the grommet. Is there a short length of exposed NM in the 12x12 box before it gets to the outlet enclosure?

 

[mrmikey]

Is there a short length of exposed NM in the 12x12 box before it gets to the outlet enclosure?

Not sure.

I presume you just shove the conduit through the grommet.

Can't see that happening. What would prevent effluent from leaking out or groundwater leaking in? You think it would have to be tight, not just shoved in. I know when they did my daughters septic next door the liquid tank had a pump. The electrical feed was from the side at the top and went thru a fitting that was liquid tight.

 

[PILOON]

One thing for sure is that you want all connections sealed off, potted or otherwise protected as the contents of the sewage is very corrosive and will play havoc with any exposed wire or connectors.

While they often provide plastic junction boxes I also have cut all plugs and soldered my connections using waterproof type shrink sleeves.
The waterproof sleeves contain a hot melt glue that does an excellent job.

 

[Cataclysm]

There should be a fitting on the box with a rubber grommet. You pass the pump cord through the fitting with the grommet on it . Tighten the fitting and the rubber compresses around the pump cord. All wiring should be done in the water proof box ( it will fill with water if the pump quits). So you use wire lugs filled with die-electric compound to seal the connections inside the box.

I've had the die-electric compound filled lugs underwater for days when a pump fails. Zero shorting/grounding out. Never reuse one, always use a new lug.

The electrical service disconnect should be a separate box on a pedestal or on the side of the house and properly labeled, never use a plug in a water filled box. Good way to get dead or get someone else dead.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have done a couple of these in the past. If you have the manuals at home; post pictures of the tank, pump, and control panel. The power through the tank top or side should be a 1/2" or 3/4" threaded connection point. Normally a 220 pump does not use a plug and receptacle disconnect means. Lot of info missing here to provide you with a bill of materials for you project.

Ron

 

[SkeeterFood]

I have done a couple of these in the past. If you have the manuals at home; post pictures of the tank, pump, and control panel. The power through the tank top or side should be a 1/2" or 3/4" threaded connection point. Normally a 220 pump does not use a plug and receptacle disconnect means. Lot of info missing here to provide you with a bill of materials for you project.

Ron

Agreed. Need more info. You mention 300 gallon plastic tank, but that could be meant for potable water, sewage, or for spraying chemicals. And between those types are the different manufacturers. That's kinda like asking for help fixing your lawn mower, without even knowing if it's a rider, push, self-propelled, what brand, etc.

Then there's the grinder pump. Make/model? How will you be powering the pump - solar? Battery bank with converter? Generator? Is your electrical system properly grounded?

What happens when the tank fills - do you take the tank and dump it? Have Roto Rooter come and suck it out? Build a drainfield? Btw, dumping the waste is illegal. Then again, you said it's buried, so no problems there.

What all is going into the tank - just sewage? Bath water? Sink water? Any sump pumps there? If so, where do they get pumped to?

**************

Going by the information given, it makes sense that you "probably" either have a drainfleid set up, like a complete septic system, or that you plan to suck the contents out on occasion. Also, there must be some sort of vent on the tank - otherwise, pressure would build up inside as more and more sewage gets drained into it. So if your tank has no predetermined points for conduit or wiring, then it would make sense to have those access through the top, and have an insulated cover over the tank to also help prevent anyone driving over the thing.

 

[rhunt]

Your pump and float switch come with long rubber cords. Do not shorten them. Leave excess in tank and make sure these cords do not interfere with the floats action. Bob

 

[Cord]

Here is the pump: Dropbox - 998422.pdf Dropbox - A-23 GrinderAutomatic7-6(9-11-8) (1).pdf Looks like the cord ends come bare and the float switch is wired into only one of the hot legs. If I just put a junction box in the tank, then that would simply the installation greatly, but I'll now need a disconnect.

This is the tank: Dropbox - Print - www.akindustries.com_pdf_AK-CATALOG_rev3.pdf It's the round one on page 3. More information is on page 12.

Because power is intermittent, I don't have a control panel. I installed a float gauge in the tank and will have to monitor the water level and then manually turn the pump on. A float switch would shut the pump off. Monitoring the sewage level shouldn't be too difficult because we have to haul the water into the site.

What I think I'll do is put a non-fusible disconnect at the riser and then run a 1.5" pipe down into the tank neck. I'll pull some SOOW or SOW wire through the 1.5" conduit into the tank. Put a 6x6 junction box inside of the tank and make the pump and float connections in this box. The conduit will not make a hard connection to the junction box. I'll run the pump and float wires to the disconnect if I can, but I'm not sure they're long enough. That'll simplify things pretty nicely.

 

[SkeeterFood]

Well, again I have to assume that you have a generator for running the pump when needed. Being off grid could also mean that you've gone with some form of alternative energy solution with a battery bank and converter, but your writings make me feel like this would not apply here.

I have other questions, but not sure exactly what to ask or how as there is still information missing.

I found a video about installing a grinder pump that covers all of the normal aspects. It does not cover temporary electrical connections, so that is what we need to work on here. Should be very easy to figure out that part. The video is here:
Grinder Pump Installation: Installing a 2 Series E/One Grinder Pump Station - YouTube

As for your tank, does it have a riser on it? If so, is it a dual lid design? What I mean by that is, when you take the lid off of your tank, is there another lid inside to make that upper area its own compartment? If not, then you need to have a junction box outside the tank. Haven't found much out there showing the length of wire on the Little Giant A-23, but it appears it should easily be able to come up and out of your tank. If this is the case, then the ideal thing would be to install your junction box on the outside of the tank. Now the question is, is this where you want your disconnect plug, and "why"? I ask "why" for a reason - if you cannot answer that question about every aspect of your operation, then you need to go back to the drawing board and find those answers BEFORE your work begins! As your tank is already installed and you still have questions, it appears you still have "why" questions to figure out......which is what we're trying to help you do here.

 

[kc5dlo]

Why did you select such a big pump? Sounds like a fractional hp 115 volt unit with a piggy back float would have been easier and cheaper.

 

[Cord]

The ejector line is 800' long with a substantial head.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Don't you love those DIYers that get in over their knowledge base. I have tried to help some at the big box stores when the clerks are clueless on how things operate and/or are hampered by policy to not get into code and other perceived liability issues/details. Some are grateful, most have their made up and turn down help. There is enough ready information on the internet that is so often ignored.

Be that as it is may; we still want to help the OP. I under stand a little more of his install now. I assume it is the A1000 tank (that is a lot of sewage to Lay festering till pump starts. There is no indication of how the wiring gets into the tank. The power cord and float switch wiring will all fit into a 3/4" conduit. Probably easy to hole saw for a 3/4 Myers hub with nipple and seal off fitting and run PVC or flex conduit (depending on distance from there to the J box. Lot of ways to do that. I hope the OPs 800 foot run is downhill. Even his choice of pump may not cut a it if all up hill. I would increase the discharge pipe a bunch to over the pipe friction alone. Agree that a grinder pump is proper choice; even they are known to not grind up stuff city folks are used to putting down the drain. As already stated; do not put a junction box inside the tank unless you want to make immersion proof (expensive process). I would still put a high level float switch to give alarm when pump start is needed. Operating float switches get stuff caught on them and do fail as they cycle more often. Why chance an overflowing toilet. Don't forget to vent the tank also.

Remember this is armchair engineering with a half deck of 52 playing cards.

Ron

 

[geteh]

Have a remote cabin up north and I have an inspection coming up where I'll need the sewer ejector pump to function. For the record, this place is off grid and the inspector says no electrical permit is required. That said, I'll pay him a fee to come and perform an inspection just to make sure I did things right. The pump is a 2hp 220v grinder pump that is outside of the home. The pump is in a 300 gallon plastic tank. The tank lid is flush with grade. I've never wired up a pump like this so I'm a but confused as to how it's done. Per the instruction manual, there appears to be a junction box where the pump wires and float wires are connected to the service. From what I can find on line, this box would be a 12x12 plastic box and you bring a 2" conduit out of the box and then pull the pump and float wires through the conduit. The wires are then potted to seal the conduit. A electrical plug goes in the box and the pump gets plugged into the outlet so the plug serves as the disconnect. Ok, that all makes sense Check Our Services. What I can't figure out how to bring a conduit from the outlet inside of a box through the tank wall. Anybody ever wire one of these? Pictures would be appreciated!

When wiring a 120V sewer pump with alarm, how many wires do you need to run?
I guess my question is how many wires for the alarm?

I was asked to quote for wiring one and don't know how the alarm wires. I do know it has to be on a separate circuit from the pump and from what little I know has to be plugged in at the house.

Is it just a single signal wire or what?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have wired hundreds of these. I use the orenco splice block with optional rubber gasket. You can order these with optional amount of wire connectors. Depends on number of floats you use. I usually install 3 floats. Off, run, alarm. But ive installed up to 5 if necessary. Also include one connector for motor wire.

There will be a 1” fitting where you place rubber seal and that is what goes thru tank riser. Than pipe to alarm controllar.


This is what i use.

Splice Kits

Splice Kits

www.rcworst.com

 

[grsthegreat]

There are all sorts of alarm systems systems out there. From basic with no operational controls, to advanced where you can manually run pump if needed without lifting septic cover

 

[grsthegreat]

Seriously… an 800 foot discharge. Ive never seen this length done. Even slightly downhill thats alot to ask of a pump on a solar system. And how many feet is the head distance, that is ti say how far uphill is it lifting before its discharged thru septic field.

In the past we've had ones with a large head distance. We had to install an additional 1000 gal tank 1/2 way up and place an additional pump lift station at that point to continue lift.

They have charts for every size pump. We generally use Zoeller pumps. Have not had great luck with little giant.