run a new water line or dig a new well?

[quicksandfarmer]

any tips on using that hand drawn map to figure out where the septic field is? Probably can't use metal detectors, or any sensors that Miss Utility uses since the pipes are just plastic...

First step would be to try to locate the septic tank. I would first just look around in the approximate area on the map for a cover. But if it's buried you won't find it that way. If you can find where the sewer line exits the cabin, they usually just go in a straight line to the tank and go basically flat, a quarter inch drop per foot of run.

If you can't follow the pipe out of the cabin, I have a few high-tech hillbilly techniques. With pipes that aren't too deep I have had OK results using this underground wire locator:
Amazon.com: NOYAFA NF-816 Underground Cable Wire Locator Locate Pet Fence Wires, Sprinkler Control Wires, Metal Pipes, Electrical Wires, Telephone Wire, Coax Cablewith Earphone: Computers & Accessories

I run a snake into the pipe and attach the locator to the snake. If the pipe is within a couple feet of the surface the locator will find it.


I've also had OK results with this borescope:
Amazon.com: D-CLICK TM High Quality HD 720P USB Waterproof Hd 6-LED Borescope Endoscope Inspection Tube Camera (HD 100FT (30M)): Industrial & Scientific

It's a camera about the thickness of a ballpoint pen that you connect to your computer. I tape it to a snake and run it into the pipe. It allows you to see where the pipe has turns, from the inside. I use a snake that has marks showing distance so you can calculate the distance to each turn.

Once you know the approximate location you can probe the ground with a metal rod and see if you hit something. The septic tank is usually a big flat piece of concrete a couple of feet down, you'll know it when you find it. Google "septic tank probe" to see the tool designed for finding it. Once you find the tank, find the lid, which will be higher than the rest of the tank, and dig it up. Once you get the lid off you should be able to see where the outlet is, and what direction it goes in. It shouldn't be super deep and you should be able to use the probe to follow it. The map shows the pipes going straight after they leave the tank.

 

[Billrog]

BU Farmer is correct what I thought were lines are arrows I shouldn't be so quick to respond. There may also be a vent stack coming out of the roof to give you an idea where to start looking for the tank , but this doesn't always hold true.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Yes, the vent stack is usually above the location where it exits underground, but mine isn't so i didnt suggest that. I kind of know the area of his cabin, i used to have land south of there.my perc was good for 6 months, so i had a septic system installed, then never built my cabin. Ended up selling the land.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I suspect the tank could be deep because of the deep swale between it and the field. The field should also be in cleared area.

 

[RedTailHawk]

Once the snow completely melts off, I'll start searching. There is nothing above ground, but I know the general area of where it will be. I just want to know specifically where all the pipes are located so I don't bust them when I run a water line from the cabin to the barn.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Cool, definitely don't want to hit those. I use bent coat hangers to locate underground pipes, but there are a couple people on here that swear it can't be done and will argue it to the death.
Good luck, nice area down there.

 

[Cord]

I have a line run to my barn and fed off the house pump. It's about 250' and I used 1.25" poly. My barn is about 20' above the house and over that distance I do see a pretty good pressure drop. It's good enough that I don't see the drop if I fill a 5 gallon bucket, but the flow really slows down if I fill a 55 gallon drum. A second pressure tank at the barn would reduce this tendency. I tapped into my domestic system after the house pressure tank and switch, but before the softener. You could tap in after the softener if you wanted, but you'll see a slight flowing pressure drop. If you will be draining the line in winter, be sure to make provisions for this. Because my barn is higher than the house, I have a drain in the basement that points into the laundry tray. Also, I'd recommend adding a check valve to the line to help protect your domestic system. It would really suck to have a water line break at the house and then back siphon some bacteria from the barn and contaminate your domestic system.

Regarding a prior post on adding a second pump to a well, I don't believe this is possible with a modern drilled well.

 

[RedTailHawk]

though the snow isn't completely gone, I took some pics of the area where I believe the septic system sits...

 

[fishheadbob]

Re: the septic tank. The snow over mine always melts off before the rest of the snow. Also, the grass dies off first over the tank in mid-summer as mine isn't buried very deep.

 

[flusher]

My barn is 300' from the house and is supplied by the house well. Works fine but keep in mind:

1) Any elevation changes affect the pressure at the receiving end. You might neeed a pressure regulator if the shed is downhill.

2) The water moving along the run has a lot of momentum. Make sure you have a surge protector. Otherwise, you may have a pipe or connection burst from the pressure pulse.

3) Make sure you can shut off the water indoors at the house source to the shed. If there is a leak, freeze, cracked pipe or an underground problem, you will be without water at the house, too, until you repair it.

4) If the water table is only 20 - 30 ft down, you could pound a 2" well at the shed and use a lift pump to get the water you need.

5) if you trench a water line from the house, throw a phone line, ethernet and an extra 220v electrical supply in case you need it someday because of who knows what.

I'm going to be adding the second well to my outfit because I don't wat to dig up the supply A THIRD TIME to fix a rock puncture.

It's always a good idea to put electrical wire in a water line trench. Makes it easy to locate the trench when problems arise using an antenna to detect the 60 Hz. Or a tone generator and antenna.

 

[Aquamoose]

I had the same exact dilemma as the OP with regards to running a line to my shop. I took the route of tapping it at the well at the bottom with a street valve right next to it. A 4" black drain pipe was notched & slipped over the valve sitting above a deep gravel pit provided the means to isolate the new line from the rest of the system. It was simply capped with a drain out cap (screwed in) and sat just above ground for easy access. No insulation in the pipe. I did the proper thing by using compression fittings precisely made for the thick 1" poly pipe on each, I was told NOT to use anything else. The insurance is far worth it to have the right brass fittings. In between the shop and the well, I ran two hydrants as well. Of course, with the line sitting 4 ft deep, the opportunity to lay power, cable, data, etc was not lost on me and I took advantage of it HOWEVER I layered them to the right heights. (Water, power, then data) One regret is not running an air line from the garage to the house (it branched off part way to the well which was close to the house)

At the shop end, I went straight up the side of the shop and it was wrapped with electrical tape & insulation before another pipe was placed over it. I live in colder climates so those steps were necessary. Since then, everything worked flawlessly. Perfectly. Absolutely zero issues. Your mileage may vary since there doesn't seem to be a check valve anywhere and this is on a house built in 2006.

 

[CurlyDave]

Sch 40 is the septic line house to tank, and tank to field. Field is west of house, on the other edge of a hill (swale). Swale goes north south. Are you Near loom?

Actually a swale is a valley, not a hill. Frequently water will drain through a swale. I agree with the rest.

 

[Soundguy]

I was thinking he might have ment a ridge with a swale to one side.. who knows. his phone might have helped him out.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Actually a swale is a valley, not a hill. Frequently water will drain through a swale. I agree with the rest.

Right, on the map the swale goes up and down. I sometimes use the word hill (hillside) when I really mean a slope, used the wrong word. Swale is between the tank and the field. Over to the left where the drain field is indicated, there are arrows pointing down that indicates a slope. Also the depths differences indicate the field is on a slope. The picture doesn't resemble the map though.

 

[mapper]

If you dry out in late summer to the point the grass turns brown, look for the green strip in the area you think the drain field is in. It looks like the second leg of the drain field is lower than the first so that when the first leg eventually fails the effluent will then flow into the second, so if it is working as designed their will only be one green strip.

 

[RedTailHawk]

the snow is finally melted away at my cabin, so this weekend when I get out there, I'll take a metal rod and gently probe the areas where I think the septic tank is situated. Then I can use the info on the hand drawn map to start figuring out where the lines run. I'll post my results on Sunday night