Sewage pump issue

[FullySprinklered]

Customer had a full sewage tank that would not pump out. Here's what I've done so far.

1. Corrected the vent. There was a Studer vent installed. I removed it and connected the vent properly to a pipe in the wall upstairs.

2. Replaced the check valve. The flipper was broken loose and rattling around in the valve body briefly when the pump is plugged in.

3. Checked the pump operation. Took the check valve loose and assembled several elbows onto the discharge pipe and pointed them into a 5gal bucket. I stabbed the plug into the socket and got a strong flow, filling the bucket in maybe 5 seconds.

4. I snaked out the discharge pipe to check for clogs.

Still doesn't pump. Some slight movement on the surface of the water. Breaker kicks after a while.

Did I miss something?

 

[John Gayewski]

Did you drill a hole between the discharge pipe and the check valve (below the lid)?

Customer had a full sewage tank that would not pump out. Here's what I've done so far.

1. Corrected the vent. There was a Studer vent installed. I removed it and connected the vent properly to a pipe in the wall upstairs.

2. Replaced the check valve. The flipper was broken loose and rattling around in the valve body briefly when the pump is plugged in.

3. Checked the pump operation. Took the check valve loose and assembled several elbows onto the discharge pipe and pointed them into a 5gal bucket. I stabbed the plug into the socket and got a strong flow, filling the bucket in maybe 5 seconds.

4. I snaked out the discharge pipe to check for clogs.

Still doesn't pump. Some slight movement on the surface of the water. Breaker kicks after a while.

Did I miss something?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[FullySprinklered]

That's one thing I didn't check. I assumed the installer did it four years ago when he put the pump in. Might be assuming too much.

I've always done it, but I was never sure exactly what happens if you don't.

 

[John Gayewski]

That's one thing I didn't check. I assumed the installer did it four years ago when he put the pump in. Might be assuming too much.

I've always done it, but I was never sure exactly what happens if you don't.

Just a guess really. I think I read that it can make the pump airlock.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Just a guess really. I think I read that it can make the pump airlock.

I'll swing by there and take a look, thanks.
Will keep you posted.

 

[Jeff H Young]

the pit is mucked out?

 

[FullySprinklered]

I'll swing by there and take a look, thanks.
Will keep you posted.

Discharge pipe was pretty slimey and didn't see a hole. Drilled a new one and that didn't help. I wonder if the pump got weakened from running on too much. Pumped good at floor level, but maybe not so much up 8 feet? Three year old pump, expensive one.

 

[FullySprinklered]

the pit is mucked out?

While I was lying flat on the floor armpit deep in the tank feeling around for my favorite flashlight, I didn't feel any buildup. No brownheads.

 

[John Gayewski]

So water is shooting out of the hole you drilled, but not coming out into the piping?

 

[Jeff H Young]

It runs good testing it in bucket but wont pump out the basin. trips breaker
Line must be completely blocked solid shut or pump is shot. Im not that experianced with pumps but thats my conclusion . I think you said the water moved around a little in basin and after a minute trpped breaker

 

[Reach4]

Clogged output on a submersible pump should not trip the breaker. Current is higher when the pump is pumping a lot of gpm and less when pumping zero gpm.

So I am suspecting bad pump. Running the output back into the pit should maximize current, and I am suspecting the breaker would trip then. Is the breaker the circuit breaker on the breaker panel?

 

[FullySprinklered]

So water is shooting out of the hole you drilled, but not coming out into the piping?

yes

 

[FullySprinklered]

Clogged output on a submersible pump should not trip the breaker. Current is higher when the pump is pumping a lot of gpm and less when pumping zero gpm.

So I am suspecting bad pump. Running the output back into the pit should maximize current, and I am suspecting the breaker would trip then. Is the breaker the circuit breaker on the breaker panel?

yes

 

[FullySprinklered]

It runs good testing it in bucket but wont pump out the basin. trips breaker
Line must be completely blocked solid shut or pump is shot. Im not that experianced with pumps but thats my conclusion . I think you said the water moved around a little in basin and after a minute trpped breaker

more so after drilling the hole

 

[FullySprinklered]

Looks like two votes for a bad pump.

 

[John Gayewski]

Unless the check valve got some glue or something on it and now won't open... if not I guess the pump is bad. That's kind of hard to shallow seeing as you had it going. If it was weak I'd think you would have noticed when you were testing.

Looks like two votes for a bad pump.

 

[Reach4]

Unless the check valve got some glue or something on it and now won't open... if not I guess the pump is bad. That's kind of hard to shallow seeing as you had it going. If it was weak I'd think you would have noticed when you were testing.

But blocked check valve should not have caused the breaker to trip.

 

[John Gayewski]

But blocked check valve should not have caused the breaker to trip.

I can't find where it tripped the breaker. He said he stabbed it in the outlet and it filled a bucket in five seconds. I think the breaker thing got confused.

Unless the breaker really is tripping?

 

[Reach4]

I can't find where it tripped the breaker.

See posts # 1 and #10.

 

[John Gayewski]

A deadheaded pump will often trip the internal breaker on the pump mostly due to heat. But when he pumped it into the bucket it didn't trip the breaker.