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Thread: So Happy Birthday to me, let's talk Septic tank pumps

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
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    Lebanon, TN
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    So Happy Birthday to me, let's talk Septic tank pumps

    So yes, it's my 64th birthday today and my plans are to replace my septic tank pump.

    My alarm for my septic tank started going off yesterday, so called a service and had the tanks pumped.

    We determined that the pump had quit, 4 years to the day of the last time the pump was replaced.

    With a quote of $800 to replace it, whether I provide the pump or not, i've decided to replace it myself and am looking to recommendations for a brand of pump.

    With just two of us in the house, and laundry done yesterday, the septic guy estimates we've probably got about a week's window before the tank starts getting full.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Landenberg, Pa
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    We just went through this in September. We had a Goulds Water Technology WE0311M pump installed, 1/3HP, 115V, 10.7 amp model. $1450 installed, and I've seen the pump online for $500-600, plus shipping/tax, so your quote looks pretty consistent with my invoice here. Seems to be working fine so far. Our previous pump appears to have been at least 10 years old, so I guess we did ok on that. I can't say I'd do this job myself, even if I could save a few bucks on a pump sourced myself.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Peshtigo,WI
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    We have a Myers ME40/ME40AG series pump that was installed in 2013 when we had to put in a mound system. Two of us in the house with occasional visits from grandkids. Knock...knock....knock been working great.

    If you put the pump in yourself don't go into the tank or even put your head in the tank. You don't know what the O2 level is and just a few breaths of hydrogen sulfide can kill you.
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Bruette View Post
    If you put the pump in yourself don't go into the tank or even put your head in the tank. You don't know what the O2 level is and just a few breaths of hydrogen sulfide can kill you.
    There are some tasks (like ladders above 10 feet) best hired out.

  5. #5
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    Sorry no help here, but happy birthday. But that's a s***y present.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
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    When I was building spec houses, one of the factors in selecting lots was that no septic pump required. We ended up buying a lake house for a rental that has one. I'm putting another tank downhill from the first one with the pump, that has a backup pump. If the first one stops working, the second will take over, and will pay for itself in not losing a weeks rent from a refund.

    It has a Goulds pump. From experience with well pumps, I'd rate Goulds slightly above Meyers. The pumps can be easily lifted out. They aren't big, but I'm still going to use a front-end loader, when the time comes.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    Sorry no help here, but happy birthday. But that's a s***y present.
    Oh, you just *had to* dump that here.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    NE OH
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    2,612
    FWIW, it's often the switch that fails on these pumps and they can usually be replaced. I have redundant outside sump pumps to drain my foundation drains (no way to drain to daylight) and I replace the switches every couple of years as preventive maintenance. Of course, those pumps aren't covered in $%%@ so it's not an unpleasant job.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Medina Ohio
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    4,513
    Not sure what pump you are talking about. My lift pump in the pit after the leach bed is a Harbor Freight that I have had for 8 years now. If it is the aerator pump I bought one from Septic Solutions a couple years ago

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
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    5,406
    If you have a mound system like I do a pump is required. Mound systems are the norm here because the ground is not suitable for traditional septic systems.

    Up until about 20 years ago everything was a traditional septic system, but since then mound systems are the norm. Many traditional systems have failed and have been replaced with mound systems.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
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    Around here, there are normal drain fields. If the drain field is uphill from the septic tank, there needs to be a separate chamber that only the effluent goes into, to be pumped up to the distribution box at the drain field.

    Here's one way. Sometimes two tanks are used, with the second one for the pump.


  12. #12
    wow that is different than here.

    Bungalow washroom in basement goes into a basin then sewage pump there up to the septic tank pipe from upstairs then oiut the tank. PUt in a Ridgid heavy duty state of art and in three years it pooped out. I took it back and they said you have to keep the electronic sensor clean, so open it up once or twice a year. I stopped short of telling them they were nuts so instead used Logic on them. You have zero of those for sale on the rack which shows they are a fail. Do you think it is smart to put an electronic sensor on a device that is going to get dirty and fail. I was just passed Warranty period over the three years and walked out with a new heavy duty one. They made the right choice.

    the new heavy duty one has the floating ball on it, negative is sometimes it goes up the sump evacuates and it comes down with a bg bang hitting the side of the plastic basin in the floor. We have sewers here now for years and will look into it. The keep putting more homes around here and turning the country into the city. Telling them the ground water was going up they said no its better with all the sump pumps around. Hogwash new homes are four feet higher and the sumps are four feet higher. Put a marble in a cup of coffee and the water has to go somewhere.

    That is a different system there than ive ever seen with a pump at that end it makes total sense

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Peshtigo,WI
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    Around here, there are normal drain fields. If the drain field is uphill from the septic tank, there needs to be a separate chamber that only the effluent goes into, to be pumped up to the distribution box at the drain field.

    Here's one way. Sometimes two tanks are used, with the second one for the pump.

    This is close to what I have except there's a filter in the outlet baffle that needs to be cleaned twice a year. It's easy to do, pull the tank cover then pull the filter and hose it off back into the tank. The filter keeps anything larger than 1/8 inch from going into the pump chamber.

    Wisconsin says every septic system needs to be inspected every 3 years. In order to inspect properly the tank needs to be pumped. Pumper signs notification card from state and you send it back in.

    Pumper told me that when I replace the pump I should put a couple cement bricks in the bottom on the pump "shelf" to raise the pump some and get it out of any sludge in the pump chamber.
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    While Tom's illustration is similar to our system, the septic tank and the pump tank are separate entities. Our system is essentially a sand mound, but it's installed at grade level up on the hill behind our house in the lee of the "mountain" where there was 9+ feet of soil, but not sufficient perk for an old style drain field. Our pump is a hefty 240v unit because it has to work pretty hard to get the liquid up that hill and expressing through the system.

    On the issue at hand, I agree with the comment that the switch and float should be checked if it has not been evaluated. We had ours hang up once a number of years ago and it just needed adjusted to rectify things. And yea, if you can't do the work from outside of the pump tank...hire it out.

    Oh, and happy birthday! I'll be "catching up" to you in a couple of months. LOL
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
    Used to design and install LPP sytems. (LPP = low pressure pumped systems.) On our rental next door, installed a top of the line ($400+) Voller pump in 1991. In 1992, just out side of the year warranty, it bit the dust Replaced it with a $142 Little Giant that is still purring right along. Using a "Sludge Judge," check solids level in tank. When it reaches 35%, it's time to pump. FYI, the Sludge Judge was originally used to check pulp content in apple juice.

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