Searching for: A small light to affix to an outlet/plug to show if juice is flowing.

[Jay Michaels]

I'm hoping someone with a little bit of electricity savvy here might be able to help me out as I am trying to find if there is any little plug-in device that operates in this manner.

I have a septic system that includes a pump because the leach field is uphill from the tanks. The pump resides in the second septic tank -- about 20 feet from the back step of my house. At that tank, there is an access cover, out of which comes the cord for the septic pump that sits in the muck down below. The cord comes up through the access cover and plugs into a short exterior electrical outlet pedestal nearby. It has worked well for years, with one exception.

A few years ago when we had a bitterly cold spell (much like the one we're entering now), the septic system malfunctioned in that the pump was not pumping the fluid up into the field. The pump was functioning (I removed the access cover and disconnected the lift pipe from the pipe connected to the leech field and could test the pump and see it was indeed pumping up, but then when connected to the leech field, it couldn't get anything through). After speaking with a septic guy later, he suspected a portion of (or all of) the leech field froze, leading to the pump being unable to evacuate the tank, though I do not know for certain. Eventually the tank was nearly full to the brim, which triggered an alarm . . . which is when I became aware of the problem. It appeared the pump was running non-stop trying to evacuate the tank, but without success. Fortunately, it did not burn out the pump. I called for assistance from a septic crew, but they wouldn't come out in the bitterly cold and snowy weather. But then, fortunately, a day or two later, while I was still waiting for a repair crew, the weather warmed quite a bit and the problem resolved itself and the pump successfully evacuated the tank into the field...so the crew never came out.

Fast forward a couple of years, and we are now entering into a similarly cold spell, though this one appears on track to last much longer.

What I'd like to find is a simile little plug-in device that I could put between the septic plug and the outlet that would have a light (or some other indicator) on it so that I could see when the pump is running and when it is not - preferably from inside the house if possible. If I could see that the pump is just running for a few minutes a few times an hour or few times a day, I would be able to safely presume it is working as intended; whereas if the light was on full-time (indicating the pump was running nonstop), I might get a heads-up of an impending problem.

It seems someone would make such a device, though I cannot come up with what it might be named, thus I do not know how to search Amazon or elsewhere for it. I do not have a desire to wire up anything intricate myself (particularly in this weather and because I'm not the most electricity-savvy person around); since there is a pedestal there, I'm hoping I can just find something that plugs in at the pedestal?

Any ideas?

[Doug Garson]

Would something like this work?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/PumpSpy-...1000/301296688

[Ed Aumiller]

Get any LED nightlight and use it....

[Frank Pratt]

You don't tell how your float switch is connected. A typical setup is a float that contains a switch resides down hole. It has a cord with a special end that above that plugs into a receptacle for power. That end has male prongs on the side that plugs in the receptacle & female receptacle on the back, which is what the pump plugs into. To connect a pilot light, you need to have a cord that plugs into the float connector & feeds into a weatherproof box with a low power light fixture on it. Another cord feeding out of the light box will then be used to feed the pump.

If you have the type of float switch that is above ground, then you can tie a light into the junction box that the pump cord is connected to.

Pics of your set up would help greatly.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For light to work, it needs to be fed from float switch, just like your pump does. Look carefully at junction box on pump tank, and see if there is a split connection. This means that one leg of the power goes thru float switch, comes back to junction box and is then connected to ejector pump. If so then that's where you splice in a "in service light. "Most likely, due the the corrosive effects of sewer gas, your connections are in the junction box. Plus it should have a "gas tight seal between tank and junction box. Junction box should be a NEMA 4 rated box. FYI, your pump should be elevated off the bottom of the pump tank, which should only contain "black water," no solids. If you have solids in there you need to have both tanks pumped, and an outlet filter installed in septic tank. Used to be in the plumbing business, along with sub surface applicator (pumped septic systems.)

[Charlie Velasquez]

So, the current set up is a pump that has switch, probably a float switch.
The switch loop plugs into an outlet.
The pump power cord comes out of the pump, through the muck, and plugs into the tap on the plug of the switch loop.

Don’t know what the pedestal looks like so a couple of possible solutions. If it is weather protected, you have a clear cover, and enough room (doubtful), get one of these, plug into the switch loop plug, plug the pump into one slot and a night light or any weather proof light on a weather proof extension cord into another.
A2F0C760-FC31-4A97-9CFB-F09C94F31973.jpeg

If not enough room, buy a weather proof box with a clear plastic in use cover, and buy one of these,

D2598CF0-2364-405E-A493-C29CA062BA56.jpeg

Plug it into the switch loop plug, run it up to your empty weatherproof box, plug a light and pump into it.

20’ is not very far, you have power; they make alarms. They attach to the down tube, same as the pump switch. Run it up and into the house.

Edit: I type too slow. I see Bruce already touched on this. Anyway.......

[John K Jordan]

There are lots of options. I use indicator lights like these: https://www.amazon.com/Baomain-AD16-.../dp/B01M8ID2BI
I bought them for both 110v and 220v.
You'd have to wire it into the circuit that is energized when the motor comes on - anyone with electrical experience could do it. You could run a cable and put the indicator light where you want it.

A better option might be adding a simple relay to energize a low voltage line so you can run thin wires and not have to worry about the safety and issues running a length of cable energized to 110 or 220v. There are plenty of low voltage lights available, for example a 12 volt LED light made for a trailer could be perfect. It might even be easy to put low-voltage indicator lights in several places in the house.

But if I lived in the frozen tundra I might think about excavating a bit and adding some way to heat the section that freezes. Or run a new pipe below the frost line. The current installation sounds less than optimal for that climate. (Never heard of that problem around here - the frost line is about 18" and sewer lines and drain fields are deeper than that.)

[Jay Michaels]

You guys rock - I knew this would be the right place to ask.

To give some clarification:
- Fred: Yes, the pump I have (this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057GU9BW/) has a piggyback plug wherein the first plug is the float and then the back of that plug has a receptacle where the pump itself is plugged in. Both of those plugs (connected to one-another) are then plugged into one outlet on an exterior-rated electrical outlet that is installed about a foot or two off the ground in a pedestal like this one (https://www.amazon.com/Gard-N-Post-L...dp/B003O85DEI/). I can see the pedestal from inside the house - it's about 20 feet away.
- Yes - the pump is elevated off the bottom and is positioned in the effluent (black water) tank.

Bruce: So when you say "that is where you splice in an in-service light" -- yes, I believe that is exactly what I want . . . so where do I find an "in-service light"?

What I'd love to have is some way to install some little light in there -- and perhaps right between the float and the pump plugs is the right place -- just enough to give a visual indicator that the pump is drawing juice and running. Then I can get used to what is "normal" (by seeing how often the light is on/off) and I would (hopefully) get a heads-up when something is amiss. (Rather than waiting for the secondary alarm float, which doesn't get triggered until the tank is relatively full).

[Doug Garson]

Did you look at the link I posted? One of the things it can do is create a log of the time and duration of every time your pump runs. The only question may be whether you have WiFi available at the location where the pump is plugged in, you may need to add a WiFi booster. It appears to be plug and play, no splicing wires in. Worth a look.

[Stan Coryell]

The pump spy looks neat.

I would set up an indicator on a current sensing relay or a contactor with a float switch. I understand you are looking for a simple solution.

What about this with a light plugged into it instead of a vacuum?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035YGLZG...FH4T0ABA3MQ9ZE

[Mike Henderson]

Does your pump work on 120 volts or 240 volts?

If your pump works on 120 volts look at this. Plug this into your outlet and plug your pump into the "tool power" outlet. Then plug a 120 volt light into the "Vacuum power" outlet. When your pump turns on, the light will light.

I suspect they make devices like this for 240 volts but I haven't looked.

Mike

[Charlie Velasquez]

You guys rock - I knew this would be the right place to ask.

To give some clarification:
- Fred: Yes, the pump I have (this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057GU9BW/) has a piggyback plug wherein the first plug is the float and then the back of that plug has a receptacle where the pump itself is plugged in. Both of those plugs (connected to one-another) are then plugged into one outlet on an exterior-rated electrical outlet that is installed about a foot or two off the ground in a pedestal like this one (https://www.amazon.com/Gard-N-Post-L...dp/B003O85DEI/). I can see the pedestal from inside the house - it's about 20 feet away.
- Yes - the pump is elevated off the bottom and is positioned in the effluent (black water) tank.

Bruce: So when you say "that is where you splice in an in-service light" -- yes, I believe that is exactly what I want . . . so where do I find an "in-service light"?

What I'd love to have is some way to install some little light in there -- and perhaps right between the float and the pump plugs is the right place -- just enough to give a visual indicator that the pump is drawing juice and running. Then I can get used to what is "normal" (by seeing how often the light is on/off) and I would (hopefully) get a heads-up when something is amiss. (Rather than waiting for the secondary alarm float, which doesn't get triggered until the tank is relatively full).

Jay, what you describe is what Frank and I envisioned. I don’t think you have an integrated switch that has the connections in a junction box on the tank. Instead you have a stand alone switch that plugs into the outlet, and then the pump plugs into the tap on the side of the plug. So you already have the switch location that is accessible. You just need a tap to plug in to your switch cord to give you two outlets, one for the light and one for the pump. The key is to protect it from the weather. Any way to do that would work.

Does your pump work on 120 volts or 240 volts?

If your pump works on 120 volts look at this. Plug this into your outlet and plug your pump into the "tool power" outlet. Then plug a 120 volt light into the "Vacuum power" outlet. When your pump turns on, the light will light.

I suspect they make devices like this for 240 volts but I haven't looked.

Mike

Yes, but he still has to plug that controller into the float switch plug. And in that case the entire controller will be powered by the switch cord, it is redundant.
All he needs then is another place to plug something in to the switch cord; that can be had for $3.

[Kev Williams]

In your first post, you state: The pump was functioning (I removed the access cover and disconnected the lift pipe from the pipe connected to the leech field and could test the pump and see it was indeed pumping up, but then when connected to the leech field, it couldn't get anything through)


So- seems to me that while it would be nice to know if the pump is on/running, wouldn't it be more important to know if the sewage is actually moving?

I'm not sure what would or wouldn't work, but I googled 'sewage flow detector' and there's all kinds of devices that may work, from $5 to $$$$..

[Jim Koepke]

Is there an unused receptacle that will be powered when the pump turns on?

If so this might be the least expensive option > https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...T110/206517828 < $7 at Home Depot and sold at almost every hardware store.

Tester.png

It is for testing outlets for proper connections and ground. If there is power to the outlet at least one of the neon lamps will be lit.

jtk

[Charlie Velasquez]

Is there an unused receptacle that will be powered when the pump turns on?

If so this might be the least expensive option > https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...T110/206517828 < $7 at Home Depot and sold at almost every hardware store.

It is for testing outlets for proper connections and ground. If there is power to the outlet at least one of the neon lamps will be lit.

jtk

And that is the key. If there is an unused receptacle that is powered on when the pump turns on, then anything works; a 98¢ nightlight for example, or a security light on a post fed by an extension cord.

So the easiest solution is a multiple outlet tap that plugs into the single outlet on the switch cord that powers on to activate the pump. At least as to Jay’s plan.
The actual easiest solution is probably an alarm designed for this application as Kev suggested. Then he is protected from not only his freezing conundrum, but any event that causes the water level to rise.