Septic pump replace: DIY internal splice box
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- čas přidán 3. 10. 2018
- After moving, one of the first things I did was pay to get the septic tank pumped. Afterwards, I was pleased to discover that my 20 year-old effluent pump looked as though it was on board the Titanic. This video is just a basic overview of what I learned about the system by replacing the pump and its junction box.
-October 2018
*****
UPDATE (November 2022):
The 'new' pump died yesterday. It survived for four years and one month. As I pulled it up, it was a rusty mass of mess that actually had pieces of metal falling off. Because the price of replacement (of a LIBERTY 257 series) had jumped from $141.51 to $210.75, I decided to go with Harbor Freight's comparable submersible effluent pump, a ½HP DRUMMOND, which was $159.99 and seems just as well-built. Time will tell.
As for the splice box, it did a great job. Very little condensate was inside. Some corrosion to the bare copper was evident, and so I was more careful to cover any exposed wiring this time. The silicone plugs did a nice job; I was easily able to pop one out in order to rewire the new pump, and it was then just as simple to replace.
This time, as an experiment, I placed inside of the splice box (on the bottom) a few pieces of scrap copper wire, just to act as a sort of anodic lightning rod. The idea was to have these piece of copper become consumed over time, thus absorbing most of the free ions that would otherwise be available to contribute to the degradation of wiring inside of the box. Note that the splice box is a rather well-sealed environment, making it somewhat of a closed system. Thus, the chemical change occurring to the copper inside is a reaction that can be controlled, and much like any stoichiometry problem, guiding the process(es) taking place becomes a game of recipes, in which we need only to determine the limiting reagent in order to slow degradation. One can bake only so many cookies with five pounds of flour. Again, time will tell. - Jak na to + styl
UPDATE (November 2022):
The 'new' pump died yesterday. It survived for four years and one month. As I pulled it up, it was a rusty mass of mess that actually had pieces of metal falling off. Because the price of replacement (of a LIBERTY 257 series) had jumped from $141.51 to $210.75, I decided to go with Harbor Freight's comparable submersible effluent pump, a ½HP DRUMMOND, which was $159.99 and seems just as well-built. Time will tell.
As for the splice box, it did a great job. Very little condensate was inside. Some corrosion to the bare copper was evident, and so I was more careful to cover any exposed wiring this time. The silicone plugs did a nice job; I was easily able to pop one out in order to rewire the new pump, and it was then just as simple to replace.
This time, as an experiment, I placed inside of the splice box (on the bottom) a few pieces of scrap copper wire, just to act as a sort of anodic lightning rod. The idea was to have these piece of copper become consumed over time, thus absorbing most of the free ions that would otherwise be available to contribute to the degradation of wiring inside of the box. Note that the splice box is a rather well-sealed environment, making it somewhat of a closed system. Thus, the chemical change occurring to the copper inside is a reaction that can be controlled, and much like any stoichiometry problem, guiding the process(es) taking place becomes a game of recipes, in which we need only to determine the limiting reagent in order to slow degradation. One can bake only so many cookies with five pounds of flour. Again, time will tell.
I actually just bought a piece of property with an old septic system, this video was extremely helpful!
@@MojoJojoDIY Thanks, and good luck with the new place. If you're new to this stuff, here are two (related) videos that might help you:
Leach field restore:
czcams.com/video/01FvMcsjiMY/video.html
Well pressure tank:
czcams.com/video/WcENUayicPs/video.html
Thanks, I'll check them out! @@pocket83squared
I'm a Pump Technician and while I dont do anything with sewage I do mess with Sump Pumps quite a bit and also wiring what I need and honestly I dont see anything wrong with what you've done. While I'd do it different with my van stock I would probably do it the same way you did if I had to pay for it myself and find the parts myself. Looks good! Theres 100 different ways to do anything in the pump world!
Pocket83^2 officially has more videos than Pocket83. And i could not be happier
Thanks. I have some more build-ish videos to put out on the second channel soon. It will be a while before I can commit to a main channel vid again.
@@pocket83squared that's great to hear! My son and I are very interested in what seemed to be multiplayer Isopath
That project was totally derailed. You can check the description of the Iso-path videos for the three player instruction sheet, but it's still a work in progress. Player zero has an advantage that I haven't remedied yet, but I have a few ideas.
I just love these random videos of yours.
We will return to our regularly scheduled programming next time-
*with a video about golf balls!*
I have been electrician for awhile.You would fit in this trade quite easy. You are very creative.
That screwdriver trick was awesome! :D
Excellent DIY solution! Those home repairs are a lot of work. Hope things are going well for you. - Danny
I do this for a living.
Everyone wants to splice your wires in a box but the problem is, condensation.
I recommend just using blue wire nuts with silicone inside and securing the wires under the lid.
Can you drill a condensation drain hole in the box ?
gurjinder singh then what good is a box?
Tate O'Connor so no junction box you would just wire nut everything inside there? And let it hang ?
Or butt splices and heat shrink
Excellent McGyvering! Thanks for sharing.
LOVE the cardboard trick!
They to make all plastic "strain relief" connectors for cable but your silicone solution is better than anything I have seen. Great job!
Wow, thanks. The whole time I had the feeling I was settling for something, but I just couldn't trust those strain relief grommets- especially considering their price. The couplers/bushings were 20¢ parts.
While I have you here, would you care to speculate what compound in this environment would turn copper wire to a silver paste? I used a piece to hang something and to test raw Cu's resistance to corrosion, and two days after there were silvery bubbles coating the surface. Ammonia, perhaps?
Really enjoyed the video. Thank you for sharing.
Thx for the video. Trying to copy what you did on septic. Great job.
Even when you "jury rig" something it has a full function quality and is nice looking at the same time. my ideas always look ugly the first time. I like your taking serious the dropping of screws and its impact. painter's tape with it taped to a finger might be safer (can't drop the whole thing). you still make great videos that are also educational.
That corrosion! Its like somebody filled it with ground up soap bars!
Or corn flakes. They're GRR-eat!
Nice upgrade and trick.
Thank you so much. You have given me great ideas. I have a system exactly like yours. My house was built in 2010. The crackpot guy who installed my original pump had a regular interior home electrical outlet mounted to the inside of my tank, located exactly where your junction box is in your tank. The sad part is that the county I live in inspected this crap and signed off on it. My original pump stopped working in 2017. I'm lucky it lasted that long. I replaced the pump myself with one from Home Depot. Since I was in a hurry to get it running again, I replaced the outlet with a new one. I knew using a standard electrical outlet was wrong. However, I thought I would replace it next time and wire it inside a waterproof box. Last week my pump died a terrible death. Something failed on the pump and water got inside the pump. It melted where the plug was connected to the electrical outlet and tripped the circuit breaker. I called electric companies and they wanted $3000.00 just to install a waterproof box and wire it just like you did yours. The electric companies won't touch the pump, so you have to hire a plumber too. The plumber wanted $2500 to pull out the old pump and lower a new pump. There is no way I'm paying $5500.00. So, I just installed the new pump the other day. It's an Everbilt 3/4HP from Home Depot. I temporarily have it plugged into an extension cord that is plugged into an outdoor GFCI outlet. I'm waiting for all the new electrical parts ordered to arrive tomorrow. I plan to use a waterproof junction box and do mine like yours. The total cost for doing it myself is around $600.00. Thanks again for making this helpful video!
Great to hear. It's crazy how much those who _don't_ DIY are willing to pay. Strange thing is, it's never been easier to find out how to do things yourself! Respect to you for replacing your own sewer pump.
As hiring a trade 'expert' becomes increasingly impractical and/or inefficient, and as the acquisition of knowledge becomes increasingly inexpensive, demand may just start to shift the standard of what's respectable. People with dirt under their nails should've been respected the whole time. Our age of entitlement is dwindling.
@@pocket83squared I agree 100%. I remember when I was in High School, back in the 1980's, our teachers would look down on those students who wanted to go to Trade School. These teachers pushed the students to go to big Colleges and Universities. We are now paying the price for this arrogant attitude. We now have a shortage of tradesmen, due to generations of young people being made to feel ashamed of this type of work. In my opinion, big College degrees are overrated. So many people now have College degrees that having one isn't special anymore. I hope future generations will realize the importance of Trade Jobs and look upon them as honorable professions.
@@georgelineberryjr3673 The irony is found in the number of not-so-impressive people who nevertheless hold impressive degrees. As much as I love and respect higher education, most of it is like throwing sand at a person and asking them to catch it.
In the 80's, we were still certain that every social problem could be eradicated through education. Twenty years later, it didn't work, but at least now we can be sure that it will: we just have to get _everyone_ certified as competent!
Nice work!
Nope, wrong video to watch on my lunch break
There's a layer of fats and oils that float to the top of the first tank, effectively sealing in most of the gasses that result during the first stage of decomposition, so it doesn't stink as bad as you might think. Hey, is that salami? Can I have a bite?
🤮🤮🤮
The first problem you have is all the electrical connections are inside the Pumping Station, which is never a good idea. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but I'm in the northeast. As a Septic & Sewer Professional with 20 years of experience, I've repaired and installed close a thousand pumps in my career. As a result, I can tell you in my home state of New Hampshire, we try and make all the electrical connections for both the Pump and the Pump Alarm external of the Pumping Station or Pump Chamber. In other words, by using a pressure treated 4x4 or 4x6 to mount a Weatherproof or Waterproof Electrical Junction Box, it gives you place to attach the Electrical Conduit, and allows for easy access above ground. Here in New England, that's really important, because it's not uncommon for us to have 3 feet of snow on the ground. Keep in mind, in the middle of the winter, you need to be able to get to all the electrical connections without having to dig up the Pumping Station to access the wiring. Besides, "higher is drier" and keeping the electrical connections outside of the Pump Station keeps them away from corrosive gasses as well. By the way, you left way too much "swing" in the Alarm Float cable, because the Alarm Float wire only needs a few inches of play, and the height or elevation of the Alarm Float is dictated by the depth of the Pump Chamber and the elevation of the Inlet Pipe that allows the water to flow into this compartment or chamber. To be clear, you don't want the Pumping Station to get to the point where the water backs up into the Septic Tank, or worse, backs up into the house, before the Pump Alarm goes off. Believe me, that can happen if the Alarm Float isn't installed correctly. Ideally, when the Pump Alarm is activated, you still want some storage capacity left inside the Pump Station, which is why it's always a good idea, to have a larger Pump Station or Pump Chamber than you think you'll need. I never like to see anything less than 500 gallons, but sad to say, I've seen lots of 200 and 300 gallon Pumping Stations. In my experience bigger is better, and 1,000 GALLONS is better, because the pump won't have to run or cycle as often, which is better for the pump, and it minimizes the number of times a day the leachfield or drainfield gets water. Lastly, although silicone caulking works to seal the electrical box, I recommend Duck Seal and waterproof or weatherproof wire nuts instead of using electrical tape. However, you were very creative, and I'm sure what you did will work.
An external housing for the electrical stuff would be a nice addition. Perhaps in the future. I'd have to figure out a way to pull it off without having another unsightly object in the yard, so an above-ground junction box is out of the question. But this repair was done as soon as I had moved in, and I really just needed it to be functional and reliable. Two years, no problems. Just had it pumped.
As for the alarm float, it will signal before anything would spill back into the first tank. Back up into the house is highly improbable, given the amount of fall.
Good work
Was I the only one disappointed to see pocket use a screwdriver that wasn't the pocket™ golf ball one?
Looks like a clean repair to me.
Really? Great. Thanks.
Wow, that corrosion at the beginning was amazing. I’ve seen some nasty cabinets (ok, perhaps you wouldn’t call that a cabinet per se) but nothing like that.
I’m surprised the box is on the inside of the tank itself, you can put it on the outside I believe, it’s been years since I did anything with a septic system, but I believe around here it’s set up on the outside of the tank, it bypasses the problem of corrosion, well, from the tank anyways.....I think, but I’m fairly certain about that. also, make sure you get your hepatitis shots! Lol
most boxes ive seen are still all in the tank. but still in training and hvnt seen alot of tanks yet.
But everyone hates having a junction box out on a post in the yard
Thank you for being you.
Thank you for thanking me for being me. But I didn't really do anything to be me. I was just kind of born this way.
Hey, thanks for standing up for me in the comments of your last video. I was feeling really unwell, and that thread made my day! 😂 Go to sleep little baby... 😂😂😂
I'm as cheap as the next guy, but any problem involving sewage is a problem I pay cash money to let someone else solve.
Moo
It’s not even about the money; it’s about being able to fix it when the alarm goes off at 10 at night. I can’t do my refrigerant on my house (R-22) and I can’t pull my deep well pump. All the other pumps and motors and control mechanisms it’s all mine to play with
thats where i come in racking in that cash ;)
Good times. Man, the old stuff was beyond corroded.
Good times! Indeed, now that it's past tense! lol. That job sucked. I'm more of a fix-it-with-wood type of guy.
I'll be laying a plastic sheet to catch anything that drops and to isolate odors, gasses, etc. while removing the waterproof junction box lid screws but the cardboard dodge is very helpful thanks. Appreciate your effort.
Would love to see how this looks in a year or so. Moist environments are always a pain. Thanks for the vid.
I'm also curious. It seems like there's no way to tell just how old the last one was. I'm hoping for a decade, but expecting it to last for about 60% of that.
Nice!!!!
this is great, im totally stealing that screw trick. knowing me though, if i dont drop something while working like that, its probsbly because I fell in
I’m a third year apprentice looking at this to learn more so I can trouble shoot a little before plumber comes but you should have more secure connectors to box or conduit straight to box and learning about everything else .
Third year electrician excuse me, and thanks for showing from home owner view can’t wait til I own.
That was actually really interesting! All of the septic systems here are gravity systems. Wastewater drains from the house into the tank outside (usually around 4' away from the house, buried about 1-2' deep). It's a single large tank with two chambers inside which separates the solids from the liquid, and the liquid feeds into a tile bed. Inside the tank are specific bacteria that break the solids down, so it doesn't need to be cleaned out for 6 years or so, on average.
How strict are the regulations in your county? Every system here in all of Ontario needs to be inspected and approved. I'm not sure your solution would pass inspection, at least not here. Which isn't to say that anything you did was wrong, in fact, I'm impressed with how thorough of a job you did! Which, really, shoudn't surprise me in any way, lol
I'm glad the smell doesn't translate through video. Elegant solution. I bet if you redo the silicone every 10 yrs. the wiring will last 40.
When life gets you down, at least remember you're not a septic tank pump.
love it
Hey atleast it had a riser and you didn’t have to dig it out 3 foot in the ground like mine 😆. My power feed was just a handy box with a receptacle in that sat in a plastic box that was flush to the ground with no lid(probably chewed up by a mower long ago. Recep was completely burned up.
An inspection probably would have never seen that issue. Many inspections do not go too deep unless you pay BIG COIN for them. I waived my inspections also but the house i was buying was the house i lived in 7 years prior so i knew what i was getting.
Home inspections can be great for reminding you about that leaky faucet, or for telling you to add joist hangers to that little porch that's only 12" from the ground. [True story.]
From a licensed electrician: nice work.FYI, there is silicone available for underground splices that contains no vulcanizing agents so it remains, uh, raw and has no corrosive effect on the conductors. It sucks when you inevitably get it all over your fingers, though, so wear gloves or you’ll be dropping tools for the rest of the day.
I’m going to throw a curve ball at you and suggest that you drill a pair of small (1/16” or so) holes on the bottom side of that box. One certainty I’ve learned about below grade junction boxes is that water will always, ALWAYS find a way in so the best thing to do is provide a way out. A couple of small holes on the bottom of an otherwise “sealed” box will permit drainage without allowing insect infiltration.
Thanks! I really went back and forth on the weep-hole thing. Since I can't undrill the holes, I decided to try it sealed at first and check on it periodically. The gasses from the tank are really corrosive. I'm also just really curious what will happen.
I am also a licensed electrician, and I would agree on the weep holes. One of the first things I learned on installing a house service entrance was from an old timer saying to drill 2 holes in the underside of the PVC LB for water to escape and pack the wire entrance with duct seal, because yes moisture can get anywhere. Those boxes I believe are rated for "wet location" also but I'm not sure. Here is a good reference for those PVC boxes and what IP rating they have and what that means: www.ipexna.com/media/5590/scepter-jbox-technical-catalogue.pdf
Put some Scotchkote Electrical Coating on your tapped twist connectors. It works great in wet environments.
Who is like me kinda disappointed? I was expecting the "troll Pocket" would fasten his camera to a solid thread, and by the end of the video scare the s*** out of us by "accidentally dropping the camera
jokes aside, the screwdriver trick is brilliant thanks!!!
Nice
Self-amalgamating (or is it vulkanizing?) tape is great for sealing wire connections. It's not that expensive and I assure you lasts 10 times more under the elements than duct tape. Just a tip..
And only for a moment.
Everything looks perfectly fine, and congratulations for tackleing this yourself! The check valve after your pump would be my only concern. Did the original setup include that? I like to see the line between the pump tank and drainfield drain back completely so that it cant freeze solid in winter. Maybe not a concern for PA winters? Liberty pumps are the way to go. We always used the model 283 1/2 hp pumps in our systems. It is nice to have the wire conections in a box outside the tank for troubleshooting down the road, but now i'm just looking for something to pick on :). As far as making your mound last, dont go crazy with soap or antibacterial cleaners (such as tablets that treat the water in your toilet tank). Water softener discharge and sump pumps should also not go into the septic, ideally. Having a filter between the settling tank and pump tank is also a good idea, but you will be fine ss long as you pump your tank regularly. We tell people to pump it every 3 years (or when the filter keeps clogging) in the hope that they will rememper every 5 or 6 years.
What he said. Have to have a check valve. It is a valuable and necessary component of the system. Check, please.
I would love to have seen how you wired everything up.
Nice job, I think the only thing I would have done differently would be to pull the box out of the hole and mount it above ground. But that would have been a lot of work, and would be ugly and the last one lasted a long time anyways.
i'm sure that was interesting but i couldn't take staring at the solids layer of a septic tank for 10 minutes. if i ever have the unenviable task to have to deal with one of these systems i'll come back :)
Did you pay to clear out the goodies out the tank or did you just run pump and get it all out yourself?
I can share with you, that in a sewage tank, using clear silicone does not work. It is not airtight as you would believe, the toxic gases can pass through. I also tried using 2 part epoxy filling the splices pushed into a pvc pipe much like those sold similarly. Even that failed. I've a Myers 2 hp 240v pump, in a tank much like yours, except it's a grinder pump. All my attempts eventually failed, even the SO cord eventually failed in a random spot, so it's a high degree of difficulty in any case. The UL-listed individual splice devices consisting of a wire nut and a tube filled with some sort of nonhardening silicone the joint is pushed down into, ought to work. I am replacing my Myers pump originally installed in 1992 today, so it's served its mission. The tank is like 14 feet to the bottom, so I need to splice similarly to what you are doing.
Looks good to me..
Did you do a follow up video with deck fail?
Did you have to have the town or health department do an inspection or get a permit?
Was there a washer between the box and the lid? If not I might add some additional silicone around the edge as a moisture barrier.
You could also pack if full of those descant packs that get sent in every box and anything.
It had a gasket. I believe "crystal" kitty litter is the same type of desiccant you are describing. Maybe I should pack it full ;)
Great vid. Loving seeing your journey. Question about the effluent motor. Does the mercury switch activate the pump for a minimum length of time or is it solely governed by the mercury switch? Very interesting to think about optimal levels of the waste water you would want to achieve. If I had to guess... (I have done no reading whatsoever) I'd guess you would want to get to about 2/3 full and pump to 1/3 full with the alarm you mentioned to go off at 3/4 full?
I laughed out loud at your casual comments about there being no problem with the pump/junction box in the state they were in!
Whoa, hold on. The mercury switch only turns on an alarm in the house. It does that when the pump has failed. The pump has its own little float on the side of it, so the pump's float goes off way before the mercury float does.
Ideally, if everything is working, you want the water level to remain between the bottom of the pump and the top of the pump's float.
I see. Thanks for the explanation!
What if carton behind the screws rots and the lid loosens, water will get in right? Or did you make sure to remove all the carton?
Yes, I removed it.
We used to call raised leach beds "turkey mounds"
Why? But strangely enough, there *is* a flock that hangs around on there quite often. Maybe they like being on a mound?
You have a generator for the winter blackouts or not. Will the water runoff by itself?
1) No. 2) Apparently, since the pump doesn't seem to have worked in years. I don't know if there's a gravity-fed overflow, or what. Maybe I should lower you (the camera) down to have a look around!
I have question. How high does the black water get in the tank before it kicks on, and how low does it get before it kicks off. THx.
The pump has a float on it, which is on a slide that moves +/- around six inches. When the float hits the top, it kicks on and it pumps until the float hits the bottom again. The other float in the tank goes to an alarm inside the house, and it just tells me if the pump has stopped working.
If you have any other questions, please ask. I did this over a year ago and it's still going strong. Saved lots of money. I used a Liberty pump, which was the highest rated one on Amazon.
Why is this Liquid tank necessary? can the liquid from the primary " solid collecting" chamber feed the leaching bed directly and passively? of course it needs to be downstream so that they could flow by gravity. what am I missing here?
That's kind of a long question to answer, since there are a million different ways that you could design a system. In general, this one separates the solid from the liquid to make it easier to pump. Even with a second tank, there are still some things in the effluent that aren't perfectly fluid, and if you pump that stuff up and into your dispersion field, it will eventually clog and disperse less effectively.
When the tanks are pumped, the second tank isn't just gray water; there's plenty of sludge, sediment, and leaves along the walls and in the corners, not to mention some solidified fats/oils, mineral depositions, soap build-ups, and the various forms of life that start to establish biomass. I'm no expert, but my gut reaction to looking over this type of system so closely for the first time was that a third tank would make it work even better.
As for having a gravity fed, passive leach field with no pump, I'm with you there. But (as with anything) there are reasons for this approach, if you go looking for them.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Around here we call these "alternative systems". At least your home has the system. A family member of mine waved hers and it turns out she has a standard system that basically doesn't work. To build out a system like this on top of what she has could easily be 20 grand.
On your wiring connections be careful to use a "neutral" silicone and not one containing "acetic" it will quickly corrode copper. I learned this the hard way.
I believe all silicone caulkings will release acetic acid during their cure. That's just the chemistry way to say _vinegar,_ thus the smell. I did a test first to see if it would have any affect on raw copper wire: it didn't. The caustic environment of the dosing tank is a different story, however.
Can you elaborate on what silicone did the copper in your case?
I believe it was Dap brand 100% silicone. I made a splice excatly the way you did. I was installing low voltage landscape lighting for a customer. I was back that same season to remake the connection. I didn't realize it was the caulk until later... I was researching another project (caulking/attaching copper sink). I used acrylic for that.
I had coaxial cable splices filled with generic silicone, then wrapped tightly with PVC tape, same day before proper curing time. Bare copper RG-8. Dismantling after 10 years, green copper oxide has crept maybe 10 feet in the sheath. Looked real ugly, but I had not noticed signal loss on short wave. My guess is no harm at all for direct current.
Since then I've left silicon to cure for months (or forever) before taping over and have not noticed ANY effect on copper, be it bare, tinned or silvered. Maybe the silicone was angrier 30 years ago.
@@pocket83squared I can tell you they make a silicone that doesn't contain acetic acid, which is the problem you wish to avoid, as I had to use it in my airplane construction (titan mustang) where the outer skins are riveted and siliconed to the frame per the plans. What I also found, is that type caulk can be received in a bad batch for whatever reason, and it never cures. I threw away 3 or 4 full tubes. I also found years ago that sewer gases passed through the silicone sealant, so I'm going with the UL-listed wire nuts sunk into grease filled tubes.
Btw, if you haven’t, I’d recommend you check out lever nuts. Incredible versus traditional wire nuts.
Is there no gasket/seal on the front door?
Yes, it's in there.
OMG - who thought that was a good idea to put that power boxI NSIDE? I would move that box above ground in a weather proof box asap, or the problems will continue. I just went through this myself … I know the box you installed is “waterproof”, but trust me the water will find its way in.
The pump just went bad about a week back. I had to go inside of my box to replace/rewire, and it looked great. Trust me, if you add a seep-hole, you're just asking for condensed water and (faster) chemical degradation of the wiring.
@@pocket83squared glad to hear that’s working for you. The amount of condensation inside a septic tank is hard to believe until you’ve worked on one and seen the horror inside … 😮
Can you show the diagram on how you hooked up the wires
That's not likely to help you. Is there something that you're confused about?
My lift pump is 25 years old. The float switch was replaced 10 years ago and has been working up until about a week or so ago when I noticed my toilet starting to flush a little slow. I pulled the cover tonight and it was full. Probably time for a new pump. It lasted 25 years so that was $600 well spent 25 years ago.
That was a good run for a pump. Brace yourself now, because I feel pretty confident that pumps are no longer the build quality that they still were in the late 90's. The pump featured in this video has already been replaced. That said, I think the well-water here is also a bit acidic. Also note that pumps are now comparatively much less expensive.
After some frustrating price shopping, I ended up buying a replacement at Harbor Freight of all places, since they are kept in stock and cheap. It's a strange time now that we're being pressured into buying throwaway consumer goods.
@@pocket83squared Turns out the pump is still going strong. The pipe connecting to the field bed had a broken elbow.
@@DrD6452 Ha! Nice. As long as there isn't too much digging. Good luck.
Suppose it's too late to suggest drilling a drain hole in the bottom corner of that housing, isn't it?
I’m assuming You must of had to cut the plug ends off the pump wires to feed them into the box??
Yes. I'm not quite sure why that was even on there. Perhaps if you were to use the pump inside, as with a sump? For a septic tank, it's best to cut off the plug-end and wire the pump directly. There's no room for a receptacle in such an environment; eliminate anything that's unnecessary.
@@pocket83squared thanks- I think that it seems better to hard wire everything inside a sealed box instead of having an outlet inside the tank that could easily invite corrosion over time..thanks for
Posting and replying-
why not run the wires outside the tank and do the connections there? honest question.
You'll get an honest answer! Part of me likes the idea, but it gets shot down for three overlapping reasons. 1) Doing so requires an additional box, which is both an additional expense and an additional thing in the yard. 2) Doing so would require a considerable amount of my time and work. And, 3) having the splice box inside keeps it all neatly together and under one stone for convenience.
Also note that the degradation to the wiring inside of the splice box happens at nowhere near the rate of degradation to the pump itself, so the splice box gets cleaned and re-caulked with every new pump. Last time I did it (four years after this video), the wiring inside was still clean enough, but the pump looked as though it had been thrown astern a Spanish Galleon.
Pocket septics 101
@2:51.... your silhouette, reflected in poop! ;-)
Actually this is interesting, as I grew up in the country and our septic was all gravity fed. Never seen a system that uses a pump.
I knew he had ears!
A new image for the DIY Guess Who game
Did you have to worry about gases?
Corrosive gasses? Yes. Toxic gasses? Yes, but no. At least, not any that I'm concerned with given small exposures. Before going into anything underground, one should be aware of 1) methane, of course. But my septic tank doesn't have a very large volume, so its air concentration will dissipate rather quickly with two open manholes. 2) Hydrogen sulfide is stinky enough that you won't want to breathe it. 3) Bacteriological hazards are reason enough _not_ bite your fingernails while doing septic tank maintenance, and certainly wash your hands and tools following the service. Bacteria can also be airborne, and density matters, so yes, that's also a potential concern, and another reason not to breathe in smelly air.
Consider that my exposure here is limited to the occasional head-in-the-hole look around (while holding my breath), and the periodic pump swap; it's not as though I go inside the tank to sit down for a game of Chess. If you DO need to go inside, do some reading first and get a device to check for the appropriate air-quality concerns. Worst case scenario, you'll end up renting a negative-air machine. At bare minimum, I wouldn't 't go in one without first cleaning out the tanks and opening all the hatches, next running a box fan, and then waiting for an hour or so. Oh, and remember to eat your PB&J sandwich _outside_ the septic tank, eh?
I agree, couldnt see your issue at all lol
!your stock is rising Mr. pocket83²
Great video! What kind of pump/model are you using?
Thanks!
It's a "Liberty" brand, but I'll have to look for the model number. It was the highest rated one on Amazon.
www.amazon.com/Liberty-Pumps-257-Discharge-Submersible/dp/B001PTT5JM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=PXQUMTNLU7LK&keywords=liberty+pump+model+257&qid=1571378186&sprefix=liberty+pump+model+257%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-2
Why does the system have an alarm? Is that to protect against sewerage thieves?
Nobody wants to steal my shit. It's the _pump_ that you have to protect from somebody running off with. As soon as they are able to throw the pump up to the ground, I'll be out there in my boots and boxers with a shotgun. Damned kids. Always lookin' fer a handout, but no free pumps at my place.
In case someone were serious, the alarm Is for high levels indicating a power or pump failure that may eventually result in your semi treated sewage forming a lake in your yard. It’s easier to reset a breaker or unplug or replace a pump when you’re not in a field or sewage that you have to had pumped out. When you hit the point where there’s no flushing or drains it’s a biblical catastrophe to the wife, kids and relatives. Sump pumps are pretty reliable but GFCIs do trip and breakers fail. Any heads up helps a lot.
Would have been nice if you actually explained the wiring..
It took me a good 5 seconds to pick up the joke. I'm bad and I should feel bad.
My first time as well, but I
have FOUR floating shut-offs. Wires everywhere. Not sure what to do. Go go Utube!
Where are you located
In the computer room, upstairs in a house, in Pennsylvania, on Earth, sort of floating in-between two of the spiral arms of a Galaxy, in a dynamic space/time-based medium that's really tough to determine the extent of, and I have no information about what exists external to that.
Are you nearby?
pocket83² darn!!! I am on Mars and my septic tank is not working the electrical box needs re-wiring and I need help but you to are too far away - thanks anyway
@@charlenejones5152 Just be sure to flip the breaker, and be sure to use a pump that already has a float on it so that you don't have to do the extra wiring. Those are good tips for both planets! Good luck.
pocket83² excellent 👍 great 👍 thanks 😁👍
Big blue screw xD ok then
Not difficult sure. But the smell....
I do hope your repair lasts 20 years, but it's rather profligate to make a purpose-built chain lifter thing for one use every two decades. And then there's the question of protecting it from the elements, storing it safely, regular inspections and maintenance etc etc etc
Maybe if you made a video musing on its design principles that featured action-cam shots of it being deployed, it would ameliorate your indulgent excess?
You don't really have a choice. You have to take the pump in and out a dozen times to get everything to fit correctly. Further, lifting that cover is an order of magnitude more difficult while bending over, so the gizmo's existence is well-justified.
And FYI, I had to Google _profligate,_ so in a touch of irony, it seems that the excess here was with your flowery verbiage. I'm not judging. I love good writing- er, the well-written, even when the topic is a shit pump.
Even though profligacy seems to be the natural order of the universe: (billions of sperm cells and thousands of ova to produce typically just a one or two sprogs, something like 12 entire honeybee lifetimes to make that one teaspoon of honey I drizzle over my muesli every morning), it's still one of my pet peeves. Not that your chain lifter gizmo is a manufacture of grand decadence, but I would hope it could be repurposed to have a long and fruitful life beyond lifting your shithole cover.
In any event, those hooks cemented into the cover might have rusted away or broken off before you next get to use your gizmo on it. Especially if you're levering them up and down every time you wanna lift it.
I suggest you make a new cover of durable, lightweight, exotic materials with retractable handles and featuring solar powered decorative led lights.
That's a video I'd really wanna see!
Was the intro sarcastic?
Sarcasm is much like a sandcastle. It appears to be a solid structure, but if you screw with it, it falls apart. So just as you might wonder if you can pick up a sandcastle, it's best to just wonder to yourself about a potential double meaning.
I guess, like so many things in life- If it feels a certain way to you, then it is.
Don't pretend you're not all about: i) fixing shit; and ii) complaining about having to fix shit while fixing it ;)
Why would you waive any inspections for the largest investment of your life? From your videos you seem knowledgeable about contractor activities and projects, but a second opinion is good. The more information you have (with the ability to process said information accurately) the better.
Sure, that's fair. But ultimately, buying a house is a binary decision that must tip one way or the other. Inspections are for the uncertain: once you are certain that there are already enough check-boxes ticked to sway the decision in favor, you have to also accept that some things can (and will) go wrong.
It's a calculated risk, but it's not left only to luck; you make yourself capable, and then you trust in your judgment when the time comes. Here, I'll say it this way so that it doesn't sound so arrogant:
_Luck equals preparedness plus opportunity._
Capable outside perspectives are useful during a 'gain information' phase. When it comes time to make an important decision, however, you should already _be_ informed enough to make it. Now in the case of a first house, it's tough. For mine, I was hasty and naïve, and mistakes were made. After having some time and experience to help us determine what we really wanted, the newer house was approached from a far more uncompromising position, which was just less open to outside opinion.
It is also consistent with my experience that "expert" opinion is often buttressed with pride and superstition, and further, that experience speaks little in favor of expertise. So yes, I do consult the knowledgeable when I can, but I do so to become prepared to make the best decisions I can. And yes, I do screw up often! But so far, we love the house ;)
Anything down inside that tank is just gonna get eaten up with corrosion.
When i first moved into my house a week later the septic had a clog. Found the septic but the handles were not on the block so while trying to remove it the block, fell in, and got not so desirable water on my face.
lo and behold the clog was due to various nonflushables being flushed.
My goodness that story was awful. Ugh.
I recommend getting some sort of bio-active septic treatment stuff. I had a company that would ship 12 pks a yr to use, it really helped get my old system working better. Also, if you're not aware,(idk your previous involvement with septic systems) avoid drain cleaners, it doesn't take much to kill off the various biological colonies digesting your waste. A little Bleach is OK as long as you're not dumping gallons down your drain at a time. Do all your drains run to the septic? I've lived a couple places that had separate drainage for grey water that I didn't know about until they became clogged. Always finding fun new things and genius solutions to problems when learning a new property, electrical upgrades and additions by the previous homeowner's unemployable brother-in-law are usually the most entertaining...or decks in your case. Hope there aren't too many more surprises for you to find, and my they be small and entertaining to fix/video if you do.
You hit the screw on the head with the brother-in-law point! The electrical work in this house is an absolute hibotchery! (that word was a made up portmanteau of something). Looks like I'm going to be learning how to electric this winter.
As for the septic's local flora, I will be extra careful. The pump guy was an incredibly knowledgeable third-generation shit sucker (who, incidentally, also had his bachelor's in biology), and his grandfather's seasoned advice was to throw in the occasional packet of baker's yeast. Weird.
uh ... cut *snap*
*drops screwdriver*
No electricity, no pump. Much reliable if gravity would do the work from the second chamber to the leach field.
not possible with raised bed leach fields.
I feel sick just thinking about touching anything sewage 🤮 :)
The disgust impulse is all in your head. You just have to be mindful what you touch, and remember to wash your hands before you go in the house/garage. That said, I do understand: I *detest* the smell of dog waste.
So you have someone else wipe your tookus?
@@completepropertycare my $#!t is fine.. it's other people's! :p ok wiping my own, just don't assume I'm ok wiping yours :)
No kill like over kill.... Still baffled why a septic tank has 2 stages with a sump pump.... We do it it with a tank and 4 to 5 100 feet drain lines
Chad Shipman A raised bed setup requires a pump to lift the effluent to said raised bed’s level. Not uncommon at all around here.
Rather annoying that you felt the need to close comments on your deck video.
Reminds me of the kid who would always take his ball and go home if he didn't get what he wanted on the playground.
I'm not a contractor, however some 2x4's bracing to hold the deck up while cutting the 4x4's down and placing a stout 2-3 ply 2x10 beam would have sufficed. Maybe throw in some Simpson hardware to lock it to the shortened 4x4. Been 4 years since, fixing shoddy workmanship is always going to yield a bunch of options, maybe unnecessary drama doesn't work as well in these types of videos.
You're right. It is rather annoying that [I] felt the need to close comments on [my] deck video. You know why it stings so bad? Because I'm a hardcore advocate of 'free' speech. What I mean is that you'd be hard pressed to find an uploader who more consistently preserves commentary, no matter how disagreeable it may be. Stop to consider how off-the-target the discussion must've been in order for me to do it; of the hundreds and hundreds of videos I've made, you can count on one hand those that I've closed commentary on. Some topics, for whatever reason, just strike the right frequency to the provoke the imbecilic.
You were saying something about unnecessary drama? Tell me what you know about that. Or did you have an actual question about how I fixed the deck? Yeah, didn't think so. That's why I've shut you all up. Choad [Sp].