The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:39 pm**

Our bungalow (built 1983) that we have owned for 5 years was a self build & I have only just found out that the builder was in fact a plasterer. There are several problems I believe with the drainage so I will split my request for help in to a few topics for clarity if anyone would be so kind as to give their opinion.

Here is a layout of the drainage plan to assist.

We have a macerating pump (which is only a few years old), which pumps our sewage up to the public sewers. You can see from the next two photos that before the pump float triggers the pumping of waste water that the pipework retains the sewerage all the way back to manhole 7 on the above plan. The pump float is the red one, the other is redundant.

The next photo shows the pump chamber after much of the sewerage has been pumped out.

My question is whether this is ok. My gut feeling is that the waste water should not be collected in the pipe waiting for the pump to kick in, and that the float should be activating prior to the water level reaching the inlet pipe to the chamber.

If that is what is required, then how do I get the float to activate sooner. I can't see an easy way to shorten the cable attached to it.

Posted: **Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:52 pm**

think you have answered your own question. you just need to shorten the cable holding the float switch. think there a place to clip the cable onto the pump somewhere. or just fold the cable over and put a zip tie around it. i would'nt worry about it backing up.

Posted: **Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:01 pm**

Thanks for such a prompt reply digerjones.

Doubling it with cable ties sounds easy enough if I can't find the clip. Do you have any suggestions about how to get down there, best practice.

Even when the pump has emptied all it can there's still stuff at the bottom. I'm thinking perhaps get some wellies on and lower myself down so that I can work on it. Does that sound right?

Posted: **Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:12 pm**

where do you live i will come round and hold your feet for you. think you need to be aware of methane and other nastys. just be aware of all dangers, good look

Posted: **Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:08 pm**

That doesn't look like a accessible chamber and there's all the confined spaces reg as pros we'd have to have a our ticket, harness, hoist, spotter, gas metre and emergency oxygen I know it's not applicable to a domestic situation but just letting you know. I'd be far more tempted to try and fish the pump out with a hook on a pole or rope and if you can work on it on the surface.

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:02 am**

Under no circumstances should an untrained person enter a confined space. It would have to be purged first and have a free flow of air, or as gb stated s c b a. The pump should lift out for maintenance. Too many people have died in manholes because of hydrogen sulphide poisoning....smells like rotten eggs for a few seconds until it anaethatises the nose leading you to think the gas has gone, it hasn't, you just can't smell it.

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:40 am**

Ok. Noted the dangers guys. Do you think it will lift out that easily, is it not attached somehow to the egress pipe that goes vertically down into the sewage?

In your expert opinion is the way it has been fitted acceptable? Should I be asking the firm that put it there to come and remedy it (though having looked at my records it was fitted Nov 2006)?

Posted: **Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:30 pm**

Calm down dears it's only a small pumping chamber there isn't a fully grown man alive that could fit down there it's only 600mm wide at the most. The pump is held in situ by the out flow pipe which is probably plastic into metal.Undo the out flow collar where it exits the tank and lift the whole thing out and adjust the switch then chuck it back in. If there is no way of undoing it then cut it just before it exits with a small angle grinder and buy a connector from the likes of Burdens (about Â£16) but make sure you leave a few inches so it has enough purchase. The switch can be adjusted at the rubber collar where the cable meets the pump body by pulling the cable through it until it's at the right length then tighten it again. Before you work on it you'd be best to empty a few full baths down it to give it a rinse. It's an easy fix it could've done with being lower but thats where it is and you've no chance of getting it sorted by the original contractor.

Posted: **Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:55 am**

....You know that we, on behalf of the boss, have to draw attention to the dangers of working in risk areas Pablo. We don't know the depth and i can assure you i have had to work, sometimes dangling upside down in tight places in small manholes. In my opinion that makes it all the more dodgy. 92 deaths a year occur in confined spaces, so it is a risky job and not in the remit of the DIYer. Also the need of proper ppe needs to be looked at, not to mention intrinsically safe tools. I'm sure you put into place a safe system of work, risk assessment, permit to enter etc: I just do what i am trained for and hopefully pass that knowledge on to brew cabin reader Thank you.

The Brew Cabin

Pump chamber