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[email protected] December 1st 11 10:13 PM

Septic alarm
 
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!

RBM[_3_] December 1st 11 11:53 PM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 4:13 PM, wrote:
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!


OK, what are the symptoms?

Paul Drahn December 2nd 11 12:04 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 1:13 PM, wrote:
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!

Do you mean the alarm that sounds when the pump fails to operate and the
tank is full?

Paul

Tony Miklos[_2_] December 2nd 11 01:23 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 4:13 PM, wrote:
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!


Just post the question and get it over with.

Red Green December 2nd 11 02:15 AM

Septic alarm
 
wrote in news:2d544110-c7cb-4e08-8132-27eb3f2a0a8a@
20g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:

I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!


Who would sell such a device?!

Fear you go shopping, grab one off the hook and it goes off indicating your
full of ****.

Frank[_13_] December 2nd 11 02:29 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 6:04 PM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 12/1/2011 1:13 PM, wrote:
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!

Do you mean the alarm that sounds when the pump fails to operate and the
tank is full?

Paul


Heard there can be alarm when tank is full and pump works but field is
saturated and can't take any more grey water.

I've had neighbors with pump failures. Thankfully mine is strictly
gravity fed.

[email protected] December 2nd 11 02:36 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 1, 5:53*pm, RBM wrote:

* Thanks!


OK, what are the symptoms?



OK thanks for the responses.
Here's the story.

I'm hoping someone will be able to give me advice and possibly how-to
direction.

We had heavy rains a couple of days ago.
My septic alarm went off during the rain (when no water was being used
in the house).
The alarm has stayed on ever since.

System is 13 years old (with pump replaced 5 years ago).

Today I had the chambers pumped, but first I wanted to check the pump
well to see what the problem is.
The water level in the well was low (below the pump float threshold).
The alarm float was dangling straight down, a couple of feet from the
top.

The septic worker diagnosed the problem to be with the alarm float.
He raised the pump float and the pump turned on, so the pump is fine.

After jiggling the alarm float I checked the alarm inside and it was
still on.

So my questions center on the alarm float.

I have a couple of quotes at around $250 (parts and labor).

Can I do the repair myself and would it be worth it?

There is a alarm box in the basement that plugs into a power
receptacle.
The alarm box has one cord running from it through the basement wall,
underground and feeds into the pump chamber.

The hole in the basement wall is sealed with soft putty.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

RBM[_3_] December 2nd 11 04:40 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 8:36 PM, wrote:
On Dec 1, 5:53 pm, wrote:

Thanks!


OK, what are the symptoms?



OK thanks for the responses.
Here's the story.

I'm hoping someone will be able to give me advice and possibly how-to
direction.

We had heavy rains a couple of days ago.
My septic alarm went off during the rain (when no water was being used
in the house).
The alarm has stayed on ever since.

System is 13 years old (with pump replaced 5 years ago).

Today I had the chambers pumped, but first I wanted to check the pump
well to see what the problem is.
The water level in the well was low (below the pump float threshold).
The alarm float was dangling straight down, a couple of feet from the
top.

The septic worker diagnosed the problem to be with the alarm float.
He raised the pump float and the pump turned on, so the pump is fine.

After jiggling the alarm float I checked the alarm inside and it was
still on.

So my questions center on the alarm float.

I have a couple of quotes at around $250 (parts and labor).

Can I do the repair myself and would it be worth it?

There is a alarm box in the basement that plugs into a power
receptacle.
The alarm box has one cord running from it through the basement wall,
underground and feeds into the pump chamber.

The hole in the basement wall is sealed with soft putty.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


As far as the alarm part of the system goes, there should be a pair of
wires, or a two wire rubber cord going from the alarm box to the alarm
float in the pit. The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on. Depending upon how the wiring was installed, it could be a very
easy installation.

[email protected] December 2nd 11 05:25 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 1, 10:40*pm, RBM wrote:


As far as the alarm part of the system goes, there should be a pair of
wires, or a two wire rubber cord going from the alarm box to the alarm
float in the pit. The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on. Depending upon how the wiring was installed, it could be a very
easy installation.



Thanks for your reply. I agree with your assessment.
The question is though, would I be able to troubleshoot this myself?
I have a multi-meter and some electronics knowledge, but I'm not a
elec. wiz.
Granted this situation isn't rocket science. :)

Is there a quick way to get to the core of this on my own?

TIA


hr(bob) [email protected] December 2nd 11 05:44 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 1, 10:25*pm, wrote:
On Dec 1, 10:40*pm, RBM wrote:

As far as the alarm part of the system goes, there should be a pair of
wires, or a two wire rubber cord going from the alarm box to the alarm
float in the pit. The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on. Depending upon how the wiring was installed, it could be a very
easy installation.


* Thanks for your reply. I agree with your assessment.
The question is though, would I be able to troubleshoot this myself?
I have a multi-meter and some electronics knowledge, but I'm not a
elec. wiz.
Granted this situation isn't rocket science. *:)

Is there a quick way to get to the core of this on my own?

*TIA


How accessible is the alarm float? If you totally remove power at the
house, and then cut the wires going to the float at a point where you
can replace the float, then you can cut the wires, make sure the ends
of the two conductors coming from the house are not touching each
other, then plug it in back at the house. The alarm should be off.
Assuming it is off, then the float alarm is defective and you should
replace it. If the alarm is still on when you repower it, with the
wires cut, then there is a defect/short in the wiring somewhere.
Sounds like you are reasonably capable, just need some reassurance.

RBM[_3_] December 2nd 11 12:54 PM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/1/2011 11:25 PM, wrote:
On Dec 1, 10:40 pm, wrote:


As far as the alarm part of the system goes, there should be a pair of
wires, or a two wire rubber cord going from the alarm box to the alarm
float in the pit. The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on. Depending upon how the wiring was installed, it could be a very
easy installation.



Thanks for your reply. I agree with your assessment.
The question is though, would I be able to troubleshoot this myself?
I have a multi-meter and some electronics knowledge, but I'm not a
elec. wiz.
Granted this situation isn't rocket science. :)

Is there a quick way to get to the core of this on my own?

TIA

Yep, just follow Bob Hofmann's advise. He's got it nailed. If the system
was installed in a proper fashion, it won't be too difficult. Often, the
wiring to these systems is done in an ass backwards Rube Goldberg
fashion, where wiring and junctions are buried or otherwise inaccessible.

willshak December 2nd 11 03:56 PM

Septic alarm
 
wrote the following:
I'm hoping someone here has experience with septic system alarms and
can give me advice on my next step.

I will give you the scoop (no pun intended) if someone responds.

Thanks!


So the Septic cleaner guy didn't know how to fix/reset the alarm?
I would think that it would be part of his training.
I have a septic tank, but no alarm.
Try this google search result
https://www.google.com/search?q=sept...roubleshooting


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

[email protected] December 2nd 11 08:24 PM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 2, 9:56*am, willshak wrote:

So the Septic cleaner guy didn't know how to fix/reset the alarm?
I would think that it would be part of his training.
I have a septic tank, but no alarm.
Try this google search resulthttps://www.google.com/search?q=septic+tank+alarm+troubleshooting



Yeah I was hoping that the septic cleaner guy would get at the alarm
problem.
After all, that was really the whole point of the call to him.

I figured once someone is coming over to get at the alarm, they may as
well clean out the tanks, because it's been five years since they were
pumped out.

Well after he was done pumping out the tanks he said he couldn't fix
the alarm and gave me the name of a company who could do it!
$367.25 CAN later.... :(

I'm curious how you get by without an alarm?
Do you have a pump with your system that pumps out to higher ground?
What if the pump should fail? How would you know about it before the
sewage backs up into your house?


[email protected] December 2nd 11 08:35 PM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 1, 10:40*pm, RBM wrote:

... The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on.



I had another hunch last night.

I said to myself, maybe there is a problem at the alarm box inside the
house?
After messing around with it for a few minutes, it would turn off, but
there was a hum/vibration coming from it, so I knew it wasn't stable.

So I decided to unplug the unit completely and go to sleep.

Today when I just plugged it in, BINGO!
It was reset, no hum/vibration.

If only I had done this test before the septic guy came over. :)



[email protected] December 2nd 11 10:25 PM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 2, 2:35*pm, wrote:
On Dec 1, 10:40*pm, RBM wrote:

... The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on.


* I had another hunch last night.

I said to myself, maybe there is a problem at the alarm box inside the
house?
After messing around with it for a few minutes, it would turn off, but
there was a hum/vibration coming from it, so I knew it wasn't stable.

So I decided to unplug the unit completely and go to sleep.

Today when I just plugged it in, BINGO!
It was reset, no hum/vibration.

If only I had done this test before the septic guy came over. *:)


OK, now I'm confused and ****ed. :(

The alarm just went off again, Two hours after I plugged it in after
it was reset.

No rain outside, no water was used in the house for the last two
hours.

I went downstairs just now to play with the alarm box again, and
before I could reach for it, it turned itself off!

Guidance as to what I should do now (at minimal cost) would be
appreciated.

TIA

RBM[_3_] December 2nd 11 11:10 PM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/2/2011 4:25 PM, wrote:
On Dec 2, 2:35 pm, wrote:
On Dec 1, 10:40 pm, wrote:

... The problem is either a bad float, or a bad cord,
where the wires have shorted together internally, causing the alarm to
stay on.


I had another hunch last night.

I said to myself, maybe there is a problem at the alarm box inside the
house?
After messing around with it for a few minutes, it would turn off, but
there was a hum/vibration coming from it, so I knew it wasn't stable.

So I decided to unplug the unit completely and go to sleep.

Today when I just plugged it in, BINGO!
It was reset, no hum/vibration.

If only I had done this test before the septic guy came over. :)


OK, now I'm confused and ****ed. :(

The alarm just went off again, Two hours after I plugged it in after
it was reset.

No rain outside, no water was used in the house for the last two
hours.

I went downstairs just now to play with the alarm box again, and
before I could reach for it, it turned itself off!

Guidance as to what I should do now (at minimal cost) would be
appreciated.

TIA


On the basic residential systems, there is no "reset". There is usually
an on off switch, an alarm test switch, and an alarm off switch. To
prove the alarm box is OK remove the two wires from the alarm terminals.
There should be some sort of marking, or take a picture and link us to it


RBM[_3_] December 3rd 11 12:25 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/2/2011 2:24 PM, wrote:
On Dec 2, 9:56 am, wrote:

So the Septic cleaner guy didn't know how to fix/reset the alarm?
I would think that it would be part of his training.
I have a septic tank, but no alarm.
Try this google search resulthttps://www.google.com/search?q=septic+tank+alarm+troubleshooting



Yeah I was hoping that the septic cleaner guy would get at the alarm
problem.
After all, that was really the whole point of the call to him.

I figured once someone is coming over to get at the alarm, they may as
well clean out the tanks, because it's been five years since they were
pumped out.

Well after he was done pumping out the tanks he said he couldn't fix
the alarm and gave me the name of a company who could do it!
$367.25 CAN later.... :(

I'm curious how you get by without an alarm?
Do you have a pump with your system that pumps out to higher ground?
What if the pump should fail? How would you know about it before the
sewage backs up into your house?

Typical systems work on gravity and don't use pumps. At the top of the
septic tank is an exit pipe or pipes that go to the fields where the
liquids are dissipated. The solids fall the the bottom of the tank, and
those that are not broken down by bacteria eventually get pumped out by
the septic company. When your fields are uphill from the septic tank
location, you add a second usually smaller tank for the effluent to
overflow into, and from there it's pumped uphill to the field location

[email protected] December 3rd 11 04:35 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 2, 6:25*pm, RBM wrote:

Typical systems work on gravity and don't use pumps. At the top of the
septic tank is an exit pipe or pipes that go to the fields where the
liquids are dissipated. The solids fall the the bottom of the tank, and
those that are not broken down by bacteria eventually get pumped out by
the septic company. When your fields are uphill from the septic tank
location, you add a second usually smaller tank for the effluent to
overflow into, and from there it's pumped uphill to the field location


Yes I realize the difference between gravity-based and pump-based
systems.

I figured Will had read my post and seen that I have a pump-based
system.
Of course a gravity-based system wouldn't need an alarm usually.
That is why, when he said he didn't have an alarm, I thought he
probably had a gravity based system, but wondered why he mentioned it
(as it would be obvious).
Thus my questions.


[email protected] December 3rd 11 04:43 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 2, 5:10*pm, RBM wrote:

On the basic residential systems, there is no "reset". There is usually
an on off switch, an alarm test switch, and an alarm off switch. To
prove the alarm box is OK remove the two wires from the alarm terminals.
There should be some sort of marking, or take a picture and link us to it


Thanks RBM.

I'm not sure where you are leading to in your post.

On my alarm box I do have a 'reset' switch. The 'On' is coupled to a
'reset'.
It says 'On/Reset'.
The other pole is 'Silent' and just shows a red light when it turns
on.
There is another switch called 'Test' and this is a release one-pole
switch which sounds the alarm when the test is positive.

When you say remove the wires from the alarm terminals, you are saying
open the box to do this?
When you say there should be some sort of marking, do you mean a
marking to show where the terminal is, or do you mean that once the
wires are removed I would see a marking due to a short that occurred?

Since it spontaneously turned on and then off again around 4:30 pm
this afternoon it has been silent! It's now 10:45 pm.



RBM[_3_] December 3rd 11 05:07 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/2/2011 10:43 PM, wrote:
On Dec 2, 5:10 pm, wrote:

On the basic residential systems, there is no "reset". There is usually
an on off switch, an alarm test switch, and an alarm off switch. To
prove the alarm box is OK remove the two wires from the alarm terminals.
There should be some sort of marking, or take a picture and link us to it


Thanks RBM.

I'm not sure where you are leading to in your post.

On my alarm box I do have a 'reset' switch. The 'On' is coupled to a
'reset'.
It says 'On/Reset'.
The other pole is 'Silent' and just shows a red light when it turns
on.
There is another switch called 'Test' and this is a release one-pole
switch which sounds the alarm when the test is positive.

When you say remove the wires from the alarm terminals, you are saying
open the box to do this?
When you say there should be some sort of marking, do you mean a
marking to show where the terminal is, or do you mean that once the
wires are removed I would see a marking due to a short that occurred?

Since it spontaneously turned on and then off again around 4:30 pm
this afternoon it has been silent! It's now 10:45 pm.


Yes, you'd need to open the panel. Inside the box there will be some
wire terminal strips, usually with markings indicating what wires are
attached. There is probably a wiring diagram. To determine if there is a
fault in the control itself, and not the float or float wiring, you need
to disconnect the float wiring from it's terminals. It would be two
wires often marked A1-A2 . I would recommend killing the power to the
control before opening it. Keep in mind there should be two separate
power supplies entering the control. One for the pump, and one for the alarm



Tony Miklos[_2_] December 3rd 11 04:16 PM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/2/2011 11:07 PM, RBM wrote:
On 12/2/2011 10:43 PM, wrote:
On Dec 2, 5:10 pm, wrote:

On the basic residential systems, there is no "reset". There is usually
an on off switch, an alarm test switch, and an alarm off switch. To
prove the alarm box is OK remove the two wires from the alarm terminals.
There should be some sort of marking, or take a picture and link us
to it


Thanks RBM.

I'm not sure where you are leading to in your post.

On my alarm box I do have a 'reset' switch. The 'On' is coupled to a
'reset'.
It says 'On/Reset'.
The other pole is 'Silent' and just shows a red light when it turns
on.
There is another switch called 'Test' and this is a release one-pole
switch which sounds the alarm when the test is positive.

When you say remove the wires from the alarm terminals, you are saying
open the box to do this?
When you say there should be some sort of marking, do you mean a
marking to show where the terminal is, or do you mean that once the
wires are removed I would see a marking due to a short that occurred?

Since it spontaneously turned on and then off again around 4:30 pm
this afternoon it has been silent! It's now 10:45 pm.


Yes, you'd need to open the panel. Inside the box there will be some
wire terminal strips, usually with markings indicating what wires are
attached. There is probably a wiring diagram. To determine if there is a
fault in the control itself, and not the float or float wiring, you need
to disconnect the float wiring from it's terminals. It would be two
wires often marked A1-A2 . I would recommend killing the power to the
control before opening it. Keep in mind there should be two separate
power supplies entering the control. One for the pump, and one for the
alarm


The setup in my old house had direct burial romex from the breaker box
directly to the pump and 2 floats, and a separate alarm with two
terminals on the side with a pair of wires that went to the high level
warning float. No reset button but it had a silent switch to kill the
buzzer and light a warning LED. Oh, the alarm also had a cord to plug
it in for power.

Ron December 3rd 11 05:08 PM

Septic alarm
 
RBM wrote:
On 12/2/2011 4:25 PM, wrote:

Guidance as to what I should do now (at minimal cost) would be
appreciated.


. . . . . There should be some sort of marking, or take a
picture and link us to it


google3luo359,

If you take a picture of it, you can upload the picture to
http://tinypic.com/ for free, and you can get back a URL link to the picture
that you could post here.



[email protected] December 3rd 11 07:51 PM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 2, 11:07*pm, RBM wrote:

... To determine if there is a
fault in the control itself, and not the float or float wiring, you need
to disconnect the float wiring from it's terminals.


OK, I think I see where you are going with this.
Because you didn't say what test I should do after, it wasn't clear.

Here's the story now.

As I mentioned, yesterday the alarm went off spontaneously* at around
4:30 pm for one minute.
It was silent from then until today.
Today it went off spontaneously at 10:32 am for one minute.

So yeah, I'm going to open the box today and investigate.

Here's my thinking. Tell me if I'm going in the right direction.
I remove the alarm float wires going into the alarm box.
I then do a continuity check of the alarm float wire.
If there is a loop, then the alarm float is stuck ON.
If there is no loop, the alarm float is OK (for now) and there must be
an intermittent problem with either the wiring from the float to the
alarm box, or somewhere in the alarm box.

My hunch now is the following.
The alarm went off with a true positive a few days ago with the big
rain we had.
I silenced the alarm (just the red light was turned on) and it stayed
like that for more than a day.
At some point the water level went down (pump was working) but the
alarm didn't turn off (stuck) despite the alarm float being in the off
position.
The 24 hr. + on, inside the alarm box must have fatigued it in some
manner, and now it is 'flaky'.


spontaneously* = no rain, no water use in house

[email protected] December 3rd 11 08:46 PM

Septic alarm
 
OK I opened the box and took some photos.
Here's the best one:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=192A1...BAC76052E3!197

I did a couple of continuity tests.

I disconnected the leads to the alarm float.
My ohm-meter shows 100K across the leads to the alarm float.
Is this a reading for an OPEN switch or a CLOSED switch?

What other tests should I do to troubleshoot?
Thanks!


RBM[_3_] December 3rd 11 09:36 PM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/3/2011 2:46 PM, wrote:
OK I opened the box and took some photos.
Here's the best one:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=192A1...BAC76052E3!197

I did a couple of continuity tests.

I disconnected the leads to the alarm float.
My ohm-meter shows 100K across the leads to the alarm float.
Is this a reading for an OPEN switch or a CLOSED switch?

What other tests should I do to troubleshoot?
Thanks!

Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself. After some period of time, if it still goes off
intermittently without the float wires connected, you know the problem
is in the panel itself. Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float

Jazzer[_2_] December 4th 11 01:56 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 3, 3:36*pm, RBM wrote:

Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself. After some period of time, if it still goes off
intermittently without the float wires connected, you know the problem
is in the panel itself. Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float



I am with you on most of this. There are just a couple of things that
need clearing up.
When I was reading up on septic alarm systems I saw that there were
two main ways of installing systems.

The cheaper way was to use a stand-alone alarm box that was wired to
the alarm float in the septic pump chamber.
The more expensive way was to use a panel and from there the circuit
went to an alarm and also to the septic alarm float.

The builder of my house chose to use the cheaper route and so there is
no panel.
You kept mentioning 'panel' so I'm not sure if you were referring to
the second method above or not.

Perhaps by 'panel' you were just referring to the 'circuit board'
inside the alarm box?

Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself.


The reason I am confused is because you talk about disconnecting the
'alarm wires from the panel'.

Then you talk about 'without the float wires connected'. That I
understand.

So I have left the float wires disconnected from the alarm box and
have powered up the box.
If the alarm now goes off, the problem is obviously within the alarm
box and nothing to do with the alarm float or the wiring going from
the float to the box.

I have a strong suspicion that the alarm won't go off now. That the
problem is with the float/wiring.

Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float


Here's where I lose you again. If I substitute "the panel is OK" with
"the alarm box is OK" I don't follow you about reconnecting the alarm
wires?
The alarm wires are all inside the alarm box.

I basically have: Alarm box---------power plug
---------alarm float wire
----------alarm float
that's it.

willshak December 4th 11 02:58 AM

Septic alarm
 
wrote the following:
On Dec 2, 9:56 am, willshak wrote:

So the Septic cleaner guy didn't know how to fix/reset the alarm?
I would think that it would be part of his training.
I have a septic tank, but no alarm.
Try this google search resulthttps://www.google.com/search?q=septic+tank+alarm+troubleshooting



Yeah I was hoping that the septic cleaner guy would get at the alarm
problem.
After all, that was really the whole point of the call to him.

I figured once someone is coming over to get at the alarm, they may as
well clean out the tanks, because it's been five years since they were
pumped out.

Well after he was done pumping out the tanks he said he couldn't fix
the alarm and gave me the name of a company who could do it!
$367.25 CAN later.... :(

I'm curious how you get by without an alarm?
Do you have a pump with your system that pumps out to higher ground?
What if the pump should fail? How would you know about it before the
sewage backs up into your house?



No, I don't have a pump, it's gravity fed. The tank and fields are lower
than the lowest toilet in the house.
How do I know when it needs pumping?
The water leaving the toilet takes longer than usual and the plunger
doesn't help. :-)
I've only had the tank pumped out twice since the house was built 27
years ago. The last time was in March of 2003 when there was 4 of us
living in the house. Now there's only the wife and I.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Ron December 4th 11 02:59 AM

Septic alarm
 
wrote in message
...
OK I opened the box and took some photos.
Here's the best one:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=192A1...BAC76052E3!197


Just as an FYI, the photo link doesn't work for me. When I click on it, it
asks me for a Windows Live ID and password, but there is no photo visible.


RBM[_3_] December 4th 11 03:06 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/3/2011 7:56 PM, Jazzer wrote:
On Dec 3, 3:36 pm, wrote:

Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself. After some period of time, if it still goes off
intermittently without the float wires connected, you know the problem
is in the panel itself. Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float



I am with you on most of this. There are just a couple of things that
need clearing up.
When I was reading up on septic alarm systems I saw that there were
two main ways of installing systems.

The cheaper way was to use a stand-alone alarm box that was wired to
the alarm float in the septic pump chamber.
The more expensive way was to use a panel and from there the circuit
went to an alarm and also to the septic alarm float.

The builder of my house chose to use the cheaper route and so there is
no panel.
You kept mentioning 'panel' so I'm not sure if you were referring to
the second method above or not.

Perhaps by 'panel' you were just referring to the 'circuit board'
inside the alarm box?

Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself.


The reason I am confused is because you talk about disconnecting the
'alarm wires from the panel'.

Then you talk about 'without the float wires connected'. That I
understand.

So I have left the float wires disconnected from the alarm box and
have powered up the box.
If the alarm now goes off, the problem is obviously within the alarm
box and nothing to do with the alarm float or the wiring going from
the float to the box.

I have a strong suspicion that the alarm won't go off now. That the
problem is with the float/wiring.

Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float


Here's where I lose you again. If I substitute "the panel is OK" with
"the alarm box is OK" I don't follow you about reconnecting the alarm
wires?
The alarm wires are all inside the alarm box.

I basically have: Alarm box---------power plug
---------alarm float wire
----------alarm float
that's it.


There are a bunch of types and styles of septic pump/ alarm controllers.
The one he has is mounted in an alarm panel. That panel may or may not
control the pump as well.

RBM[_3_] December 4th 11 03:08 AM

Septic alarm
 
On 12/3/2011 8:59 PM, Ron wrote:
wrote in message
...
OK I opened the box and took some photos.
Here's the best one:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=192A1...BAC76052E3!197


Just as an FYI, the photo link doesn't work for me. When I click on it,
it asks me for a Windows Live ID and password, but there is no photo
visible.


Doesn't work for me either.

[email protected] December 4th 11 04:01 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 3, 9:06*pm, RBM wrote:
On 12/3/2011 7:56 PM, Jazzer wrote:



On Dec 3, 3:36 pm, *wrote:


Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself. After some period of time, if it still goes off
intermittently without the float wires connected, you know the problem
is in the panel itself. Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float


I am with you on most of this. There are just a couple of things that
need clearing up.
When I was reading up on septic alarm systems I saw that there were
two main ways of installing systems.


The cheaper way was to use a stand-alone alarm box that was wired to
the alarm float in the septic pump chamber.
The more expensive way was to use a panel and from there the circuit
went to an alarm and also to the septic alarm float.


The builder of my house chose to use the cheaper route and so there is
no panel.
You kept mentioning 'panel' so I'm not sure if you were referring to
the second method above or not.


Perhaps by 'panel' you were just referring to the 'circuit board'
inside the alarm box?


Since your problem is intermittent, the only thing you want to determine
by disconnecting the alarm wires from the panel, is the integrity of the
panel itself.


The reason I am confused is because you talk about disconnecting the
'alarm wires from the panel'.


Then you talk about 'without the float wires connected'. That I
understand.


So I have left the float wires disconnected from the alarm box and
have powered up the box.
If the alarm now goes off, the problem is obviously within the alarm
box and nothing to do with the alarm float or the wiring going from
the float to the box.


I have a strong suspicion that the alarm won't go off now. That the
problem is with the float/wiring.


Once you determine that the panel is OK, you
reconnect the wires for the alarm and cut the float off at whatever
junction box or connection point you have access to, and insulate the
two wires. If the alarm still goes off intermittently, you have bad
wiring. If it doesn't go off now, you have a bad float


Here's where I lose you again. If I substitute "the panel is OK" with
"the alarm box is OK" *I don't follow you about reconnecting the alarm
wires?
The alarm wires are all inside the alarm box.


I basically have: * Alarm box---------power plug
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ---------alarm float wire
----------alarm float
that's it.


There are a bunch of types and styles of septic pump/ alarm controllers.
The one he has is mounted in an alarm panel. That panel may or may not
control the pump as well.


Sorry for confusing you! I logged in as Jazzer by mistake.

My alarm box (panel) only controls my alarm.
My septic pump/float for pump is completely separate from the alarm.


[email protected] December 4th 11 04:10 AM

Septic alarm
 
On Dec 3, 9:08*pm, RBM wrote:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=192A1...BAC76052E3!197


Just as an FYI, the photo link doesn't work for me. When I click on it,
it asks me for a Windows Live ID and password, but there is no photo
visible.


Doesn't work for me either.




Sorry about that! Try this link:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx...uW y91TeWZSpU


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