m Ransley wrote:
I went to visit my mother and noticed a new pump was installed next to
the old unit, the pit cover is steel 5ft wide with several acess covers,
so it fit in fine. I was told by my mom the old unit would not turn off,
the plumber turned it off, told her it was "obsolete, broke, a new unit
needed". The pump is in a 80 yr old house built to the highest standard
then, it is apx a 500- 800 gallon pit, the pump is 240v with alarm bell
system, the motor itself is apx 1ft wide by 14 " high. The motor unit is
2ft above the floor. It is a commercial unit that works well, is oiled
every 6 months and in 30 years stuck on once from a sock falling off the
laundry machine. Even with the pump off in spring for weeks no flooding
ever occured. A basement sink and washing machine drain into it as does
the Tile system. Ive checked the brushes on the motor and even after
possibly 30-80 years have 30% life left, it operates well, I oil its 5
ports regularly, every 6 months. I imagine it is a 2-4000$ commercial
unit to replace today. The plumber turned off the pump at the units
separate hardwired breaker box , my mom did not know how to do this.
[On the receipt the plumber states she turned it off] she said this is
a not true, that is why she called them.

Well being the very suspicious person I am, I figured it was a
50-100$ bad switch or rusted out shaft or bushing. So I flipped it on
expecting nothing , but it pumped, it cycled, the switch worked fine as
I expected, and I re tested it many, many times, and all is fine.
Knowing the 2nd floor laundry shute is above and slightly in front,
that the dryer rests on part of the pit, and having pulled laundry off
the pump many many times im guessing something might have caught on the
exposed float rod or switch handle keeping it from shutting off.

So now im angry and check the install. The new 120v 1.5" pump the
plumber plugged into the dryer 15a circuit with a power strip sitting on
the floor , behind the washer-dryer, plugging the dryer in that also. I
don`t know amp draw of either unit but guess that if both turn on at the
same time the 15a fuse will likely blow. So I get a bit more angry. I
notice the plumber put a check valve at the pump base, not at the 7ft
ceiling as I thought should be done, but then I noticed the old pump had
no check valve that an Air Trap was designed into the discharge pipe
flowing outside at the ceiling, I don`t see the new unit needed one and
this one was most likely improperly installed to low anyway.

I am planning on contacting and recording a conversation with the
plumber [here it is legal for me to record conversations] possibly get a
permit, and city inspector out. I wont know if the Stop Pay order was
successful until Monday. Now I have 2 good pumps. In Ilinois penalites
can be doubled for ripping off the elderly, my mom is 88. What would you
have done and do now.



Well i'm ****ed off just reading it. However, there is another side.

You said the pump was old, the plumber seemed to agree with that. He
may not know that you are servicing the thing every 6 months. He may
put the new one up because if he just tweaked the old one and then it
breaks and ruins her basement he would feel he did her a disservice by
trying to save a few bucks. The check valve installation is proper.
Sometimes check valves are installed higher on the pipe (like mine)
because they make convenient disconnect points when you are removing the
pump, but that is an inferior location. Not sure what good the air trap
would do for water backflow. As for why the pump was stuck on, it could
have just been dirty or something. Mine sticks on when it gets dirty.
usually calls for full cleaning not just getting it to turn off.

Now the elcheapo power strip installed on the _floor_ behind the washing
machine is just stupid and any plumber should know better. Of course he
could ask for an electrician to install a new 120v outlet for the pump.


I would talk to him first. Theres legitimate reasons for lots of this
stuff. You may buy it, or you may not.





--
Thank you,



"Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength: nevertheless the poor
man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are not heard." Ecclesiastes 9:16