A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom We never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since. A while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things. Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony

Tony wrote:
A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump
is located in the boiler room and is there for the toilet, sink and
shower in the basement bathroom We never used that bathroom, except
for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main floor
bathroom. It always worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I
havent used it since. A while back, I wanted to hear it work so I ran
the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never went on. I thought
that maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high
enough to turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me
the sump pump does not work. The pump has two wires coming from the
big round base. It was plugged into the wall by one of the plugs, and
the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that it only
used one outlet. After he left, I decided to put each plug into its
own outlet and it went on. I heard the pump and the water. The
problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear a loud hum
coming from the ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water
being swished around. Does anyone have any idea what it is doing? I
know absolutely nothing about these things. Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony

The plug with the male and female ends on it is hooked to the float switch
in the pit. This is what cycles the pump. The one with the male ends is
hooked directly to the pump. When you plugged them both into individual
outlets, it negated the switch and powered the pump full time. It will never
turn off in this configuration. If it ran for 5 hours, it is possible that
you have done damage to the pump as I am sure it was running dry. It needs
the water in the sump pit to cool the pump. I would check the pump out by
putting water in the pit and see if it pumps it out. You will have to take
the cover off to see. Sounds like maybe the float switch has gone bad. You
may have to get a new float switch. If the pump runs when you plug it in and
pumps water, then it sounds like the switch has gone bad. You will have to
open the pit up and replace it.

R

Thanks for the reply. That makes sense. I might have exagerrated a tad about the 5 hours part. It
may have been two hours or so. It sounds like water is swishing around.

Since I have never even looked under that cover, what should I expect? Is it a well full of water?
How far down do you think the float switch is? Is there a way to tell if it is bad? Sorry for all of
the questions but this is all a new frontier to me.

Thanks.

On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:40:02 -0400, "ROANIN" wrote:



Tony wrote:
A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump
is located in the boiler room and is there for the toilet, sink and
shower in the basement bathroom We never used that bathroom, except
for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main floor
bathroom. It always worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I
havent used it since. A while back, I wanted to hear it work so I ran
the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never went on. I thought
that maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high
enough to turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me
the sump pump does not work. The pump has two wires coming from the
big round base. It was plugged into the wall by one of the plugs, and
the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that it only
used one outlet. After he left, I decided to put each plug into its
own outlet and it went on. I heard the pump and the water. The
problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear a loud hum
coming from the ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water
being swished around. Does anyone have any idea what it is doing? I
know absolutely nothing about these things. Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony

The plug with the male and female ends on it is hooked to the float switch
in the pit. This is what cycles the pump. The one with the male ends is
hooked directly to the pump. When you plugged them both into individual
outlets, it negated the switch and powered the pump full time. It will never
turn off in this configuration. If it ran for 5 hours, it is possible that
you have done damage to the pump as I am sure it was running dry. It needs
the water in the sump pit to cool the pump. I would check the pump out by
putting water in the pit and see if it pumps it out. You will have to take
the cover off to see. Sounds like maybe the float switch has gone bad. You
may have to get a new float switch. If the pump runs when you plug it in and
pumps water, then it sounds like the switch has gone bad. You will have to
open the pit up and replace it.

R

"Tony" wrote in message

A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is
located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom We
never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main
floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since. A
while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never
went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to
turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the
sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into
the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that
it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went
on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear
a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished
around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things.
Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony

I'd say bad float switch.

First, it's a waste water pump, not a sump pump, at least as I understand
the terms. A sump is often an open pit that is dug into the floor to pump
out groundwater and floodwater. Your pump does much the same but it's a
closed system because human waste can't sit in an open-to-the-air sump for
obvious reasons. The two wires you see are this:

One powers the pump motor and that's the one you have now (very
erroneously!!!) plugged into the wall outlet for five hours.:

The other wire is to the float switch. It ends in that dual plug/outlet
fitting and the pump plugs into it. When the tank fills, the float switch
closes and allows current to flow into the piggyback outlet to allow the
pump to turn on until the waste is pumped out. They can only work properly
in tandem.

I would guess that the float switch is either frozen by congealed muck or
has leaked and failed. It's actually a pretty cheap fix provided you didn't
burn out the motor by running it dry for so long. You should have noticed
something backing up by now - have you?

--
Bobby G.

As I said, we do not use this bathroom. It is only an issue because we are selling the house. I
immediately unplugged the unit after I got another response. I told the other poster that I may have
exaggerated and only really had it plugged in for two hours. I guess I still could have caused more
damage but I wont know until I pull that top off. The engineer called it a sump pump and so has
everyone else whoever saw it. As far as backing up, the engineer told me to fix the sump pump
because he flushed the toilet so many times, it was up at the rim of seat. It eventually went down
to normal on it's own without the pump kicking in. What is under that cover? I'm afraid to look. I
do know that no one crapped in that bowl since 2008 so that shouldnt be in there.

Tony


On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:44:16 -0400, "Robert Green" wrote:

"Tony" wrote in message

A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is
located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom We
never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main
floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since. A
while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never
went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to
turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the
sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into
the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that
it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went
on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear
a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished
around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things.
Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony

I'd say bad float switch.

First, it's a waste water pump, not a sump pump, at least as I understand
the terms. A sump is often an open pit that is dug into the floor to pump
out groundwater and floodwater. Your pump does much the same but it's a
closed system because human waste can't sit in an open-to-the-air sump for
obvious reasons. The two wires you see are this:

One powers the pump motor and that's the one you have now (very
erroneously!!!) plugged into the wall outlet for five hours.:

The other wire is to the float switch. It ends in that dual plug/outlet
fitting and the pump plugs into it. When the tank fills, the float switch
closes and allows current to flow into the piggyback outlet to allow the
pump to turn on until the waste is pumped out. They can only work properly
in tandem.

I would guess that the float switch is either frozen by congealed muck or
has leaked and failed. It's actually a pretty cheap fix provided you didn't
burn out the motor by running it dry for so long. You should have noticed
something backing up by now - have you?

On Jun 16, 12:15*am, Tony wrote:
As I said, we do not use this bathroom. It is only an issue because we are selling the house. I
immediately unplugged the unit after I got another response. I told the other poster that I may have
exaggerated and only really had it plugged in for two hours. I guess I still could have caused more
damage but I wont know until I pull that top off. The engineer called it a sump pump and so has
everyone else whoever saw it. As far as backing up, the engineer told me to fix the sump pump
because he flushed the toilet so many times, it was up at the rim of seat.. It eventually went down
to normal on it's own without the pump kicking in. What is under that cover? I'm afraid to look. I
do know that no one crapped in that bowl since 2008 so that shouldnt be in there.

Tony



On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:44:16 -0400, "Robert Green" wrote:
"Tony" wrote in message

A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is
located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom *We
never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main
floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since.. A
while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never
went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to
turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the
sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into
the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that
it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went
on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear
a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished
around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things.
Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg

Tony

I'd say bad float switch.

First, it's a waste water pump, not a sump pump, at least as I understand
the terms. *A sump is often an open pit that is dug into the floor to pump
out groundwater and floodwater. *Your pump does much the same but it's a
closed system because human waste can't sit in an open-to-the-air sump for
obvious reasons. *The two wires you see are this:

One powers the pump motor and that's the one you have now (very
erroneously!!!) plugged into the wall outlet for five hours.:

The other wire is to the float switch. *It ends in that dual plug/outlet
fitting and the pump plugs into it. *When the tank fills, the float switch
closes and allows current to flow into the piggyback outlet to allow the
pump to turn on until the waste is pumped out. *They can only work properly
in tandem.

I would guess that the float switch is either frozen by congealed muck or
has leaked and failed. *It's actually a pretty cheap fix provided you didn't
burn out the motor by running it dry for so long. *You should have noticed
something backing up by now - have you?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Are you CERTAIN the sump your posting about is for sewage?

aroound here many sumps are sealed to keep radon out, and only run
when ranwater infiltrates the homes basement

On 6/15/2011 11:22 PM, Tony wrote:
A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom We never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since. A while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things. Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony


What you have is a macerator pump. It chops the solids into small bits,
and sucks the mix out. The typical residential pit is around 15"
diameter by 30" deep. Others have explained how the piggy pack float
switch controls the pump. Chances are that the float switch isn't bad,
as sometimes they get hung up on the pipes and other wires in the pit.
If you have to open the pit to free it, you may as well replace it
anyway. There is a seal between the cover and the pit tank. It is there
to keep gasses in the tank, so if you remove the cover, be sure that the
seal remains intact, or replace it. Piggy back float switches are
available at hardware stores and online suppliers.

On 6/15/2011 11:22 PM, Tony wrote:
A little background...

I bought my house with a full finished basement in 2004. A sump pump is located in the boiler room
and is there for the toilet, sink and shower in the basement bathroom We never used that bathroom,
except for a few months back in 2008 when we were remodeling the main floor bathroom. It always
worked fine and would kick on when we showered. I havent used it since. A while back, I wanted to
hear it work so I ran the sink, shower, flushed a few times and it never went on. I thought that
maybe the level was so low from non use that it didnt fill high enough to turn itself on.

I am now selling my house and an engineer was here today and told me the sump pump does not work.
The pump has two wires coming from the big round base. It was plugged into the wall by one of the
plugs, and the other plug was connected to the back of that plug so that it only used one outlet.
After he left, I decided to put each plug into its own outlet and it went on. I heard the pump and
the water. The problem is that it never stops, even after 5 hours. I hear a loud hum coming from the
ground and it sounds like a washer machine with water being swished around. Does anyone have any
idea what it is doing? I know absolutely nothing about these things. Thanks.

Here is a link to a picture in case that helps:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...11783/pump.jpg


Tony


Since you haven't used the toilet, there won't be anything but water in
the pit, along with wires and pipes. The larger PVC pipe will connect to
the pump at the bottom of the pit. The smaller PVC pipe just goes below
the cover. It is a fresh air vent. This allows air to flow into the pit,
as the pump pulls the water out, without causing a vacuum.