Sump Keeps Running


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Old 12-21-04, 10:45 PM
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Sump Keeps Running

Submersible sump pump won't shut off. It's in a pit to handle excess water from around basement foundation (which never happens). I expel the waste water from my water softener into it. I removed the pump from the pit and tested it in a bucket of water with an 8' piece of PVC in place of the discharge pipe. The switch works and the pump will push the water the entire 8' of pipe straight into the air. When I reinstall the pump to the system with the standard 2' pipe connecting to the regular discharge piping via a straight-thru rubber coupling (no check valve) and 2 worm-gear clamps the pump won't push the water up the pipe (and because float switch won't sink low enough, the pump doesn't shut off). I live in Chicago area and it's cold outside but I don't think it's cold enough to freeze the discharge pipe. Besides, it hasn't frozen in the past 10 years and this pump has been working fine til now. If I put the pump in the pit with just the short pipe connected and cover the pipe with my hand I can easily stop the water from pumping. Is it just worn out? Could something be clogging the discharge pipe? If so, how would I check this out? Thanks in advance for any help.
 
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Old 12-21-04, 11:17 PM
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Hi Graywolf,
It does seem as if your discharge pipe is blocked. -However, 2 important things you forgot to tell us -1. make, model and hp of pump, 2. how high does the normal discharge pipe go and into what does it discharge.
Also it is fairly unusual to have no check valve. Is it possible that when the pump switches off, the water is simply running back down the tube to start it again ?
 
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Old 12-23-04, 01:16 AM
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Sump Keeps Running reply

The pump is an ABS Robusta 200 TS, 1/3 hp. I can't read the flow information on it. Looks like it may have been made in 1989. Also, upon inspection, it looks like there may be a built in check-valve in the discharge port of the pump. The discharge pipe travels about 9' up then makes right angle and travels along a joist in the ceiling traveling almost the entire width of the house. Then it makes another right angle turn to go out of the house. Once on the outside it makes a right angle turn straight down into the ground about 4 inches away from the foundation. The entire length is 1 1/2 in. PVC. I've been led to believe it goes into the city storm sewer system but I'm not positive of that. Nowhere along the length of pipe is there any kind of fixture for cleaning the line. I don't believe the water is draining back down the pipe into the pit. During one of my tests the pump turns on and I estimate the water gets pumped about 3 -4 feet up the pipe and that's it, pump keeps running and no more water is pumped out of the pit. The pump never shuts off for the water to run back down. Thanks for the previous reply, I hope this added info helps.
 
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Old 12-23-04, 08:50 AM
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It only takes about 3.5 psi to lift water out of the 8' long pipe, which isn't much.
Since you state that you can keep the pump from pumping by putting your hand over the pipe, I would guess that either the pump is worn out, the inlet is plugged up, or there is trash in the impeller.
Make sure, too, that the pump isn't sitting in mud at the bottom of the sump.
Ron
 
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Old 12-23-04, 12:17 PM
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Sump Keeps Running

Here's the latest in this saga. I bought a brand new 1/3 HP pump, installed it and it does exactly the same thing as the old pump. I believe that means there's something clogging the pipe, unless you gentlemen can think of something else. My next step is to cut out the right angle elbow on the outside of the house and replace with a capped T to act as a clean out. Then I can investigate the pipe from that location to see what's clogging it up. I'll post with more ?'s later or with my findings. Thanks again for all input.
Graywolf
 
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Old 12-23-04, 05:05 PM
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The solution

I cut the PVC elbow out and sure enough, from that point down to about 3 inches below ground level it was froze solid. I dug out the pipe which took another right angle about 8 inches below ground level and found that the vertical pipe going down into the ground was not cemented into the below ground elbow. I pulled the vertical piece out, replaced it with new PVC, and replaced the elbow I cut out with a clean-out T. I surrounded the whole thing with some insulation and then duct taped some aluminum around the insulation. Hopefully that wil keep it from freezing again. I put the old pump in the pit and it's pumping water just fine. Thanks again gentlemen for all your input. I'll be closing this thread now.
 
 

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