Plumber question RE sump/ejector pump - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mpolli · #1 10-05-2008, 05:14 PM

I have a Zoeller M53

http://www.zoeller.com/zcopump/products/sumpeff/50series.htm

It was in the house when I bought it. The output pipe screws into a 1.5" NPT thread at the base of the pump which I think is pretty standard for these. I am replacing the output pipe because whoever installed it glued the pipe into the threaded fitting crooked, and unfortunately it was leaning toward the float, and the float would collect a little soap scum and then stick against the pipe and not work.

Anyway, I removed the old output pipe (1.5" ABS) and I noticed that they had drilled a 1/8" hole about 8" from the base (8" up from where it connects to the pump). Is this standard practice? I cannot find any installation instructions on the Zoeller site.

Thanks

kerry · #2 10-05-2008, 08:19 PM

Are you saying the outlet pipe has a 1/8" hole drilled into it? Does sewage come out that hole?

chilcutt · #3 10-05-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

I have a Zoeller M53

http://www.zoeller.com/zcopump/products/sumpeff/50series.htm

It was in the house when I bought it. The output pipe screws into a 1.5" NPT thread at the base of the pump which I think is pretty standard for these. I am replacing the output pipe because whoever installed it glued the pipe into the threaded fitting crooked, and unfortunately it was leaning toward the float, and the float would collect a little soap scum and then stick against the pipe and not work.

Anyway, I removed the old output pipe (1.5" ABS) and I noticed that they had drilled a 1/8" hole about 8" from the base (8" up from where it connects to the pump). Is this standard practice? I cannot find any installation instructions on the Zoeller site.

Thanks

leave the hole,or drill another one on new discharge-pipe. It is standard practice. It is to reduce back-pressure. Chilcutt-liscenced plumber

pawoSD · #4 10-05-2008, 10:03 PM

0.3 hp? Weak! I'd be using a 2-3hp unit.

That could pass 3" solids with ease....and be rated for a few thousand gallons per hour.

Overkill, one of the finest art forms.

mpolli · #5 10-05-2008, 11:42 PM

It is just for the dishwasher, kitchen sink (no disposal), and washing machine.

mpolli · #6 10-05-2008, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilcutt

leave the hole,or drill another one on new discharge-pipe. It is standard practice. It is to reduce back-pressure. Chilcutt-liscenced plumber

That was one of my theories. However, it didn't seem to make sense to me. Specifically, this is what I have:

Pump in sump enclosure, 4 feet of pipe up to check valve, about 5 or 6 feet more pipe up to ceiling, then on from there by gravity.

What back pressure is it relieving? I assume it can only do this until the water level reaches the hole which is very little of the time. Is it to reduce motor surge current at start-up? I left it out and it seems to run fine, and a little quieter than before.

t walgamuth · #7 10-06-2008, 06:17 AM

When the pump shuts off the liquid sitting in the pipe up to the ceiling level can drain back to the level of the pump. Theoretically this will reduce backpressure on start up.

It seems unnecessary to me but I am not a licensed plumber.

Tom W

Dee8go · #8 10-06-2008, 09:57 AM

What determines the correct hp rating for a sump pump? Mine is really old, but is still working. I test it abobut once a year, but might just go ahead and replace it for peace of mind.
I have to pump vertically about 3-4 feet and then another 5 feet horizontally.

mpolli · #9 10-06-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

When the pump shuts off the liquid sitting in the pipe up to the ceiling level can drain back to the level of the pump. Theoretically this will reduce backpressure on start up.

It seems unnecessary to me but I am not a licensed plumber.

Tom W

The water can drain through the pump (I tested this). So I don't think that is the reason. Now if the check valve was BELOW the little hole then that would make sense. Perhaps the plumber who installed it did not understand this difference, since he put the check valve 4 feet ABOVE the pump???

mpolli · #10 10-06-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

What determines the correct hp rating for a sump pump? Mine is really old, but is still working. I test it abobut once a year, but might just go ahead and replace it for peace of mind.
I have to pump vertically about 3-4 feet and then another 5 feet horizontally.

I can only tell you what I have done. I go down in the basement during the highest inflow times (usually after a huge rainstorm). I time how long the pump is on vs. how long it is off. If it is getting much above say 70% on, then you have to wonder, if it rained even more, could it keep up? So I have 2 AC pumps in there. The second is a backup for the first and also can help out if the flow got super high for some reason. I think with sump pumps it is more a matter of GPM or GPH at a given rise than HP.

PS this post is off-topic. My original post was about my ejector pump. I also have sump pumps in a seperate sump obviously.

thorsen · #11 10-06-2008, 03:17 PM

I installed a back-up sump pump las year and the instructions said to drill a 1/16" hole in the pipe before the check valve to prevent pressure-lock.

Good idea about the twin sump pumps. I remember watching my sump pit fill rapidly during a heavy thunderstorm (before I had the back-up pump) and as the lights flickered I wondered what I was going to do if they went out. It's funny how that converts you. Now I have the top of the line backup sump pump that can run off AC or the battery, I replumbed my discharge lines to a 5' lift instead of the 12' originally, I upgraded from 1.25" to 1.5" piping, bought the biggest baddest pump I could find, and got a generator "just in case". When we had the 5" of rain in 24 hours last month my system performed flawlessly and it was never in danger of over-flowing.

Dee8go · #12 10-06-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

. . . . PS this post is off-topic. My original post was about my ejector pump. I also have sump pumps in a seperate sump obviously.

What is an ejector pump? I thought maybe that was just a semantic thing.

t walgamuth · #13 10-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Also known as a sewage pump.

similar to sump but more horsepower and a sealed pit to stop sewer gas from filling your basement.

Used in basements for plumbing with the drain lower than the sewer pipe where it exits the house.

Tom W

mpolli · #14 10-06-2008, 07:32 PM

They are usually rated as to how large a "solid sphere" they can pass. Mine can pass 1/2" which is plenty for this application... Municipal sewage systems sometimes use huge ones where they run out of slope. I wouldn't want to be the maintenance guy on that...

So how do you like my theory about the location of the 1/8" hole vs the check valve?

thorsen · #15 10-06-2008, 09:27 PM

"Drill a relief hole in the discharge pipe to ensure that the pump will not “air lock”, which would allow the pump to run but not pump water."

http://www.sump-pump-info.com/sump-pump-installation.html