Septic Tanks - ouch - Advice Needed

[riley2008]

We have a septic system with a drain field - not an aerobic system. It's about 15 years old. (Septic pump pumps into the drain field.)

We figured out the breaker on our septic pump had tripped. Tank was full. We turned the breaker on and everything ran fine.....then a few hours later breaker tripped.

We have had a septic guy out and we've done the following:
1. replaced breaker
2. replaced sump
3. replaced float switch
4. checked drain field lines (septic guy used something to "blow them out, but didn't think that was our problem; when pump runs, it seems to drain fine without significant resistance he says)

Breaker keeps tripping....intermittently. Turn breaker on, pumps runs full cycle with no breaker problem; lift float manually, and pump runs fine with no breaker tripping.

Septic guy and electrician are at a loss. Right now we are bypassing the underground wiring for a few days to see what happens. If something was wrong with the underground wiring, the thought is the breaker would trip immediately whenever the pump is on.

We don't have too many options around here for expert advice, and this is getting costly - with no answers. So, any advice, websites, etc. would be appreciated. (At this point, Disney is getting further away.)

 

[MillauFr]

I feel your pain. I paid $22k to replace my sewer last year.

 

[gracie1]

I feel your pain. I paid $22k to replace my sewer last year.

Wow! I had no idea they cost that much! I hope mine goes for many years!

 

[riley2008]

I feel your pain. I paid $22k to replace my sewer last year.

I'm to the point of just flipping the breaker twice a day and be done with it until city offers sewer service. (Bad part is, city seems to be annexing everything near us, except for our neighborhood.)

 

[MomToOne]

It might be time to just try a different septic guy and electrician. Sometimes different guys just have different experience and what one can't figure out, another can.

This has definitely been true for my furnace. It's an old model but is still running like a champ other than a few normal maintenance issues. But because it's older, many shops aren't familiar with it. They will still come out, and try to do things, but it takes forever and it's clear they really don't have a clue what they are doing (you know you are in trouble when your furnace repairman is on hold with the manufacturer's "help" line ). But I finally found one shop that had lots of experience with this model - they actually bought one off of someone and put it in their shop to train the new guys with. They've always come in and within minutes figured out the problem and had it solved.

 

[riley2008]

It might be time to just try a different septic guy and electrician. Sometimes different guys just have different experience and what one can't figure out, another can.

Oh, I wish I could. Not too many other options around here, without calling someone miles away. The two guys working on this are supposed to be the "best". I keep asking and everyone within 45 miles from us recommends these 2. (And everyone is surprised they can't figure this out.)

(I may just have to call one of the "other" guys and just get their opinion. Can't hurt.)

 

[lauradis]

If your tank if full you need to have it pumped out asap

We have them pump it out every 3 years we have septic gravity system, with a sub pump for waste and water.

Keep trees out of your leach field.

Ridx works wonderful too.

 

[seashoreCM]

If the main chamber of the septic tank has just been pumped, then pumping it out again in short order is a waste of money. The normal level in a septic tank main chamber is about 85% full.

There is one exception -- when you know that the rest of the system (separate aeration chamber; drain field; mound, etc.) is malfunctioning and there will be a delay getting it repaired and you need the septic tank emptied in order to change its role to holding tank for the immediate future.

The problem you faced is that, unless you are a guru, you end up replacing several parts because you don't know what part is at fault. Furthermore, intermittent problems need the most attention and analysis.

I am guessing that the pump has failed in a manner that, depending on how it stopped on the previous cycle, it will trip the breaker. For example if the motor shaft stops in the one o'clock position, a shorted winding is in the circuit to trip the breaker on the next on off cycle.

 

[seashoreCM]

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