Hi, I’m hoping someone here has seen this problem and has a solution.

My system septic system is configured as a septic tank, a separate pump tank feeding to an elevated leach field. The pump in the pump tank has “on”, “off” and “alarm” floats. All were replaced last year along with the electronic control panel. They were replaced in the hope of solving this problem.

The problem is that my pump runs normally for a few days. Then it’ll run but pump at a much slower rate than “normal”. The normal time to pump a full (well full to the point when the “on” float is tripped) 1000 gal tank is about 40 minutes. But when it runs slow, it could take a day to empty. Then, when the “on” float is triggered again it runs normally and will empty in ~40 minutes and will function normally for a while. Then the slow cycle will reappear.

Is there any reason this intermittent operation would occur? I’m hoping it’s not a signal that the pump is failing ….

Thanks

Normally when I encounter a slow effluent pump it is due to foreign material (something that got thru to the effluent tank from the septic tank) caught up on the impeller/volute, but the pump usually does not vacillate between strong and weak pumping, it just stays weak.

Does the effluent pump on up to a distribution box where you can observe the discharge? Ideally, that is how they are set up.



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without being there to check it out, there is no way to tell you if it is something happening with the pump, or if it is the field having a problem.

Thanks for your replies.

During the cycle when the pump runs normally and effluent flow is strong (viewed from distribution box of the leach field) and we can’t seem to see/find any issues. The system seems to operate the same way when the pump runs slowly. But the effluent flow is distinctly slower.

I didn’t mention this in my initial post and probably should have. When I notice that the pump light has been on and the pump running for a significant length of time I will, from the circuit breaker panel, switch the breakers for both the control panel and the septic pump off. I’ll wait 5 minutes. Then turn the breakers back on. The effluent flow returns to its “normal” strength the tank clears quickly. Cycling the breakers to both devices seems to reset the pump to normal operations.

The tank has an alarm so I won’t be surprised by an un-pleasantries and I can continue to reset everything on an alarm or when I notice a long run. My fear is that this fix might not work one day and then I’m scrambling. If, through your experiences you might think this a heading to a pump failure, I’d like to get ahead of the eventually and plan a replacement.

Thanks.

IF the pump is "air bound" it will pump the water very slowly. Turning it off and then back on would normally purge the air so it can operate normally. From your description that may be what is occurring, so you need a plumber, or someone, to check to see if the pump removes all the water in the tank and starts sucking air without turning off.

Great suggestion. Thanks. I'll contact my plumber ..... I'll reply once the plumber inspects the tank ....



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I think HJ is on to something there. The fix for an air-bound pump is to drill a relief hole below the check valve, usually near the top of the pump.

So from what I can see (and it’s through my inexperienced, home owner only eyes) there is a PVC pipe extending as a raiser from the pump to a PVC elbow and extends through the wall of the manhole. It attaches to a pipe that is on a 40 ft. (or so) run to a distribution box to the leach field which is 4 to 5 feet higher than top of the pump tank. The elbow has a hole drilled in it to allow the effluent that remains in the pipe after the pump shuts off, to drain back into the pump tank to prevent the possibility of the effluent freezing in the 4 foot freeze depth here in the northeast.

The PVC pipe exiting the pump seems to be attached (?) to the pump. I can't seem to distinguish the position of a “check valve”. But this doesn’t diminish the prospect that the issue is that the pump is "air bound".

I’m still looking to schedule a plumber ….

Thanks for the responses so far…..