Diagnosing Problems With The Ejector Pump
UPDATED: July 5, 2017
After 5 years I think it’s about time we talk about troubleshooting an ejector pump. So many people rely on the functionality and durability of a sewage ejector that knowing how to do some minor diagnostics and repairs are a must for the homeowner.
The Zoeller Ejector Pump
Ejector pumps come in many shapes and sizes from the simple submersible ejector pump that you see in millions of homes across America, to a small point of use ejector pumps that are fairly complicated with duplex/triplex sewage ejectors that can grind up a small bike. Zoeller ejector pumps aren’t the only ones in the world either! There’s also Myers ejector pumps you can invest in. And you can find reviews and descriptions online to help find out which one will fit your needs. Ejector pumps are used when a bathroom or laundry room fixture is located below the grade of the main sewer or the septic line. They allow for the flow of solids and liquid to work against gravity and be pumped from the basement up to different parts in the house like to a house sewer or sink. The sizing determines the cost of the package system and basin. They range from around $400-$1000 because they differ in size and design. Replacement and maintenance can be expensive, so we’ve come up with tips on installation, and tips on how to keep your little or giant systems running.
Ejector pumps move the waste “up” and out of the home through the plumbing system’s disposal pipe; it works like a vacuum. They all work on simple concepts. Wastewater and suspended solids flow to an ejector pit below the elevation of the main sewer that flows out to the city sewer. As the wastewater flows into the pit the water level rises and actuates a switch which cycles the pump. An ejector pump is designed to pass small solids so those solids are broken down into smaller particles and they are pumped up and out to the house sewer. The ejector pump is designed with a sump pump, a pit or hollowed in which liquid or solids collect. You can find a great diagram on the web like this one, to help map out your ejector pump. The system is pneumatic meaning it is operated by air or gas under pressure.
A steam jet is an alternative to the mechanical vacuum pump for many different reasons. No energy is needed to move the gas through the pump which keeps the system efficient. It’s hydromatic, meaning it has functions like an automatic transmission that was originally developed for cars in 1940. The venturi effect is used in the process of pumping water via the tubes connected to the pump. “The Venturi effect is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when a fluid flows through a constricted section (or choke) of a pipe” (Wiki). Grinder pumps are another term for an ejector pump used when toilets are underneath the sewer line. The smell of waste is not noticeable with this device, but that should be obvious, no washing or cleaning is usually needed. Check out Barnes and Noble for more books of helpful tips and facts about ejector pumps.
Usually, people don’t think too much about their ejector until it fails and when it fails it’s usually a pretty traumatic event. Things don’t go too well. And deep down you’re thinking “how in the world am I going to fix this?” Don’t make me paint a picture for you, being in the plumbing business for over two decades has given me the power to describe plumbing mishaps in great detail. Lucky for you, we have some solutions for you that’ll make all the difference! And don’t you want the liberty of having a working ejector pump? (The answer: yes.)
Below are the most common ejector pump problems and their solutions:
PROBLEM: The pump isn’t cycling at all.
Troubleshooting an ejector pump can be easier than you think. Don’t set off the “oh no” alarm in your head just yet.
Piggyback Float Switches
SOLUTION #1: The best thing you can do is check that the outlet that the machine is getting power from. You can install and plug in a light or another electrical device. If it is not receiving power check your fuse box to see that you haven’t tripped a fuse if that doesn’t solve the problem, call in a qualified electrician.
SOLUTION #2: Solution 1 vs. Solution 2 may make a difference in troubleshooting your ejector pump. If your sewage ejector pump has a float style switch, take a wire coat hanger and straighten it out so that you have a hook on the end of the hanger. Manipulate the float so that it engages the switch. If the pump doesn’t cycle you either need a new pump or you can attempt to buy a piggyback type switch which bypasses the onboard switch. You can buy them retail for between $20 and $30 dollars. This could save you some serious dough.
SOLUTION #3: If you use the makeshift remote ejector pump actuator and lift the float and the pump cycles you know that for some reason the float isn’t lifting properly. You may have debris on the float or the float rod is impeding its movement. Clean off the float and rod and fill the pit to see if that takes care of the problem.
SOLUTION #4: Please see above. If the switch actuates and cycles the pump and there is nothing impeding the float and rod from moving it could be that the float is water logged and it’s too heavy to float. In this case, go and purchase a piggyback ejector switch and you should be good to go.
PROBLEM: You can hear the pump cycling but it isn’t evacuating the pit properly.
SOLUTION #1: This is sort of rare but it does happen. It’s possible that the float rod is out of adjustment or alignment and it’s short cycling. So it is possible to repair. Spend the extra money for a clear silent check valve. The pump is working but the pit isn’t being fully evacuated. Adjust float or rod to ensure proper pump cycle. If this doesn’t solve the problem buy a piggyback switch.
SOLUTION #2: This is a much more common issue. You hear the pump cycle but all you see is some slight movement of water in the pit. In most cases, the impeller has become clogged. Remove pump and clean inlet screen.
SOLUTION #3: If you’ve done the above and the pump is still humming but the wastewater isn’t being evacuated the impeller or shaft is damaged. You’re going to need to purchase a new ejector.
Spend the extra money for a clear silent check valve
PROBLEM: Ejector continues to cycle but no water is being removed from the pit.
SOLUTION: This is a very common issue. Your check valve on the discharge line isn’t indestructible. Often times over the years, debris gets caught on the flapper and it gets hung up. Sometimes the flapper can shear off and become lodged inside the discharge piping. The pump either pumps against itself because the discharge line is clogged or the some of the wastewater is coming back into the pit because the flapper isn’t closing properly. Either way, go out and purchase a new 2” ejector check valve, you can find them at Home Depot or Lowes.
I’d like everyone to know I had a lot of fun treading lightly around what debris’ may hang up floats and materials that clog impellers. I will give you one last tip, don’t flush baby wipes/butt wipes, paper towels or feminine hygiene products down a toilet that drains into an ejector pit. No residential ejector pump can grind up those products, so be cautious and hopefully your ejector pump will be fixed in no time!
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I’ve gone around to various forums and was unable to find a probable solution for my problem, so I guess is pretty unique.
A couple of nights ago, my ejector pump alarm went off and I went downstairs to find a couple gallons of water on the floor. It wasn’t substantial, but any is too much in a finished basement.
The seal on the cover was broken slightly, so I jiggled the vent pipe, heard the pump start, the water receded, and the alarm went off.
My question to you is this: given the fact that moving the pipes going through the cover caused the pump to start and operate properly, do you think this is the case of an obstruction in the line, a failed float to switch interaction, or other?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
This isn’t a unique situation in the least. Most likely you had something that was causing your float (Or whatever switch activation method your pump uses) to get hang up. When you moved the pipe you freed up the float allowing the pump to cycle. It could have been toilet paper, scale or it could have been the way the pump is situated in the pit. Sometimes the pump can move in the pit and the float will rub up against the wall of the pit thereby rendering it useless. Let me know if you have any more issues. Definitely not an uncommon problem.
Sean K
The ejector pump sounds like it keeps cycling making a loud rhythmic pumping noise. We have been gone for 5 weeks and noticed this upon using the basement water on return. The pump is about 20 years old. We have a well. I’m guessing it’s just old and needs to be replaced?
Thank you.
For sure, you probably have scale or debris build up on the float mechanism but after 20 years I’d buy a new one. You certainly have gotten your money’s worth. I love Zoeller or Ion Storm products.
Sean K
I have stumped 2 plumbers & a contractor with this issue:
The ejector pump is sucking the traps dry in the basement toilet, bath & sink. Any time it cycles you can watch the water get sucked down out of the toilet & hear it in the drains. Unfortunately, Harry Homeowner finished the basement w/o permits over 8 years ago, but this symptom just started happening & getting progressively worse in the last 8 weeks. Here is an additional hiccup to the puzzle- furnace drains into the “floor drain” which moron filled in and now the former floor drain drains into the pipe that drains into the pit (I know this is not code, but it is what the situation is-that hasn’t been a problem for 8 years+). It gets to smelling so bad it hits you when you open the basement door. HELP PLEASE!
You stumped two plumbers? Well I’m sure I don’t know everything about the situation but my initial shoot from the hip answer would be that you have a vent issue. Did you vent the floor drains and fixtures in the basement? If they are vented, a vent is probably blocked. I they aren’t vented and you’re just starting to see this happen you could be getting a blockage in your waste piping. What’s happening is the ejector is pulling air through the sewer lines to equalize the pressure. If your traps are being dried because of negative pressure there is a blockage being formed somewhere cutting off air flow.
Sean K
Sometimes I have to hold the toilet handle down to flush completely, and it seems that the ejector takes in more water before the pump starts than it did new. Also ca I use draino in the toilet.
Thanks for the question I appreciate you finding us. I have a couple questions for you if you don’t mind.
Did you always have to hold the handle down to completely flush the toilet? The reason I ask is because I do it myself in my own house. You are allowing all of the water out of the tank before the flapper closes. That’s not unusual.
The fact that the ejector is taking on more waste water now than in the past can be a number of things. If it’s float type ejector the float could be getting hung up on debris or maybe the float has water in it which means it it needs more pressure to engage the switch. There is more water in the pit before the float is lifted.
With regards to the question about using draino in the toilet. I’m not a big fan of using it anyway but in a toilet I would advise you never to use it in any situation. If you have a blockage and you have water in the bowl, it is highly unlikely you’ll get enough of the chemical next to the blockage to do any good. What happens in the very likely event that the draino does nothing? You have a toilet filled with a chemical you have to remove somehow. It can be dangerous for you and a plumbing professional. I hope that helps you a bit.
Sean Kavanaugh
I have been noticing slow flushing in the 2 upstairs toilets, then when taking a shower immediately after my wife, I noticed the shower was not draining. I used a plunger, some black material came out and then it drained. The problem is after this event never before heard of sounds started coming out of the bathtubs, then our son called me downstairs and said the pump in the waste tank would not stop. We pulled the cap off the tank and watched as everything was working to evacuate waste and water but then water began and continued to return to the tank from the vent pipe. As long as the ejector pump was doing it’s thing this cycle continued. What is the problem????
Hey Don thanks for reaching out. I need some clarification on a few things. You refer to “upstairs bathrooms”. Are all waste lines draining into an ejector pit in the basement? That would be slightly unusual. Usually your above ground waste drains by gravity and the basement waste is pumped up to the gravity sewer.
Without knowing more I would say that you have two issues independent of one another. You have a waste stack with a blockage between the first and second floors. The ejector pump has it’s own issue and that could be a faulty check valve. It sounds like it could be stuck in the open position. Thats why you’ve getting an ample about of waste water coming back into the pit.
Sean K
I would say from his description that he has a root problem clogging the line that goes out the street. I had the exact same problems, and a specialized plumbing company came out and accessed the clean out port by the curb. They used special equipment to grind up the roots and everything was in working order afterward…
I used to use rodding equipment with root cutting heads to grind up/cut out roots. However, I no longer believe that is the best way to control a root infestation. It works but you can’t ever cut the roots close enough to the inside of the pipe to assure a free flowing interior. The only way is to hydro jet. You are essentially giving the roots a haircut or a real close shave.
Sean K
Old thread, but I came across it while searching for a solution. All 3 floors of our house drain into an ejector pump in the basement. Super unusual, and the result of a lazy builder. It is currently not working and we cannot figure out why as it happened all of a sudden.
Our pump alarm went off 24 hours ago, and we haven’t been using our sinks/toilets, etc. since. We have it plugged into a back up battery system, and when we plug the pump into a house outlet, it doesn’t work either (typically the pump will cycle immediately once plugged into the outlet. This morning the alarm had stopped, but the pump still isn’t cycling. We are cautiously optimistic that the issue self-resolved, but are still using as little water as we can. Pump still doesn’t cycle when plugged into an outlet, and we haven’t heard it eject. Do you have any clue what could be happening?
Horrible install, I completely agree. I don’t want to make it sound this simple but your pump is bad. Go to Ferguson somewhere in your area and explain the issue and buy a pump that can handle that kind of volume. Hint, you need a beefier pump that I normal ejector.
Hi Don- my sewerage ejector pump is acting a little strange. Any help would be appreciated. Usually when it cycles on it hums for about 5 seconds then it empties it out with a kind of bang. In the last month I’ve noticed the humming is getting longer and longer-maybe 12 to 15 seconds before it empties. Is it on its way out do you think?
Hello, it’s possible there is something impeding the impeller however if the pump is over 5 years old and gets health use it’s probably time to get a new one. The bang you hear is most likely the check valve. I would recommend you have that replaced as well.
Sean
Hello and thank you for all the great information!
Ok, here’s my dilemma…
I have a well septic system with 2 pumps and concrete tank outside with wiring attached to the outside of the tank, looks like 2 outlets and a box with wiring inside of it. I will say that the electrical work attached to the outside of the tank has gone through some bumps and bruises with seasonal weather and lawnmower contact every now and then thus causing the panel that protects the wiring to be exposed unless taped shut. I just recently bought the house so I’m learning as I go, house was built in 99′.
I flushed the toilet today and the alarm went off, checked the circuit breaker and nothing was tripped. I eventually had a plumber come over (I wasn’t home at the time) and he said to my wife that the water level was higher then normal and that we need to buy an ejector pump for “pump 1” because “pump 2” is working just fine, I’m not convinced! I believe that something’s going on with the electrical work outside attached to the tank OR a possible check valve issue OR the float is getting hung up. I will say the plumber drained the water to a safe level but again I wasn’t home to watch this all do down.
Thoughts on troubleshooting? ANY guidance or advice is much appreciated, thank you!
Well two of the 3 other possible scenarios can be easily checked off the list. If something is hanging up the float you can look inside the basin and visually inspect it. If it was a check valve issue there are only two outcomes, either it’s stuck closed which means the pump would be pumping against itself and would probably continuously cycle or the valve is stuck open which means that the waste would pump freely out of the basin but all of the waste water left in the discharge line after the pump cycled would flow back into the pit. The amount of water coming back into the pit won’t be significant enough to see. Maybe it is electrical, the plumber should be able to test for power if not get an electrician to test the connections. Let me ask you a question is this a duplex system with an alternator? Do the pumps alternate cycles? I will say that if this a robust duplex system the switches fail for more often than the pumps. Take some pictures and email them to me. I’d like to see more.
Sean K
I cane home tonight and the ejector pump in the basement will go on with no activity causing it to activate. It will run for about 5 minutes and not pump anything then it turns off. It’s happening about every 20-20 minutes. House is about 13 years old. It feels like the pump is going to burn out. Any thoughts? Thank you for your response.
You unbolt the cover and check to see if you have anything stuck on the float that would be causing it to cycle. With a 13 year old pump I would invest in a new one. If you told me the pump was a year old I might suggest buying a new piggyback switch.
Sean Kavanaugh
I have recently purchased apartment home and in basement the bathroom floor was built over a tank andbehind wall sewage ejection pump.The toilet is i believe on the top of tank.After several flushes fresh water runs out down side of tank from toilet.I changed wax ring and nothing works.What can i do
The water runs on the side of the tank or bowl? If it’s coming from the tank then you may have a pin hole leak in the china somewhere. If you’re seeing it run down the bowl it’s possible you again have a pin hole leak or you may have a leak at the close couple connection between the tank and the bowl. If it’s a pin hole leak you have to change out the toilet. It’s really not worth it to just change out a tank even if you could find an exact match.
Sean K
Great info, Sean. Two things: my ejector doesn’t cycle on occasionally resulting in water on the floor (lots of water if doing laundry). Shaking the pipe causes the pump to engage. This seems to happen at random, and not related to any particular activity making it hard to diagnose and anticipate.
The second thing, may or may not be related, when the pump ends it’s cycle, it makes a loud bang. This happens regularly, probably after every cycle.
Also, our basin cap is pretty rusted and not on tight.
Thanks in advance for any insight.
Dan
Thanks Dan I appreciate it. With regards to the pump and how it cycles, most likely the float mechanism is being impeded in some way. It may be fouled with debris or may have developed scale or soap residue, it may also be resting close to the basin wall so it catches sometimes. When you shake it, it cycles. The float could also have water in it which is weighing it down a bit. How old is the pump? If it isn’t a new pump it may be time to replace in fact I probably would unless it’s where the pump rests. To take the ejector out, clean off the float and arm or guide and make sure everything is working properly is too much work to put an old pump back into the pit IMO.
The load bang you hear is the check valve slamming shut after the cycle. The two issues are unrelated however that too could be starting to fail. Here is a link to Zoeller’s quite check valves http://www.zoellerpumps.com/pt-la/product/415-quiet-check, I always use the clear one, not only because it’s pretty cool but you can see if it’s stuck and whether or not it’s working properly.
With regards to the ejector lid. These should always be sealed and gas tight. If it’s rusted out you can purchase a new ejector cover with a sealing kit. It’s a rubber gasket with new bolts.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you need anything else.
Sean K
hi Sean, we have an ejector pump located in the front yard with the control panel in our basement. there is an orange indicator light on the front of the panel that is labeled “pump seal fail”. this light has been illuminated since we bought the house over 3 years ago and we’ve had no septic issues whatsoever. now we are selling the house and buyer has requested the light be addressed. any ideas on a quick/cheap fix? could it be an electrical issue causing the light to stay on? in the event the seal does need to be replaced, how much should that cost(ballpark)? thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.
can you give me the name of the manufacturer on the control panel? It very well may be an electrical issue. I’ll get back to you on this quickly.
Sean
It’s an ABS panel. Thanks
I have periodic cycling by one of my 2 ejector pumps. I’ve cleaned off all possiible hinderances to the floats and ensured they don’t get in each others way. So I’m thinking the problem is the pump itself and may need cleaning (hopefully) or replacing. Are these pumps usually attached to the bottom of the what appears metal or fiberglass tank, or freestanding ?
They are usually freestanding pumps. There can be debris caught in the impeller and that may cause the pump to long cycle. Meaning it’s not evacuating the pit so the switch isn’t turning the pump off. But if it’s randomly cycling for no apparent reason it’s most likely a faulty switch. You can get a piggyback float switch and try that out to see if it solves the problem. It will save you quite a bit of cash in the short term.
Sean K
Sorry I should have made it more clear. The float signals the pump to come on but it only circulates the liquid. To resolve this I run water/ flush toilets until the emergency float activates and the 2nd pump comes on clearing the tank.
BTW the 2 pumps and 3 floats are governed via a control box so there is nothing plugged into an outlet. The control box was checked by an electrician and cleared of any problem.
recently my ejector is pumping out off and on every few minutes and my well pump is turned off.is that normal or a problem
thanks. rick
There should be no causality between the well pump and ejector. Open up the ejector pit to see if it is being filled enough for the pump to cycle if it is then you definitely have a serious issue. If the pump is just cycling without waste water present there is a problem with the switch. You can do one of two things, buy a piggyback switch to by-pass the faulty one or buy a new elector pump. If the pit is filling up fast and you aren’t doing laundry 24/7 then you have to figure out where the water is coming from. Chances are it’s not coming from a fixture.
Sean K
Thanks a million for taking the time to answer all these questions. So informative. We just realized that our pump breaker had be popped for a couple weeks so we flipped the breaker and the pump seemed to turn on (it’s makes a slight hum) but doesn’t seem fully activate or cycle. The sewage doesn’t seem to drain. The pump is submerged in the sewage and out of reach. Many thanks for your time.
The impeller may be bound up but who wants to remove an ejector pump to try and fix only to reinstall and not have it work. I’d recommend getting a new ejector.
Sean K
Hello,
We have a Little Giant Sump Pump Sewage ejector pump with a piggy back in our basement, it handles a bathroom/shower and one kitchen sink in mini kitchen.
We had to undo piggy back twice in a year to have it cycle when it would hang up a little. Now it it just humming and nothing is happening. Also found out when estimates started to come in that it’s not vented correctly. They used a stoddard/studdard vent which happens to not be up to code in our state of Georgia! Pump is almost 3 years old.
Any thoughts on troubleshooting? We are going to delve in and take top off to see what’s happening.
With regards to the ejector pump, It is such a pain to crack the pit open lift the pump out try to see if anything is hanging up the impeller and then reinstall hoping it works properly. It’s messy nasty work. I always recommend getting a new pump. With regards to the studor vent, yes they are illegal in many states because they fail and when they do you have a problem. Either sewer gas will enter the space because the air admittance is stuck open or you’ll have drainage issues if it is stuck closed.
Sean K
Hello,
Today I woke up with water all over my 2nd floor bathroom.
My tank alert alarm was going off. I currently have installed a liberty pumps pro370. The pump is coming on but it is not pumping the water out. The tank keeps over flowing. Would it be a good idea to remove the pump and clean it? Or is the pump inoperable?
Hey Juan, thanks for reaching out. I’m a little confused. You’re second floor bathroom had water?? Does that bathroom drain into the ejector pump in a basement? If the pump is running but not pumping is could be air bound or the impeller could be impeded. I can tell you that if the impeller is bound up I would replace the pump.
Sean K
My ejector pump is making a loud constant humming noise. The floor near it has warm spots on the concrete. I unplugged it. Is that ok as long as I don’the use any toilets or water in house? Called and left message for plumber.
It should be ok as long as no one uses the plumbing fixtures tied into that ejector pit.
Sean Kavanaugh
My upflusher only pumps for about a second to a second and a half. Can the cause be a hindered float or possibly not enough power, for my power company does sometimes cut it a little when there is high usage due to hot weather. Also, if there is a problem with my line out to my septic field, could that be the cause?
Thanks,
Mike
Do you have a check valve on the ejector pump? Is the float and switch integral to the pump? If you have a pump with an integral float and switch mechanism you have no ability to adjust the pumping range. You can buy a piggyback float switch by Zoeller or Level Guard and that might take care of your issues.
Sean Kavanaugh
5 weeks ago we moved into a home that is slab on grad and was recently hooked up to town sewer from septic. We had an ejector pump installed for the kitchen, and bath downstairs. For the last week and half, we hear a gurgling sound that is coming either from the ejector pump or the water pump from the well (we can’t tell which).
Yesterday the downstairs toilet wouldn’t flush so we plunged it and water came up into the shower. We added water to the toilet bowl (since it all drained out), and tried to flush again and it came out from underneath the toilet and onto the floor as well as up through the drain in the shower. When we run the kitchen sink, water comes up through the shower and under the toilet also. No alarm has gone off on the ejector pump to indicate it isn’t working. However, we are wondering if the alarm was set up properly with electrical since all new electric was just put in the house and things have been a little wanky. Could this be a clog between the pump and toilet? Or could it be that the ejector pump isn’t working properly?
It absolutely can be a blockage however the easiest way to eliminate the blockage as the potential culprit is to unbolt the ejector basin cover and see what’s going on inside. If the pit is peaked then your ejector is probably shot. If it’s not full then pour water in it until it cycles to make sure the pump is working properly. If the ejector is working you have a blockage that needs to be cleared.
Sean K
Hi Sean,
Great site, lots of info. I bought a house a year ago with a converted basement apartment. About a couple weeks ago the ejector pump started hammering when it turns on. I didn’t hear anything from it before and now it hammers like crazy when its on. Any advice before I call a plumber out? Thanks!
When it turns on does it hammer or just when it turns off? Have you watched the pump cycle? My first guess would be that you’re check valve is starting to wear out, it’s slamming shut when the pump turns off. My second would be that your piping is moving when the pump cycles and it’s banging against the lid or a stud. If that turns out to be the case you can use band iron to brace the piping to keep it from vibrating. If that isn’t the case snap a quick video of it in action and send to skavanaugh1@gmail.com
Sean K
Hey Sean, thank you very much for replying. So I did more investigating, got down in there next to the pump and then had my wife flush the toilet repeatedly so I could hear and visualize. The noise only happens when the pump is on, stops when pump stops. Visually, I don’t see any actual hammering happening, nothing is moving. It sounds just like hammering but I don’t think it actually is hammering. It might just be the sound of the pump laboring more or something.
It’s pretty unusual for an ejector pump to make knocking noises when failing however, it’s certainly possible. It’s probably time for a new ejector.
Sean K
Hey Sean! I’m not sure how old our ejector pump is..we’ve lived here for 6 yrs. but our basement toilet occasionally will not flush down/empty for a short window of time. Seems like the ejector pump is delayed? So water rises up in the bowl with each flush and then will eventually go down and empty completely once that pump kicks on. We rarely use the basement bathroom, gets flushed once a week if that. We do have our laundry hookup in the basement. Any ideas about the toilet delay?
Look at the inlet of the piping entering your ejector pit. I’ll bet it’s lower that the level of the float engagement. So when you flush the toilet you are filling up the pit but the inlet is underwater. When the pump engages it pumps the water below the inlet and the water flushes out. See if you can lower the pump.
Sean
Thank you for the quick response. Do you mean see if I can lower the float engagement or the actual pump itself? Thanks again.
I don’t believe you can lower the float. Unless you have a pump that uses a switching mechanism housed outside the pump like Glentronics. If you can send me a picture of it I’ll be able to tell you.
Sean K
I’m having a problem with my Ejector pump that’s in front of my house. Because sometimes it’s not breaking up the waste it stops the pump from working and. It backs up into the house. What can I use to break down the waste so the pump can start working or what kind of pole will allow me to pull it up?
My ejector pump is making a loud constant humming sound. When I touch the pipe it is vibrating but no water is passing through. At this moment and for the last 2 hours there has been no activity to have it even have been used. Should I unplug it ?
Absolutely unplug and attempt to plug back in. Sometimes it will reset the switch, if it continues to hum remove the cover to see of the float is hung up by debris. If this doesn’t work you may be able to but a piggyback float switch to by-pass your float however, I would invest in a new ejector at this point.
Sean K
Hi Sean, Our upflush for bathroom in basement is switching on about every hour as though the toilet has been flushed. It’s a brand new one replaced a 5 year old one that broke possibly caused by some kind of white debris the plumber found in it. I don’t understand why this 6 month new one is turning on like this.
Regards,
Are you hearing any water running into the above ground ejector? The first thing I would look for a is a water leak that is filling up your basin causing it to cycle.
Sean K
I am having the same problem with my upflush in the basement. I can hear it flush like someone has used it about every hour or so. I could hear water running so I cut off the water to it. And I still heard it flush. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The float inside the ejector has got to be hung up and short cycling. How old is the unit?
Sean K
Hi Sean,
I have a floor drain near my furnace (in my basement) that keeps backing up. Can this possibly be connected to my ejector pit? I don’t see a pipe outlet into my sump pump and don’t know where else it would empty to. If so, my ejector pit has power but does not kick on to pump this water away. Any suggestions?
Any help is greatly appreciated!
The drain near your furnace picks up the condensate waste from the furnace/AC and should discharge into an vented ejector pit with a gas tight lid. Now I’ve seen plenty of homes in my day that have the condensate running to a floor drain that connects to the sump pit which has a removable cover and just one pipe exiting the pit. Either way you have to rod the floor drain. You should be able to get it open with a Rigid K-50 rodder or something similar. I would then run water in that drain and see where the waste water discharges.
Sean K
I have an above ground ejector 200 ft. from the house. The sewer pump use to pump sewer water out about about a foot with pressure. Now it only comes out an inch. I changed the pump and it still does it. Could the ejector be plugged below ground. How can a person get this apart to clean it. I do have an inline filter on the pump and the screen is clean.
An above ground ejector pump? Do you mean a lift station? How is the sewage getting from the house or source to the pump? I’m assuming gravity. So do you have 200ft of exposed sewer main? Why is there are screen on an ejector pump? An ejector is by it’s nature supposed to grind up suspended solids. I don’t believe I have a full picture of the problem in order to answer the question properly.
Sean K
Hi Sean,
I have an ejector pump for my basement that is working properly but the fumes leak out and makes the basement smell until it ejects. Recently, we had some electrical work done and the electrician forgot to plug it back in and it overflowed. We plugged it back in and it works fine, but since then the smells are worse, even after it ejects. Can you recommend what to do or how to seal it? I do not believe it is sealed properly, doesn’t seem to be bolted into the ground, the top actually slides. We just bought the house a few months ago so we were not the original installers. Thanks!
Hey Michael,
Is the cover bolted to the basin? If so you may need a new gasket that goes between the basin rim and the cover. Sewer gases can also come out from around the discharge and vent pipe. If you can pop a picture let me know and you can email to me.
Sean K
PLEASE HELP: We have an ejector pump in the basement bathroom with a first floor and a second floor bathrooms each above the other. The first floor and second floor bathrooms drain right into the sewer line using gravity. The ejector pump pumps the water from the basement bathroom up and over to the same sewer line. When the ejector pump runs, sewer water comes up into the tub on the first floor. It comes up the drain when the pump starts and recedes when the pump shuts off. It’s not a lot of water but it’s disgusting and stinks up the bathroom. Why is this happening and how do we fix it?
Hey Kati, thanks for taking the time to reach out. Ok this is a fairly simple one. You have a blockage on your main sewer line. It’s still able to take water from your upper floors because it’s only partially blocked. Because the ejector pumps so much water at one time it’s backing up into your 1st floor bath, the lowest fixture. Have a plumbing tech rod out the main and you should be ok.
Sean Kavanaugh
Our ejector is in our basement & is below our kitchen . When it goes off, water comes up the kitchen pipes & spurts very loudly our the drain, on it’s way out the pipe. What can be done about this? I have had 2 plumbers out & they can’t figure it out.
First of all this isn’t uncommon. Sometimes if the ejector discharge is very close to the drain line for the kitchen the discharge the waste rushes by so fast that is sucks the water from the trap. However most times when this happens we find a clogged vent which allows air back into to the system. Is your kitchen vented? If so check the vent, I’d bet it’s clogged or almost clogged.
Sean K
Hello, the last few weeks our sump pump kicks on every few minutes for seconds at a time. The water level is not even reaching the float by the time it kicks on. It “revs” up 3 or 4 times and then goes off. It’s very loud and annoying. I don’t know if I need a new switch or float. It never lets the water get high enough for it to need to kick on. When we do have heavy rain it runs fine and keeps the basement dry. It just won’t stop starting and stopping.
You are most likely right, your switch is bad. You can go buy yourself a piggyback switch to bypass the switch on the pump and you should be good to go. As a side note, be mindful of the condition of the pump itself. Anytime a pump malfunctions for awhile you put extra wear and tear on the pump. For 30 to 40 dollars buying a piggyback switch is worth a try.
Sean Kavanaugh
we have an ejector pump in our basement for our full bathroom and laundry room. Last night when we flushed the toilet, it wouldn’t flush and it backed up into the bathtub. It wouldn’t drain either and the backup smell horribly. I went to see the pump and there was some water near it. The warning light was red. Not sure what it means or what to do.
I’m fairly certain you have a bad ejector pump. If you take the lid off you can measure the water level. If the water level is high in the pit the pump isnt’ cycling so it’s time for a new pump.
Sean Kavanaugh
We recently replaced ejector pump for basement bathroom, toilet and sink only discharge into pump. A few weeks after replacing ejector pump it was making a continuous dripping sound Plumber came back fixed toilet attached saying that it was leaking and causing sound and fixed something on ejector pump. Now suddenly dripping sound occurs again after flushing, doesn’t last long and eventually stops completely.
Could this be a bad ejector pump replacement?
Huh…weird problem. I don’t believe it’s a bad ejector install. Where is the dripping coming from? The toilet or the pit? It could be that when water enters the pit it’s hitting the cover and it’s dripping into the water below. Give me some more info, this is a strange little problem.
Sean K
Few months back,the plumber had replaced the ejector pump in the basement. But from day 1 we hear some sort of grinding notice from the pump. We recalled the plumber , he just poured a bucket of water in the pit and said the pump is running fine. But we continuously hear the pump is keep on pumping every few minutes. There is water is discharged in to this pit except from the A/C. Even after we completely turned off the A/C, we can hear the ejector is pumping out the water. We never had this problem in the past 20 years.
Any suggestions?
My suggestion is that you remove the lid and trouble shoot yourself. Watch the pump to see how it cycles, when it cycles. You may have to wait awhile but it sounds as if it’s cycling frequently. If it doesn’t cycle do what the plumber did and pour a bucket of water into the pit to see if it will turn on. Then wait for it to cycle again. Is the pit filling up properly, is the pump short cycling?
Hello, I’ve never messed with the ejector pump since we moved in. It’s the original pump from when the house was built in 1999. The pump handles the condensation from the furnace/AC, as well as the water softener…that’s it. Only recently have I caught the pump NOT shutting off. It works fine for the longest time, but once the water softener cycles…it pumps all water out but doesn’t shut off. I’ve been unplugging it periodically…then it works again (always for the furnace/AC). What do you suggest as I’ve never cracked open the lid to view the ejector pump. Is it very similar to my normal sump pump? I’ve changed that out before…
Let me know what you think
The float probably has sediment and scale on it. The switch could also be starting to fail. Replacing an ejector is almost identical to replacing a sump pump except that if you have a true ejector it has a 2″ discharge and a residential sump pump is 11/4″-11/2″. An Ejector pit is also vented with a gas tight lid. Again these are all simple differences.
Sean K
I have a sealed sewage pump system , in my downstairs bathroom, like a Bur Cam, when flushed twice, all is fine, it kicks on but it will run for about 1 to 1 1/2 before it starts churning, then it pumps the sewage our fine, didn’t seem like it has ran this long before,
I would check the floats to see if something is impeding normal movement and cycling. I am familiar with Burcam but not their sealed sewage pump systems. If you could send a picture of yours that would help.
Sean
Open-style impeller on a sewage ejector pump installed in a basement for daily use by the basement in-law suite which has a full kitchen and full size laundry, high-end dishwasher and bathroom. Systems are used simultaneously, such as dishwasher and shower and laundry. Twice we have seen string clog up the pump when the pump failed. Other times the pump failed (4 other times!) and there was no material. The string is a mystery. The first pump made a knocking sound from the install onwards and it just got worse. Their were some rags that were washed and they were a bit old but they did not come out of the washer unraveled to the extent of the string that we found in the pump. That pumped was replaced after it failed 5 times. A new pump of the same kind was installed. That pump failed at about 3 months. There was more string found but this time no rags had been washed and nothing that is stringy washed. The first pump failed at about 3 months. The new pump started to make a hammering sound a week or so before the failure. What do you think could be causing the string to appear the first or second time and what’s the deal with a pump that lasts 3 months only?
Thanks for reading the site and thanks for the question. With regards to the string, I have no idea. Its probably something that came out of the washer I would imagine. That or someone in the house has a penchant for eating yarn. If you don’t have one already I would suggest you put some kind of strainer on the end of your washer discharge to catch any lint or fabric. I’ve got to be honest, I’ve never heard of anyone using a mid-range ejector pump have that many issue spaced so closely in my 23 years in the business. Do you have a garbage disposal installed in the basement? The food waste from that could make things difficult for an ejector pump. If none of the above applies it’s my recommendation that you install some kind of grinder pump like the Shark Series by Zoeller http://www.zoellerpumps.com/en-ea/product/1242-
Sean K
Thank you so much for providing common solutions to ejector pump problems. I can definitely imagine that a sewer ejector pump failing would not be something to look forward to. I think even knowing how to find and diagnose the problem, I would probably still prefer to leave the maintenance and replacement of this pump (and any other part of this system) to a professional.
I have a sump pump that will randomly flush throughout the day. Is this something to be concerned about. I was under the impression that it should only run when a toilet or sink, etc in the basement is used??
Are you sure it’s a sump pump? If your basement bathroom fixtures are connected to it it’s probably an ejector pump. An ejector will cycle through the day if your furnace is on and the condensate drain line discharges into the pit.
Sean K
My sewage ejector pump stopped working and the bath tub back flowed with sewage. I unplugged the pump plug from the piggy back switch, and plugged the pump directly into the outlet. The pump came on and ejected the waste from the tank. My question is does that mean the float switch is bad? My second question is it common for sewage water to be on the floor or do I have a second problem?
Hey Brad thanks for reaching out. I would say that that would be the first thing I check off the list. The fact that you unplugged it and it cycled without the switch tells me the pump is working fine. The float could be hung up inside the pit but you wouldn’t know it unless you took the lid off and tested it. As far as sewage water being on the floor, I’m not certain what you mean by that statement. If you could give me more info I would gladly help out.
Sean K
My husband was down checking the sump pump because the drain tile that it is connected to froze and now with the warming spring temps and rain backed up before we could catch and reroute it temporarily above ground until the drain tile is thawed/fixed. But he then noticed a smell from the injector pit so opened the cover and there is all this ground water around it and the pump is running even when the connected utilities are not in use! How do we fix this and also is there anything we can do to keep water away from our hose more so I’m not constantly worried I’m going to walk down to a basement full of water?
First of all thanks asking the questions. I appreciate it. You’re question definitely has some layers to it, I’m going answer them as you ask them and hopefully they give you a bit of clarity.
Most likely because the drain tile serving the sump pump is compromised very little of the groundwater that is supposed to be removed by the drain tile is making its way to the pit. Water finds its way and because your water table is so high it’s made it’s way to your ejector pump. I’m slightly confused by your statement that there is water “around” the ejector pit? You have standing water outside the pit? The reason you’re ejector pump is running constantly is because groundwater is making its way into the ejector pit. Most times when a home is built and the pits are installed the concrete contractor will punch holes in the pits just to let some of the groundwater into the pit before the pumps are installed. In your case because you have so much pressure under your basement floor your ejector is helping out.
I think the very first repair it to fix the sump pump line. That very well may take care of most of your issues.
There are 4 different things you can do to to minimize the threat of flooding.
1. Make sure the equipment used to remove water from your house is functioning properly.
2. Install a quality basement back-up sump pump
3. Make sure the grading around takes water away from the house and doesn’t slope towards the house making your house a big boat.
4. Install a secondary drain tile system on the interior or exterior of your foundation depending on where your current drain tile is located. If you have a problem area in your basement for instance you get water in one area. You could install drain tile on the interior two wall near the flooding and install another sump pit with pump. This is very effective.
I hope that helps.
Sean Kavanaugh
We have a ejection pump in our basement. I is for the toilet, shower and the clothes washer. We are having trouble with it failing, I think maybe it is because of toilet paper use but we have lived here 11 years and only recently are haveing issues. My husband replaced the float because we thought it was the problem. Sometimes it seems to rub against the wall where the pump sits. Any suggestions
Hey Cari,
Thanks for the question. It’s possible its the toilet paper you’re using but more likely that you need a new pump. 11 years on a single ejector is pretty impressive. If you want to eliminate the float altogether buy a pump with a sensor switch like http://www.ionproducts.net/pump/se40i/. It has a digital level control so it doesn’t matter what toilet paper you use.
Sean K
Hey Sean my ejector in the basement has been unusually loud lately when you flush the toilet. Today my toilet won’t flush and just fills with water and the shower wouldn’t drain. It completely doesn’t make any noise at a when I flush now. Could this be a piggyback switch problem or is my ejector bad. I’m pretty clueless when it comes to this stuff but figured
I would reach out thank you so much
Hey Jake,
Unfortunately there is no way to really find out without opening the lid. Try unplugging the ejector pump for 10 seconds and plugging it back in. If the pump cycles the switch may be bad but it’s no guarantee. If I were a betting man I’d say you need a new ejector.
Sean K
We’ve lived here 3 years, house was completely remodeled including the pump, 2 years prior to that. Soon after moving in it overflowed due to a lot of sediment on the float. It was yellowish,looked like that expanding spray foam stuff. We got it all cleaned off the float and side walls-worked fine for about another year then same thing happened. Is there some sort of maintenance that needs to be done or a product like what is put in septic systems that should be used? Thanks in advance for your help.
You have sediment building up on the sump pump? I’ve seen this one other time and we literally put in a new drain tile system by excavating whatever spoils we could and replacing with pea gravel.There was some dissolved mineral in the ground that was really compromising the drain tile and the sump pump. you can try removing the pump and cleaning or soaking it in CLR and reinstalling.
Hello. Great site! I noticed today when the toilet was flushed a slight hum of the injector, it is 2 years old and the downtairs laundry, toilet and shower are connected to this system, but no water moving. I tried unplugging and plugging it back in and waiting and it would hum and then go silent off and on very 30 seconds or so. The “pit” is full of water and I looked down through acces cover for wires and float appears to be fully up. Got as much water as I could out with shop vac but still too much in there and the float appears to be floating. Plugged it back in and the hum would return but nothing discharged. Had silent check valve installed in March. Any thoughts on this matter? Thanks!
It sounds to me like you need a new ejector pump or there is something caught at the bottom of the ejector. Sometimes submersible pumps can become air bound as well.
Sean K
Help! We just had a new bathroom put in our basement with an ejector pump installed. Whenever the ejector pump runs, as soon as it stops, there is gurgling and then dirty and smelly water comes up the drain in the bathtub. Also, when it was installed, we were told that it wouldn’t run very often because of how big the pit was but a couple of toilet flushes and running the shower for a couple of minutes causes it to run. Any ideas?
Without seeing the configuration my best guess is that you have a stoppage somewhere between the bathroom fixtures and the ejector pit.
Sean
The pump ejector cover we have is not properly fitted to the basin. The diameter of basin is about 22″ but the cover is about 20 1/2″. This is causing smells to leak out in the basement, especially in the hotter months. Do you know where I can find a properly fitting cover? I am having trouble finding a 22″ one. Thanks!
https://www.akindustries.com/products/155/22-inchSteel-Side-Vent-Sump—Sewage-Basin-Covers
We have an ejector pump in the basement but no bathroom down there; it is used strictly to discharge the water from the washing machine. It was replaced 6 months ago. We have a septic system. Suddenly, whenever I do laundry, as soon as water starts getting ejected out, there is a strong, horrible sewage odor and it permeates the whole house. ONLY when the washer drains the water into the ejector pump does this happen. Might the check valve be broken? Can we use a regular sump pump since there is no bathroom? Any help would be greatly appreciated!’
It sounds to me like your septic system may be saturated or fully charged. Have you had it pumped out recently?
Sean
Hi, I am having an issue with my basement toilet. My kids said it backed up and overflowed a few days a go and they plunged it which fixed it. Today the toilet overflowed again this time I attempted to plung it and could not get it to unclogged – while I was using the plunger I noticed my ejector pump was overflowing and I could seen water coming out of the ejector pump with the cadence of my plunger. The ejector pump did not have water coming out of the top before I attempted to plung the toilet. I Did not check the power to the pump yet I will do that when I get home. But do you have any ideas what could be causing this?
Try cycling the pump. Unplugging and plugging back in. If that doesn’t work you need a new pump. Here is the simple truth about trouble shooting an ejector pump. If you unplug and plug back in and the pump doesn’t cycle and you know you have power the pump is probably bad. There are other things you can do but it involves taking the pump out of a pit filled with raw sewage and then putting the pump back in the pit. If it doesn’t work you have to pull the pump back out and replace. It’s not a fun project.
We just bought a house that was built in 2007 and noticed when we moved in that the ejector pit is not plugged into the wall outlet. There are 2 wires coming out of it, and one is plugged into the other. They’re taped to the top of a thick white PVC pipe. Are these supposed to be plugged into the wall?
Our sump pump is 1 wire that I know has to stay plugged in to work but I’m clueless about the ejector pit.
So that pump has a piggyback switch. One wire is power to the pump and the other is coming from the switch. For sure they should be plugged in if you want them to function. I have the feeling that you have nothing in the basement that would cause the pump to cycle. Please note, if you have a furnace with an AC unit the condensate is usually piped to a floor drain that discharges into an ejector pit. Make sure you have nothing going into that pit before keeping that pump dormant.
my low prentedo41lp works great, check valve makes noise, I vented unit into existing vent with a tee connection ,when unit comes on odor comes into upstairs bathroom .should I install a separate vent to the outside?
I am not at all familiar with that pump so I can’t comment on its function, however, I can comment on the sewer gas smell. If you vented the ejector properly you shouldn’t have any sewer gas smell anywhere. Check your traps in that bathroom. Is the discharge from the ejector tied in close to the waste of any fixtures in that bathroom? The reason I ask is that it’s possible the rush of discharge water could be pulling the water from a trap seal allowing sewer gas into the room. The other more likely culprit is that there is a vent in that room that is broken or incorrectly piped. If you can get to your roof, you can try a peppermint test.