# TRASH PUMPS



## JustWood (Apr 8, 2008)

Anyone have any experience with the trash pumps like you would find in the northern catalog ?  I have and old fuel tank I want rig up on my wood trailer and pump my own septic ,then spread it in my woodlot.  At $250/clean out I could pay for my pump the first time.

How well do the pumps work .


----------



## backpack09 (Apr 8, 2008)

ewwwe


----------



## Highbeam (Apr 8, 2008)

The thing about septic tanks is that the sludge can be very dense and heavy. You'll be pumping oatmeal prepared on the dry side. Be sure to have plenty of water available to keep things stirred up.

The pumper trucks use a big air pump and suck up the sludge more like a shop vac would where the trah pump is a liquid pump that will lose suction once you let air in. 

If using a trash pump, I predict that the scum and clear zone will suck up fine but the good stuff on the bottom will have to be scooped out like they did in the old days with a modified shovel/scoop.

Oh and figure on 1000 gallons plus the water that you add. A typical fuel tank is 275. I am all for distributing this waste properly in your woodlot but I don't think that a liquid pump is the right tool.


----------



## JustWood (Apr 8, 2008)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> The thing about septic tanks is that the sludge can be very dense and heavy. You'll be pumping oatmeal prepared on the dry side. Be sure to have plenty of water available to keep things stirred up.
> 
> The pumper trucks use a big air pump and suck up the sludge more like a shop vac would where the trah pump is a liquid pump that will lose suction once you let air in.
> 
> ...







I plan on agitating while pumping so that the sludge will liquify more than it already is. The tank I have is 500+. I'd like to at least  pump out my settling tank once a year and main tank every other year. How well do the $250 trash pumps work on sludge ?


----------



## Highbeam (Apr 9, 2008)

I've never had the nerve to intentionally pump straight mud with a trash pump. Whenever we have accidentally run the sump dry (in an excavation for utilities) and gotten into the mud, the air manages to suck past the mud and cavitate the pump which eliminates prime and the flow stops. I did verify that our sewer vactor trucks, the ones made for sucking out sewer manholes, pump stations, catch basins, etc. are designed as a huge shop vac. They are air pumps and not water pumps.  

How do you plan to agitate the sludge? I imagine something like a mortar mixing paddle and a lot of time. If doing this I would think that trying to suck up the sludge first while the liquid is still in the tank will prevent air from getting pulled into the line and killing prime. 

So you have a main tank and a "settling" tank? Are you referring to the typical two chambers of the single septic tank? If so, both of the chambers are settling tanks and both will have sludge. If you have two separate tanks then the second tank is likely a pump tank with a transfer pump and floats. This tank does not need to be pumped since its only function is a surge tank to minimize cycling of your pump and to provide storage during a power outage.

I would love to hear how this turns out. I have rented nice trash pumps for less than 50$ a day. I last used one to suck out a pond before filling it with dirt. Boy there must have been a thousand salamanders in there that all got sucked onto the intake screen of the pump hose. Bad day for them.


----------



## JustWood (Apr 9, 2008)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> I've never had the nerve to intentionally pump straight mud with a trash pump. Whenever we have accidentally run the sump dry (in an excavation for utilities) and gotten into the mud, the air manages to suck past the mud and cavitate the pump which eliminates prime and the flow stops. I did verify that our sewer vactor trucks, the ones made for sucking out sewer manholes, pump stations, catch basins, etc. are designed as a huge shop vac. They are air pumps and not water pumps.
> 
> How do you plan to agitate the sludge? I imagine something like a mortar mixing paddle and a lot of time. If doing this I would think that trying to suck up the sludge first while the liquid is still in the tank will prevent air from getting pulled into the line and killing prime.
> 
> ...




 I installed  my system 18 years ago. Is a very simple design because of a really good perk test .  Tank-Gravel filter box-leach field.  Originally had a mobile home on site. I use the line from the now removed mobile home as a dump station for my camper, sweeeet. 2 years ago had a home built 70 yards away from tank so I put a primary tank in next to house just to eliminate any possible plugging problems in a 210' run with 2 -45's and a   T. So essentially I have a primary tank, secondary tank (both 1000 gal) ,filter box and leach field.

 Went to Home Cheapo today to check out what they had. Only had one trash  pump and the guts were mostly plastic. I think I'm going to spend a few extra bucks and get a good one from Northern unless someone else has a better idea.


----------



## Highbeam (Apr 9, 2008)

I would rent an industrial style pump for the experiment.


----------



## Ncountry (Apr 9, 2008)

No personal experience with one but I have seen grinder sewage pumps for sale at www.pumpbiz.com .What ever you do, I would not forget the clothes pin.


----------



## JustWood (May 23, 2008)

Finally got everything together today !  Ordered my pump and suction/discharge hose a  month ago, pump came right away and hoses came a few days ago. Went to start pumping and noticed a dozen pin holes in tank so I got the bondo out and started patchin. A  few hours later and ready to pump. I ended  up buying a 2"  gas powered semi trash pump. It worked great . Only problem I had was keeping the discharge hose from kinking. Gonna try running a long plank up to the tank inlet to keep it from kinking tommorrow when  I pump the other half out. I ended up spending $560 on the unit but I figured a gas powered model would be more portable and usefull for other things in the future. I have 2 - 1000 gallon tanks so 1.5 pumpings and it will be paid for . Save my parents and a couple friends a few bucks too.


----------



## colebrookman (May 23, 2008)

http://weblife.org/humanure/default.html 
All you ever wish to know about Sh**, er humanure, and were afraid to ask.
Ed


----------



## cmonSTART (May 24, 2008)

EEEEWWWW!  What ever floats your boat I guess.  I work around a lot of the Honda brand pumps.  You can't beat them.


----------



## sapratt (Jun 14, 2008)

I know this is a little old but instead of a trash pump a diaphram pump would work better.  
You'll need a decent size air compressor to run it. Like it was said before a trash pump is
made for liquid if you start running sludge through it you may damage it or plug the pump.
A diaphram pump has two diaphrams that pull and push whatever your trying to pump.
You've heard of motor honey I pumped that with a diaphram pump it took awhile but it 
pumped it.  If you decide to do this get 3 or 4 inch pump and if you don't have a big enough
compressor to run it rent one it will be worth it


----------

