Top FAQs on Pump Station Maintenance | Excel Fluid Group

Frequently Asked Pump Station Maintenance Questions

Once a pump station has been designed, built, and installed to your requirements, maintaining an efficient, operational system is the goal. As a trusted partner throughout the design and build processes, maintaining your lift station is a critical contributor to a successful system. It doesn’t matter if you have a fleet of pump stations or you are focused on a single system, we have you covered from our 30+ years of pumps and pump station experience. We design all our pump stations with longevity in mind but there are also some tips and tricks you can use to aid your station’s lifespan. Whether it’s your team performing the maintenance, or you ask us to help with preventative measures, check out some of the most common questions we get on how to keep your lift station up and running as you need it. 

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Pump Station Longevity

How long should a submersible pump or pump station last?

Pump stations are commonly designed to have a 50-year life span, and if a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polymer concrete wet well is used, then a 100-year design life is achievable. That said, a submersible pump spends its life in a tough environment and like other mechanical equipment is subject to wear and failure. A common life span of a submersible pump is 15-20 years.

How can I prolong the life of my pump station?

Regular preventative maintenance of any pump station is required to prolong the service life and ensure optimal performance. Service items could include removing debris from wet wells, cleaning interior of wet wells and piping to minimize corrosion, exercising valves, and performing electrical checks on the pumps and switchgear.

How much does maintenance cost for the owner, operator, or customer on a typical pump station per year?

Maintenance cost and requirements can vary based on the pump station type and age. As with any infrastructure, additional wear and failures can happen with age and have a direct impact on your pump station maintenance budget. Additionally, ongoing pump station expenses that impact every pump station include electrical consumption and service personnel wages. A good rule of thumb when planning annual maintenance cost is to budget $3,000 to $5,000 per month. This will provide ample funds if a pump, valve, or electrical switchgear needs to be replaced or upgraded.

How can I prevent H2S Corrosion in my pump station?

H2S Corrosion can be detrimental to any concrete wastewater pump station. While you can apply paint, epoxy, or polyurea coatings inside your concrete wet well, we recommend changing the wet well material all together. HDPE (high density polyethylene) is inert to H2S all together and has a 100 year design life against harsh conditions. We typically see fiberglass wet wells in commercial lift station applications. These have about half the design life as HDPE but similarly don’t require any additional coatings. Lastly, polymer concrete wet wells are twice as strong as regular concrete but can't be pre-assembled prior to its arrival at the installation site. Being nonporous and consistent throughout the structure helps it protect against H2S more efficiently than a typical cement mixture.

What is the best way to avoid Arc Flash Hazards?

According to OSHA, there are 10 arc flash incidents every day in the United States that total more than 3,600 disabling electrical contract injuries each year. To prevent an arc flash, it is recommended that you deenergize the high voltage electrical components, wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE), keep at a safe distance, then carry out a risk assessment. Our ArcSentry™ control panel design was built with safety in mind. On the outside of the panel, a panel hood protects the controls from the elements, there are pump disconnects for each individual pump, and there are convenience GFCI outlets available for tools. On the inside, the high voltage motor control cabinet is separated from the low voltage and SCADA elements. An electrical mechanical interlock will only allow access to the high voltage side of the panel when the control panel is powered off. This allows maintenance personnel to work on lower risk low voltage components while staying safe from the high voltage mechanisms.

Pump Station Maintenance

How often should we get our wet well vacuumed out?

Depending on your pump station application, we recommend fully vacuuming out your pump station every 6 months. Some stations can be worse than others though, like if your station has a known ragging issue (whether it be flushable wipes, fats oils and greases [FOGs], etc.). This helps with the longevity of pumps as it naturally provides better level controls because FOGs and debris should be forcibly cleaned out and not travelled through the system. Additionally, with a clean wet well you’ll get less false alarms, odor, and build up in general. Also, when it’s vacuumed clean, it’s a good time to do a visual check and take inventory of your complete station. It’s the perfect time to get everything for a complete wellness check.

Do we need to change the oil on our submersible Barnes pumps?

If the pump motor overheats, if there is a seal failure, or if it’s been over 10 years, we recommend changing the oils in your pump. Like with a lot of pump station maintenance, it doubles as a good time to check other surrounding components. This time we advocate checking the wear and tear on your bearings for metal shavings, if there’s water in the pump from a seal breach, or if there’s the smell of oil burning.

I don’t believe my transducer is reading right, how do I adjust it?

Having a transducer accurately measuring wet well levels can be key to preventing a pump from running overtime. To ensure it’s reading correct first pull the transducer from the wet well and clean it while inspecting it for any damage. Once that is done, check the pressure rating (this should be stamped on the body) and make sure it’s scaled properly in the control panel. The pressure rating is commonly scaled in either inches or PSI. If these are all appropriate, check your transducer off set, or how far the transducer is off the floor of the wet well, and validate that it matches in the control panel PLC.

How do I fix a seal fail light alarm?

To fix a seal failure, you must change the oil in your pump. If there is a seal failure, the oil in a submersible pump is contaminated with wastewater from the wet well. In the case of a Barnes submersible pump, pull the pump and send it to a Barnes Warranty Center (Excel Fluid Group is a registered Barnes Warranty Center). Most Barnes submersible pumps have two mechanical seals so when the lower seal fails, that gives us time to catch it before it passes the second seal and reaches the pump motor. However, while your control panel will still allow for your pump to run after an initial seal fail, we recommend getting it to a Warranty Center as soon as possible. If the pump motor oil gets tarnished, you’ll need an entirely new pump motor and more than likely a new pump all together.

How do I fix a pump over temp alarm?

Like a seal fail, if your pump is overheating, we suggest first checking the volute is free of obstruction. If it was clogged, clean it out and monitor the running temperature over the next few days. If there was no visible clog, the pump should be sent to a Barnes Warranty Center as soon as possible. Unlike with a seal failure, most control panels will not allow a pump to run in the event of an over temp because there is a risk of fire.

How do I choose which service level is appropriate?

To determine how often to service your pump station you should first confirm how busy your pump station is. We recommend a quarterly in depth inspection for any influent type of station at a wastewater treatment plant or a station handling an entire residential neighborhood. In general base your service level on the pump station’s general designed flow per day or pump run hours. If your pumps are running 4-5 hours per day, a quarterly deep clean is appropriate while on stations that run 1-3 hours per day, twice a year should be plenty. Lastly, if it’s a residential pump station for a single home that only runs once a week, a yearly inspection should suffice.

A pressure sewer system uses small-diameter pipes and grinder pumps installed at each home. The sewer lines are buried just below the frost line and follow the countours of the land ("up and down" hills or a constant grade across flat land, for example).

The grinder pump station collects all of the wastewater from the home and grinds it into slurry. The wastewater is then pumped to a wastewater treatment plant or system, a gravity manhole, a larger sewer main or to a septic system.

The design process includes the following steps:

1. Collect information: Project layout showing location of connections (scaled); contour information; discharge location

2. Sketch a proposed pipe network layout: Flow should generally always head towards the discharge; no loops

3. Create zones designations where flow changes: More pumps operating simultaneously; and where two branches connect

4. Perform hydraulic calculations. E/One Design Assistant software is available for free in the Design Center

5. Optimize the design as required

E/One offers a no-cost preliminary design service to help users evaluate the feasibility of a pressure sewer for a project. Visit the E/One Design Center for more information.

E/One recommends that combination air/vacuum valves be utilized.

Air/vacuum valves, air release valves and combination air valves prevent the concentration of air at high points within a system. This is accomplished by exhausting large quantities of air as the system is filled and by releasing pockets of air as they accumulate while the system is in operation and under pressure. Air/vacuum valves and combination air valves also prevent a potentially destructive vacuum from forming.

Air/vacuum valves should be installed at all system high points and significant changes in grade. Combination air valves should be installed at those high points where air pockets can form. Air release valves should be installed at intervals of 2,000 to 2,500 feet on all long horizontal runs that lack a clearly defined high point.

Air release stations are available from E/One. Consult your local distributor for more information.

A grinder pump may be needed if your community has a low pressure sewer system, your home is located below grade from the sewer line and you need to pump uphill, or your home is located far away from the sewer line and connecting by a gravity sewer line is not possible.

Grinder pump are also installed to serve the basement of a home when a bathroom, kitchenette, etc is added to a home and the wastewater needs to be pumped vertically.

The life expectancy of an E/One grinder pump is difficult to pinpoint. There are many variables that contribute to the life expectancy of a grinder pump, such as: proper installation, system design, system pressure, run time, and what items go down the drain and into the pump.

E/One grinder pump have been known to last well over 20 years in some cases. The published average mean time between service calls is 10 years.

All of the wastewater in your home from toilets, showers, dishwashers, sinks, etc. empties into the grinder pump station. When the water in the tank reaches a certain level, the pump will turn on automatically and pump the wastewater to the sewer system. Most of the time, you won't even notice the pump running; it produces about the same level of noise as a washing machine and usually runs for only a few minutes.

Do not dump oil, grease, paint, strong chemicals, sand, kitty litter, etc. down your drain. Feminine products and personal/cleaning wipes should be disposed of in a garbage can. These items should not be flushed into any sewer or septic system. They can damage your pump or build up in the tank and prevent your pump from working properly.

The only items that should be going down your drains are water, regular toilet paper, and human waste. The following items should not be introduced into the grinder pump station (or any sewer system); they can damage or cause premature problems (parts wearing out) with your pump, or build up in the tank and block your pump from working properly.

Want more information on Commercial Sewage Lift Station Pumps? Feel free to contact us.

Do not dump large amounts of grease, paint, strong chemicals, and avoid putting sand, kitty litter, etc. down your drain.

Feminine products and personal/cleaning wipes (even if they're marked "flushable") should be disposed of in a garbage can, not flushed. "Flushable" only means that the wipes will fit through your home's pipes, not that they will break down in water.

Refer to our Grinder Pump Owners Guide for more information about what not to flush.

The alarm on your grinder pump station will sound when the wastewater in the tank reaches a certain level ("alarm level").

An alarm may occur if a large amount of water goes into the tank and rises above the pump's alarm level, such as emptying a large whirlpool bathtub. After the pump "catches up," the alarm turns off by itself and does not turn on again. We call this a "nuisance alarm." Frequent nuisance alarms during normal water usage (showers, washing machine, etc) may indicate that the pump is having trouble "keeping up" with pumping and needs service.

A nuisance alarm may also occur after a power outage: wastewater may be above the pump’s alarm level and the pump needs a few minutes to pump down the tank to a normal level. If the alarm doesn't turn off, call for service.

An alarm will occur if the pump has stopped working and wastewater in the tank rises above the pump's alarm level. Discontinue water use to avoid causing a backup or overflow. Never silence the alarm and continue using water if your pump is not working; you will cause a backup or overflow and possibly damage the pump.

If the alarm turns off after a few minutes and does not turn on again, the grinder pump should be OK. Check regularly to ensure that the grinder pump is operating and the alarm is not on.

If the alarm turns on and off repeatedly or turns on and stays on, call an authorized service center for service. Discontinue water use to avoid causing a backup or overflow.

Look on your alarm panel for a service sticker with a number. If no service sticker is on the panel, call our Service Link (USA) at 1-866-539- to find a service center near you.

E/One grinder pumps come with an alarm panel. If your grinder pump is working properly, you shouldn't notice it at all — the pump will turn on as needed and pump down the tank; its noise level is similar to that of a washing machine. The pump will turn off after a few minutes.

If your pump stops working, the alarm panel's red light will blink and a buzzer will sound. If the alarm doesn't turn off after a few minutes, call for service. Look on your panel box for our Service Link number.

Drain cleaner can be used, but choose carefully: use a household (not industrial strength) drain cleaner and follow the instructions on the bottle. Then, flush enough water to ensure that the pump turns on so the pump isn't sitting in the chemical for any period of time.

Refer to the ingredients or MSDS information for the drain cleaner. Please contact us if you need additional information.

Yes, you can rinse paint brushes, but get off as much paint as you can before you start rinsing brushes. This is a good idea for your pipes as much as it is for your grinder pump.

Never disposed of unused paint down the drain -- paint of any kind should never be introduced into a sewer system of any kind per the EPA.

Sizing and selecting an appropriate grinder pump station is important for ensuring long life of the pump. The following are basic guidelines for station sizing. Visit the Design Center or contact E/One if you need further assistance.

E/One manufactures one grinder pump that is available with a number of different tank sizes. Station sizing takes many factors into consideration including:

- Residential or non-residential/commercial application

- Expected total daily flow (not the number of water-using fixtures)

- Regulatory guidelines (local, regional, or national)

The most common application for pressure sewer systems is single-family, residential applications. A grinder pump station is located at each home and is sized to accommodate the home. The most popular residential E/One grinder pump station is the DH071.

Other configurations are available. Contact your local distributor for help choosing what is best for your region and need.

Sizing E/One grinder pump stations for non-residential and commercial applications is more complex. Commercial grinder pump station sizing considers many of the same factors as residential appliations, especially total daily flow. E/One typically uses known/estimated flow from the Table H 201.1 (4) from UPC Appendix H. This estimates flow based on intended use of the site and the intended occupancy. E/One avoids using fixture counts because, in our experience, flow is typically overestimated and results in an oversized system.

Constant, predictable pump output is the foundation for proper hydraulic design. It enables the engineer to minimize retention time, pump wear and deep scouring action at effective levels. E/One's semi-positive displacement (SPD) grinder pump was developed for wastewater applications. Pumps & Systems magazine featured an article about SPD pumps for pressure sewer systems that compares SPD and centrifugal pumps.

E/One offers grinder pump stations for residential (simplex stations) and light commercial (duplex through quadplex stations) applications. All grinder pump stations use the 1 hp Extreme Series pump. Visit the Product Catalog for the available tank capacities, tank materials and GPD ratings.

E/One's grinder pump lends itself to complex system designs because of its nearly vertical pump curve and the resulting nearly identical flow rate allows a wide variety of discharge heads. The predictable flows of the SPD pumps provide tolerance of widely varying system pressures.

SPD grinder pumps are crucial to the success operation of a pressure sewer system. The performance characteristics of SPD pumps assist in maintaining a sewer network free from blockages. When deposition of solids occurs, tending to block the pipe, centrifugal pumps will move toward shut off, reducing flow and velocity and increasing the tendency to block the pipe. SPD pumps constantly scour the lines to prevent buildup because flow is maintained although pressure or head increased, effectively scouring the pipe.

A grinder pump station that is too tall shouldn't be a problem other than aesthetics and possibly being in the way. The station can be shortened, but contact E/One or your local distributor for proper instructions.

A grinder pump station that is too short can allow infiltration into the tank. If this happens, the pump will run much more often than necessary, possibly introduce sand, stones or other debris, and cause problems (or a shorter life) for the pump. In this case, the E/One Extender or another E/One accessway extension is needed. Contact E/One or your local distributor to determine what extension you need.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Automatic Grease Traps. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.