# septic tank pumps + oven



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

just opened up a man hole cover for a septic tank (yes nice smell) 
and there is a single plug there and a plug pluged into it, whitch powers the pump.
is this ok ? 
i am haveing to replace the pump is that ok just to plug it back in?

i looked about in my books could not see anything .


when doing my test i went to turn the oven off but there was no isolator on it
is that ok or does the home owner have to put one in ( all wired pre 2000)

thanks Philip


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

this place is bad will post some pics up later.

just on another note looking over my notes and i have put down about when a hosehold changes ocupencey there has to be a PIR done is this true if so anyone know were it is in the books


Thanks Philip


----------



## frank (Feb 6, 2007)

Philip. The plug and socket is fine - if it is IP rated. Make sure you have a CeeForm type in front of you. If the pump is connected to a residential situation make sure the circuit is RCD protected too. As for change of occupancy tests. This is a requirement to be made by a Landlord only and not specific just because a household changes tenants.

Frank


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

thanks frank do u know were it is in the OSG please or another book so i can show them in black and white 


Philip


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Phillip

When you are doing your tests and inspections you have to judge it with TODAYS regulations or amendments Not as it was 10 years ago.

A cooker or oven should have a local isolation switch nearby.

Chris


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

i found out its in guidence note 3 so just orded my copy should get it within a couple of days 
is i am trying to sort this job out would someone be able scan a copy so i can just show them in black and white 


thanks Philip


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

just want to cheak this out with you guys and i think i am right in saying 

that the socket under the the drain cover for the septic tank pump has to be a on 30ma RCD as this location is out side.


would you but a rcbo in on the consumer unit so you can see if its triped a lot easyer or would it be better to put a ip rated rcb socket in ?

Thanks Philip


----------



## cornishsparks (Oct 14, 2007)

Personally i would put an RCBO in the consumer unit or feed it from an RCD spur unit simply for the acsessability factor, you dont want to have to take up covers or lean upside down to reset the RCD.
Also this way you protect the cable feeding the socket as well.


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Cornish has made a good point there Phillip , you don't ( or the client doesn't ) want to have to lift the lid to reset the trip to the poo pump when ever it trips off , you wouldn't be able to tell unless you have poo all over the lawn :laughing: 

Chris


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

ok the pump is working it is just a problem in the curcuit is there a trick to work out how power ful the pump is so i can select my cable size or am i going to have to do the messy job of going to the pump and looking at it 



PHILIP 


thanks for all help even if it seems sily to you guys


----------



## cornishsparks (Oct 14, 2007)

Trouble is you have to run it to do this so you wont know if your cable is big enough to run it, but do a current (tongue test on the live to see what its drawing,


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Phillip

What size is the existing cable to the pump ? is it 1.5 or 2.5mm ?
Can't see it being much more than that really,is the pump a "Flygt pump " they do a lot of small single phase poo pumps.

You could bung 4mm in but seems pointless if its only 2.5 at the mo

Chris


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

atm ( and i realy dont understand what the  is going one)

there are 3 sets of twin and earth 
2x2.5 and 1x4mm i have traced them all back to the fuse bourd ok they take a long walk arounf the garden and house befor getting there but not conected to anything and the 2.5 and 4mm are in the same b32 fuse and the other 2.5 is in a b20 

so what is doing what i have no idea

as for the make i dont know i dount want to go right down there


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

In your pit then Phillip (top of the septic tank ) does the 4mm go into the socket outlet ?

Is there a seperate wire that disapears down to a float in the poo tank ?

Very strange that you should have two supplies to it Phillip ?

Chris


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

yea the 2 supplys are strange and haveing 2 diffrent sizes on the same curcuit 

no it just has a roap going down with a wire cable tyed to it and on my end of it it has a 3 pin plug on it


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Ok so the pump must have a float attached to it somewhere otherwise it would run constantly.

You say you have traced the cables back to the distribution board,can you actually see the three twin and earths at the top of the tank then Phillip ?

The 32 amp mcb is too big for the 2.5mm cable,should be downgraded to 16amp or 20amp greatest.


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

i see all 3 sets of twin and earth attached to the back of a plug socket 

with the fuse only being 13a in the plug top i would go by it cant be much power. 

i was thinking put in a 4mm raidal and a b16 
as the run is over 35m run 

that should cover it quite happy dont you


----------



## nakulak (Dec 10, 2007)

there's an oven in the septic tank ? what exactly do you cook down there ?


----------



## frank (Feb 6, 2007)

Phillip

You should leave now. There is just too much going on in this sump for you to safely figure out.

Frank


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

i cant leave its my mums new house 
and its got nothing but problems 

today changed a timer on the out side lights befor starting to change it i traced all my cables to see what was going on and this is what i found








yes thats JUST for 4 outside lights on a timer 

and it gets worse.

but going to the septic tank the digger is coming tommorow to dig the trench and i will take all the old cables out and out a SWA cable down and start again


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Phillip

There is quite a lot of wires there,i can see at least 4 if not 6 three cores there,thats possibly 2 or 3 two way circuits.

its quite an old installation isn't it Phillip,i'm just going by the buckle clips thats in place,the last time i used them was way back in the late seventies.

I think Frank has given you some good advise bud at least get some help on it,this is too involved for you at the minute,i understand you want to help your mum out but at what cost ? 

Can you take a picture of the socket in the septic tank with the front on and one with the front removed,i cant understand why anyone would want to take two circuits spread on three cables into the back of a socket outlet ?

Is the socket a standard 3 pin one and not ceeform (bs 4343 industrial plug) sounds as if its the former as you said it had a 13amp fuse.

I do think you need some help here though bud,i really do,its too invilved OR should i say TOO BODGED !

Chris


----------



## cornishsparks (Oct 14, 2007)

Very confused to see whats doing here surely there must be a float switch in the house or some thing, are you sure there is not a control box in the house some times theese thinhs have an alarm to tell you when they are full in the sump. look up flyght pumps for info


----------



## chrisb271 (Jul 6, 2007)

Shoot ! 

I hope Phillip hasn't fallen in the poo pit


----------



## philip657 (Dec 15, 2007)

i qm here just have not been back over to get any more pics or details


----------

