Sewage Pump Issue

Hello all and thanks for all the tips. I now have a specific problem with my sewage pump and searched the forum to no avail.

I have a BurCam model 400500 CAST IRON SUBMERSIBLE SEWAGE PUMP. 2" DISCHARGE AND 2"

HANDLING CAPABILITIES. INDEPENDANT MECHANICAL FLOAT SWITCH.

VORTEX DESIGN IMPELLER, MADE FROM GLASS FILLED NORYL.

1/2 HP MOTOR, 115V. It came with the condo when we bought it newly remodeled last year. One guest bathroom and a washer drains into the basin. I knew nothing of sewage pumps until recently.

My problem is that the basin fills up sometimes (key word) and the motor kicks in but does not eject any of the waste. I have removed the basin cover and witnessed the waste water circling around like it is being pumped or waste is grinding just no water movement up and out of the basin. I few weeks ago I just unplugged the unit and let it sit and plugged it back in and it worked.

Any ideas on the problem? Would you like more information on usage or anything else. I know I can fix this I just really need help knowing which direction to go.

Thanks!

It sounds like the pump is getting air locked. An inverted foot valve can solve this problem.
A foot valve mounted upside down on the top of the pipe, will let the water coming in seek its level in the pipe.
Each time the pump comes on, it will close the foot valve and pump the water out to where it needs to go.

Foot valve pic




Travis

Thank you for the reply. Is there anything I can do immediately do drain the basin? It is full and about a flush away from overflowing (I won't use that bathroom any more or laundry until fixed). In the meantime any ideas how to get her going?

Is there a union or some way to pull the pump up and out?
If there is, you can take that apart and it should allow the pump to fill with water.

This is all going on the assumption that the pump is air locked.

I posted a reply to your first post on the plumbing thread. https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26794

I was able to drain the basin by vacuuming with a shopvac....(not fun) and made sure there was no blockage anywhere. I started the pump and it does pump upwards. I reconnected the flow check valve and the pvc leading to the sewer. I started the pump and it just whirled around again. I did notice the flow check valve is for horizontal flow and it is connected vertically. Could this make a difference? Can this foot valve be put on a pipe that is vertical and diagonal? Could it be possible there is some type of blockage further up the pipe that wouldn't allow the pump to push the waste through? Just curious if you guys have run into anything like this. This is what my setup looks like...you can see the flow check valve in the middle and then vertical piping leading to horizontal piping over to the sewer