Up pumps and soapy bath water.

http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/SubCategory/Product/?p=76&s=23&c=14
I'm bouncing ideas around here.
I want to use this as an up pump for a clawfoot tub that will get used about 4 times a weeks.

I want to use this instead of and electric pump because I do not like the idea of people sitting in water that has even the slightest posibility of an electrical malfunction.

I called the company and he said he never thought of it, but didn't see why this wouldn't work in this application.

I already have a container to put the pump into that is plumbed to the tub drain and overflow.. The container is as high as the top of tub so it won't over flow unless tub overflows.

My questions are these?

How will soapy water affect the pump? Can periodic cleaning help?

How will rise affect the pumping ability? Will it make any difference if the rise 0-3" vs 2'

After looking at all this and doing the math. It looks like the money is the same as if I just bought a $200 self contained up pump, but still there is that electrical bath tub issue.

Does anyone know of a low voltage discharge pump I could install in the sump?

I appreciate your advice and ideas.

There are millions of homes & businesses all over the country which are directly piped to electrical lift pumps to move their waste water. I cannot comprehend why you think you would need a water-powered pump for a bathtub.

Here are two reasons:

1. If something were to happen I would be exposed to serious libility because I am making this myself. Example: my two children get electricuted and I get charged with manslaughter.
2. The power goes out and the water is left running and the tub overflows and the basement floods.

I would rather not use 120 line current.

I am hesitant to use this water driven pump because the soap might gunk it up after 6 months.

If the liberty pump is totally out of the question I would rather use 12 volt that would then be hooked to an inverter that is hooked to a GFI outlet.

I might look into a marine grade general discharge pump they seem to be smaller which is good and most draw little amperage.

Furthermore, I don't trust people lives to factory guarantees of wiring to be watertight and I do not trust a GFI to work all the time. I have seen them malfunction and not trip.
So 12 volt or water power is the only way I could, in good conscience DIY.
There is always the option of a contained drain system, but I need the feed line to be only an inch or two about the ground. If I raise the tub more than 6 inches I might as well plumb into the waste line.

You are completely paranoid.
1. No one would normally be in the tub when it is draining
2. the pump is NOT directly connected to the tub, it would be in a remote sump pit
3. If the GFCI fails with the 120 v pump, it could fail with the inverter
4. It is more likely that the GFCI would "false trip" than that it would NOT trip.

Just because your paranoid doesn't mean you are not also right to be concerned. Even so, it's my house, my project and if I want to run the pump off of a hamster driven pump its up to me.

1. I often pull the drain when I am in the tub.
2. The sump pit is a 6 gallon plastic bucket connected directly to the drain 6" from the drain. So it is connected to the tub directly.
3. If the GFI fails with the 120v the risk is higher than if it fails with the 12v
4. I have personally seen GFCI outlets not trip.

I guess no one on this forum knows anything about the above pump or if soap will affect it.

the sequence of event it would take to have that pump energize your bathtub water would be about as likely as you getting hit by lightning while taking a bath. unless you decide to run your romex line through the middle of the bathtub to power the pump, or something...

You do realize, that electrically driven pumps are pushing water into your house, right? Maybe you just shouldn't use any water at all, remove all your faucets, etc to be safe.

But make sure, however you do it, to leave a good way for sewer gas to back up into your house, as in your other post.

Why do you post on here if all you want to do is argue for your ideas, which the pros are telling you don't have any point? If that's all you want to do, don't bother posting here, just go do it and get your family sick from sewer gases.

With all due respect why do all you pros keep answering questions I am not asking? I only asked if anybody thought soap was going to gunk up that pump.

FYI... MY POWER WAS OUT FOR TWO WEEKS LAST FALL BECAUSE OF HURRICANE SANDY. THERE WERE PEOPLE NOT FAR FROM HERE THAT WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR LONGER THAN THAT. NEXT TIME IT COULD BE ME.
ON TOP OF THAT I STILL DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF MY TWO LITTLE KIDS SITTING IN ANYTHING CONNECTED TO ELECTRICITY THAT IS SUBMERGED IN WATER 8" AWAY.
NOW BEFORE YOU SAY "WHO IS GOING TO TAKE A BATH WITH NO ELECTRICITY?"
THE ANSWER IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR A FEW DAYS AND HAVE HEARD IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER WEEK UNTIL IT IS BACK UP.

Now, you brought up the sewer gas issue. I was waiting to decide whether I could use this water powered pump before asking. But since you brought it up...
what do you think about tieing this into the 4" waste line from the right side of the drain pipe sketch in the "Small bath small sink" thread?