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A Business Owners Guide to Lift Station Maintenance

by | Nov 16, 2015 | lift stations

When a business is located near a city sewer line, water moves into a lift station from a property’s bathroom and kitchen. When a lift station becomes full, the pumps will move the waste in the opposite direction of the main city line. If a lift station isn’t functioning properly, major problems will begin. To prevent this from happening, have a specialist schedule regular maintenance. A lift station for a commercial property with a sanitary waste connection needs less maintenance than one that is used for a restaurant or a large facility. However, restaurants or businesses with busy kitchens that use grease traps connected to a lift station require more maintenance. If grease accumulates over a long period of time, the lift station will stop functioning until it is cleaned. When you notice grease sticking onto the walls of a lift station, it is time to call a local lift station company. Restaurants need grease traps to be cleaned once a month. In addition, a Property Manager of an apartment or a condominium building needs to keep them cleaned every three months. If you procrastinate on cleaning these lift stations, it will eventually be a costly fix since grease can eventually turn into a solid. Clean lift stations will provide a better customer experience and an apartment building can continue to earn profits without temporary delays in the water system. A good pressure wash is a basic cleaning method a business owner can complete in between maintenance. If the owner of the business does not work at the location when a lift station specialist is at the location, an...

How do you Configure Lift Station Pumps to Save Energy Costs?

by | Oct 15, 2015 | lift stations

R and R Lift Station Services in Tampa Bay gets this question all the time from its customers. The most common way is to check how efficient your pumps are and have it reviewed for maintenance once problems occur. The longer you wait to have it checked, the higher your electricity bill will be. Lift stations have gone through technological advances since the 1960s with the liquid rheostat. This device controlled wet well levels to reduce motor starts. A Variable Frequency Drive Level Control was introduced to reduce motor starts. The way it worked was a bubbler system was used to determine the level of a wet well to control a linear motor that would raise and lower to keep the level of water running smoothly. Variable Frequency Drive Control System Although the process of the liquid rheostat was efficient, the heat that the device generated did not help with potential energy savings. As a result, the pump would run at low optimal speeds to keep it from stopping leading to low hydraulic efficiency. One of the benefits of VFD is a perfect level control does not have to be programmed. When inflow goes below the acceptable minimum, the drive stops the pump and restarts it at a later time. When it restarts, it begins at a lower frequency and ramps up to the programmed pump frequency. Level control may not work for every lift station since it is better for stations that have a few starts per day. In addition to using VFD Level control, a soft start and stop can delay the pump and motor life. This...

A 101 Lesson on Tampa Lift Stations

by | Sep 16, 2015 | lift stations

Do you know if fixtures in your home are below the main waste line? If the answer is yes, it is best to have a professional install a lift station. This will assist with waste water from a lift stations “lifts” or pump that moves to the main waste line. Property that is built on hilly terrain is one example of an area where this practice is commonly used. Grinder pumps break down solids in sewage which also includes all non- liquid debris in a waste line. For example, human waste, feminine products, toilet paper ends up in these pumps although they obstruct waste lines. Lift Station Specialists have found a lot of other “solids” inside of waste lines such as toys, dolls, paper towels and tissues, dog bones, flashlights, eyeglasses, cellphones, etc. It is unfortunate that a number of the items on this list do not dissolve and can cause a lift station to flood. Lift stations do not continuously run throughout a full day. When the tank in the pump is full, a float switch turns on. When the lift station is empty, it will take care of wastewater entering much better than it would if it were close to being full. A lift station for a house is large in size and with a long waste line a tank can hold a lot of water. In communities where power frequently goes out due to weather conditions, buying a generator is recommended. Before you purchase a generator, make sure it will power not only a refrigerator and lighting but it can power an entire lift...

The Most Common Lift Station Operations Strategies

by | Aug 30, 2015 | lift stations

Run to Fail Run to fail is when an organization expects lift station failures. These stations are  eventually fixed with spare parts repaired by staff in order to stay compliant with  organizational requirements. The length of downtime is calculated on a station by station basis. It is a common methodology that is used across major utilities throughout the United States. With multiple store locations, a company can store a sufficient amount of spare parts with trucks and employ qualified maintenance crews which assists with the replacement of stations within a short period of time. Predictive Maintenance 1) Insulation Resistance Testing involves reviewing the condition of motor windings which break down over time. This process is also called meggering the motor. A majority of motor failures inside of submersible pumps occur when the insulation breaks down. The use of an automatic test or a manual test is used to check the status. 2) Pump Flow Rates determines the performance of a hydraulic pump. It is usually not monitored because a majority of wastewater lift stations do not use flow meters. 3) Pump Efficiency is the overall measurement of volume pumped per energy unit (KVAH or KWHr). This is considered a better way to measure the volume since it provides the financial impact of pumps deteriorating. When your lift stations need maintenance or repairs, give R and R Lift Stations Services a call. 24 hour service is also available around the clock. Visit our home page for more...

10 Lift Station Maintenance Recommendations You Need to Know

by | Jul 31, 2015 | lift stations

A lift stations electrical components and pumps constantly go through physical stress which requires maintenance and repairs. Every 12 to 25 years, it is recommended to rebuild the stations with wholesale replacement equipment. In the case of large capacity pumps, rebuilding the unit is required every two years. The consequence of not maintaining these units can result in unwanted expensive repair bills. Take a look at 10 tips to help you avoid lift station problems and breakdowns: Clean your wet wells every two years or more to decrease the chance of grease and solid build-up. After a period of time, this build-up can turn into a gas, damage the impeller, sink or pump. 2. Inspect the submersible pumps every 3 months to check the condition of the impeller and to make sure there is no debris or materials inside that can clog the pumps. 3. Review and inspect for grease on the check valves every 2 years to prevent issues with the force main and wet well. 4. Inspect and clean the floats 4 times every year to get rid of grease that can stop the floats from functioning. 5. Check the alarm systems and the light once a week for the system to be able to alarm you when problems with the lift station occurs. 6. Install an hourly meter on the motors to get an up to date record of the status of the motors cycle behavior. Be sure to keep a record of the maintenance and motor hours in a notebook or electronic spreadsheet. 7. Every month, complete an amp reading. If the reading shows negative...