Packaged Grinder Pumps Offer Onsite Solutions

By Andrew Morrissey

Systems are a growing product line for manufacturers and make installations easier

When Pride Plumbing Services in North Carolina landed a job replacing a septic tank with a city hookup, they faced an uphill battle. Literally.

The grade of the lot was a problem because the line had to run uphill, and it was so long it couldn’t connect directly to the city sewer tap.

Given the situation, Pride opted to install an engineered grinder pump solution.

“With an engineered pump solution, all the components are made by a single manufacturer, customized for the specific project at hand, and are preassembled and ready to install. Putting one together ourselves would have required us to source parts and provide the time and labor to assemble them,” said Kenn Morris, a marketing associate with Pride, which is based in Mt. Gilead. “That may have resulted in a poorly designed pump composed of low-quality and mismatched components. Also, the savings from the engineered solution was passed along to the customer.”

Morris said the engineered system was easy to install. It was as simple as installing the pump inside the basin and connecting wiring, floats, pipes and fittings. Excavation involved the hole for the basin and running the entry and exit drain lines. An electrician handled the electrical wiring.

Engineered systems are part of Pride Plumbing’s toolset.

Everything Comes in a Box

Grinder pump systems that come with everything in a box are growing in popularity because of the ease to install and everything comes to the job site in a box. They’re built as solutions in situations where waste water has to be lifted vertically or pushed up an incline to a sewer pipe.

At Zoeller Pumps, engineered solutions are growing in popularity because they’re good choices to save time and money for contractors and customers, said Nic Atkins, marketing manager.

“A prepackaged system cuts down on the time at the job site with most of the plumbing being done at the manufacturer,” he said. If the prep work has been done before the package arrives, then it’s a simple matter of installing the pump and making pipe and electrical connections.

They are also growing in demand, and manufacturers want to build and maintain relationships with contractors who deal with complex jobs. Systems can also be engineered for exacting requirements, which also shifts design work to the expertise on the manufacturing side.

Factory testing ensures high-performance standards, providing greater reliability and peace of mind. The likelihood of installation errors is reduced, preventing costly rework and repairs.

“Any time a contractor is installing a new basin of any size for sump, effluent or sewage, a package system should be considered,” Atkins said.

Warranties and Reliability Matter

In Pride Plumbing’s case, the company chose Liberty Pumps because of longevity, performance and reliability, Morris said. The pumps are manufactured with epoxycoated housings, stainless steel hardware and high-grade ball bearings. The three-year warranty was another factor.

“Having it designed, built, and assembled at the factory ensures the integrity of the system. They know the discharge pipes, valves, unions, and guiderails are aligned and installed properly. Once the basin is in, and the ground is backfilled, any installation issues will be difficult to resolve,” said Michael Carfagno, who oversees wholesale products for Liberty Pumps.

Costs can range from $6,000 to $12,000 for single house connections, depending on the pumps, basin size and control panel used. Commercial systems using two to four pumps can range from $12,000 to $40,000 and beyond.

When pumps are combined for a single system, they’re good solutions for new construction where waste from each home can be pumped to a bigger lifting station and then to a low-pressure line.

“Developers continue to need options while building opportunities are constantly changing, and when gravity sewers are not available. If there is plumbing below grade, then pumps will be needed to get the job done,” Carfagno said.

Other manufacturers such as Little Giant offer comparable packaged systems. The brand offers the Pit+Plus Jr and Sr simplex systems that come as a package. The smaller system uses a 24-by-24-inch basin with a capacity of 47 gallons, while the larger unit comes with a 20-by-30-inch basin with a capacity of 40.8 gallons. Both have three-year warranties.

Likewise, Ashland also offers a range of packaged systems for laundry applications, sump pumps and sewage basin packages. The sewage basins range from 18-by-30- inch (30 gallons) to 24-by-24 inch (45 gallons).

One new design makes maintenance a cleaner job

One new innovation in design is coming from SFA Saniflo. The Sanipit 24 GR CB is intended for use in residential and commercial applications. The company touts its grinder systems as a market-changer among manufacturers.

The 1 horsepower pump motor sits above the sewage so contractors don’t have to deal with working in wet and unpleasant conditions for maintenance. The Sanicubic line is a lifter system for use above ground. It can be installed in a basement, for example, without the need for a basin.

The Sanicubic and Sanipit ranges from SFA Saniflo are effective in residential applications due to their ability to handle multiple units. Packaged systems offer a compact and efficient solution for managing wastewater in areas where traditional plumbing might be challenging, said Jose Pachas, US Technical Manager, SFA Saniflo.

SFA Saniflo sees packaged systems as a growth sector because of growing needs for retrofitting older buildings with modern plumbing technology, in addition to a growing demand for systems that are smaller and easier to install in denser urban environments. Additionally, regions that are growing require reliable and easy-to-install packaged systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Technology has also advanced, increasing reliability and systems that are designed to be more easily monitored and maintained with smart technology.

Costs can range from $1,200 up to about $5,000 for a high-end duplex pump system.