Jimbouk Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I promised lots of questions... For our new build in Devon, we have specified (and been recommended) a Klargester Biodisc GRP packaged ST plant model BA IPS. This will pump into an existing percolation system. One of the unusual challenges that we have, is that the house is not going to be lived in continually. How do these sewage systems cope with sporadic use, can see it going for 3 weeks of inactivity, followed by a weekend of use, then another 3 weeks of inactivity? Any particular makes or designs better for coping with this use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crofter Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I had more or less the same problem- I'm building a one bedroom house, designed for only two people, as a holiday let that might only be occupied half the time. Most of the package treatment systems are designed for a minimum of 50% usage rate, and the smallest you can buy is a 4 person. Some of the systems have a 'holiday mode' where part of the tank is shut off, allowing a small population of bugs to thrive in a smaller area. This may well suit you if you have some idea of when you are going to be there, and how long for. I opted for a system called a 'Puraflo' instead. This uses a conventional septic tank and in place of a large leach field, the Puraflo module(s) perform secondary treatment on the effluent. The modules are large plastic boxes filled with peat fibre and piping for distribution of effluent. A pumping module 'doses' the puraflo at intervals, activated by a float switch. The peat fibre is an aerated environment and the final outflow from the system meets or exceeds the same standards as a standalone treatment package. You would stll need some sort of final disposal option for this, e.g. a small soakaway or a watercourse, depending on what you are allowed in your area. The Puraflo people were quite happy with my intended usage pattern, and the system has been around for at least twenty years, with several houses near me using it, so I felt confident that it would be a fairly robust and simple choice. It wasn't the cheapest though, at around £3,500 for a single module and pump installation. Plus the conventional septic tank on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 The biodisk system contains moving parts that do fail. Having seen a friend replace the main drive belt in one I decided to look elsewhere ! The air pumped systems don’t immerse the moving bits in the **** which seems a far better idea to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I second the above! I saw a cutaway model of the Biodisk and my immediate thought was "how the heck do you maintain that?". The ideal of having a motor, gearbox and drive belt inside a chamber filled with effluent struck me as a sure-fire recipe for maintenance problems. There are loads of well-made air blower systems that all seem to work well, and the Puraflo system Crofter has mentioned is well-proven, the only slight issue being you need some space for the tertiary treatment part, but that's not often a real problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 We have a big Klargester Bio that does just what you say and it's been retrofitted by the manufacturer with a nitrate reduction system. Basically it pumps the leachate back into the main tank to maintain a level in there so the disks don't dry out and also so the liquid is diluted continually. Not cheap but also another moving part. Ours costs about £600 a year on a service contract too - the auto grease units need replacing every 6 months and they have to get into the unit to do it .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 2 minutes ago, PeterW said: Not cheap but also another moving part. Ours costs about £600 a year on a service contract too - the auto grease units need replacing every 6 months and they have to get into the unit to do it .... £600 to get someone to climb into a tank of **** twice a year. I think that's probably bargain,. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddal Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 We have had a Klargester Biodisc BA for a few years now. In general its been OK - however : after 6 months the motor died - however the feckless electricians had not connected the alarm for this properly (there is a box inside the house that is supposed to alert you if something goes wrong - and they had installed this - but failed to actually connect it to the unit in any way!). We had no idea until we were alerted by a bad smell! We found a more competant guy to fix it (proper Klargester service engineer) - and he replaced the motor under warranty and connected the alarm properly. after another 6 months the motor died again. This time the alarm worked. The service engineer replaced the motor again under warranty and this time Klargester provided a better spec motor they said should avoid the problem in future. Since then its worked fine. I didn't get too involved in the work to fix it (!) - however it seemed (from a distance) that it was organised internally so he could do the maintenance without getting into the 'thick of it' - ie the motor was in a relatively clean bit near the top. All in all I can't really complain about it. There again I've avoided having to go near the thing to date - if the day ever comes when it breaks and I can't just phone a man to come fix it I will no doubt be cursing it... - reddal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddal Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 17 minutes ago, PeterW said: Ours costs about £600 a year on a service contract too Oh ffs - I guess I am supposed to be getting my Kargester regularly serviced aswell. I dont have the fancy extra system - but looking on their webpage I'm supposed to at least do an 'annual desludge' (doesnt that sound appealing!). Well - we haven't done that in a few years... I dread to think what kind of 'over sludge' apocalypse is lurking in there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 The annual desludge is something most treatment plants (and septic tanks) need. It's a man in a tanker with a big suction hose to suck the contents out. Costs us about £150 every two years. The one I looked at on Friday wasn't belt drive but a very lose coupled gear system. It looked like the motor and gearbox unbolted as one unit, but it looked a long reach over a stinking pond. At the very least I would want to put a few scaffold boards over it so you could lay on those above it to work from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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