# Exploding Ejector pit :p



## L33t P1umb3r (Feb 10, 2012)

So my company was sent out to a customer house to do a look over on an insurance claim. When I got there I couldn't believe what I saw. Supposally the ejector pump over heated and fried the wires which caused a spark that ignited methane gases in the sealed pit. You should of saw the damage. There were broken walls, shattered pvc pipes, a big crack in the concrete, and the pit was totally gone. It really looked like a bomb went off in this house.

Scary **** right.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I highly doubt there could be enough methane in that tank to create such damage


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## user7551 (Oct 21, 2011)

OldSchool said:


> I highly doubt there could be enough methane in that tank to create such damage


unless it wasn't vented properly or at all other than that I agree with ya . :thumbup:


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## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

Is the house on L.P. or natural?


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## bizzybeeplumbin (Jul 19, 2011)

I need pictures of this! I agree, if it was properly vented, there should not have been an issue.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!


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## L33t P1umb3r (Feb 10, 2012)

We thought about the vent not being vented right but there was nothing left of of the pvc, and we were there just to look at the damage so we weren't about to open walls. I have to see if I could get those pic form my boss. 

I think there son flush some firecracker down the toilet LoL


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## L33t P1umb3r (Feb 10, 2012)

The house was natural gas


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Correct me if I'm wrong but, natural gas doesn't settle down to floor level but propane does, so I doubt it was a gas leak that caused the explosion.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> I highly doubt there could be enough methane in that tank to create such damage


You never know what the home owner puts down the drain

Some thing flammable might have been disposed of in the drain

Sent from my portable office....yes I am at work


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

OldSchool said:


> You never know what the home owner puts down the drain
> 
> Some thing flammable might have been disposed of in the drain
> 
> Sent from my portable office....yes I am at work


Was any painting going on?

Thinner
Turpentine
Xylene
Lacquer


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## plumjoe (Oct 21, 2009)

What was it plumbed in with? Copper? Just had a customer, who's house got struck by lightining. blew sprinkler selonoids out of ground. caused 2 slab leaks . blew a hole in t&p line and arced across heater. blew sprinkler control box off wall. it was crazy.


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## L33t P1umb3r (Feb 10, 2012)

Holy cow that's crazy!!!
It was piped in pvc so I can't see that causing an issue.


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## billy_awesome (Dec 19, 2011)

That's almost too crazy to believe! (without pictures)

But without any venting I imagine it could be possible, but wouldnt the explosion just basically push all the air up threw the p traps? You would need a contained unit to create the pressure, kind of like a cylinder on an engine if you want to look at it that way.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

billy_awesome said:


> That's almost too crazy to believe! (without pictures)
> 
> But without any venting I imagine it could be possible, but wouldnt the explosion just basically push all the air up threw the p traps?


 Unless some idjit installed a backwater valve on the inlet.

I've seen it done.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Way I figured... the pump ran red hot and the overload didn't trip... run cold water on the red hot metal... instant steam explosion....


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## L33t P1umb3r (Feb 10, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Way I figured... the pump ran red hot and the overload didn't trip... run cold water on the red hot metal... instant steam explosion....


That's a good point


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> Way I figured... the pump ran red hot and the overload didn't trip... run cold water on the red hot metal... instant steam explosion....


:blink: The motor windings would burn out long before that....


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> Way I figured... the pump ran red hot and the overload didn't trip... run cold water on the red hot metal... instant steam explosion....


 

I'm starting to see this happen a lot lately, it's the breakers not doing their job. Doesn't have the ability to trip/shut the electrical source down. 


I was always careful with methane gas down in one part of covington where one time I was melting the lead out of a hub and had a quick backfire inside the piping.

Those older systems are notorious for having large amounts of sitting waste, rotting away and the sewer smells in that area wer always strongest, notorious for rotting out cast iron vents to the roof, moreso than any other part of the community thanks to commercial/industrial businesses in the mix of residential.

I'm doing a stack replacement next week that I have to heat a 3" tee off a copper DWV stack leading up towards the roof that serves the closet arm. Given that the vent serves as a chimney in an open pipe scenario, I'm not concerned for any methane concentration.


_Sent from my toilet while dropping the kids off at the pool._


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

rjbphd said:


> Way I figured... the pump ran red hot and the overload didn't trip... run cold water on the red hot metal... instant steam explosion....


I think it was a different type of explosion.


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## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> I'm starting to see this happen a lot lately, it's the breakers not doing their job. Doesn't have the ability to trip/shut the electrical source down.
> 
> 
> I was always careful with methane gas down in one part of covington where one time I was melting the lead out of a hub and had a quick backfire inside the piping.
> ...


So why can't you just cut it off, instead of unsweating it? Just curious, cuz I know you have a good reason.
I would guess, not enough room, or access, but seems to me, unsweating it would require more room. And I know your aware of copper DWV/ to pvc or castiron ferncos.


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## heeterman1 (Feb 12, 2013)

sorry having a very hard time believing that methane caused such damage.i have seen commercial lift station heat up enough to twist 80 out of the flanges the wire is hottest in the wet well which is under water the wet well would need to be empty and something like a heavy gas like lp.more to the story


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

New episode for The Myth Busters.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Insurance scam :thumbsup:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Maybe they were cooking up a batch of dope in a meth lab.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Check the trash cans for drain cleaners.....:whistling2: like Clobber


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## heeterman1 (Feb 12, 2013)

Tommy plumber said:


> Maybe they were cooking up a batch of dope in a meth lab.


Lol that believe


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

take note that their has never been any pictures posted... and about a year has passed:whistling2::whistling2:

it all sounds like a lot of methane to me


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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