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Forgive my story format: I have this 1/2 HP Sewage Package System and it is busted.

enter image description here

At first, it was tripping the circuit it was connected to. I enabled the circuit and when the float switch fired the pump, the water was successfully pumped up and out. I was proud of myself and thought I was done, but then it backed up again. Now, it is not tripping the circuit any more, and I can hear it 'humm' from time to time (no time pattern, really, which I think is strange), however it is not pumping the sewage up and out.

I tried taking the float switch out of the picture, but it still behaves the same.

This has been backed up before and hired professional to fix. It apparently had qtips and tampons 'clogging' it.

My hope is that I will be able to triage this myself and fix..or at least try before I hire again. My question is: How do I get this thing out of the sump? Will I first need to drain the sewage using a siphon (I'm next to a slop-sink, and the sewage at this time is diluted)? Or do I do a blind reach down and grab it (eww) and if so can you recommend a good LONG pair of gloves (its deep, probably past my elbow)?

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  • A bent metal coat hanger might work. Just try to hook the handle on the top of the pump. And stop flushing q-tips and tampons!
    – Tester101
    Nov 10, 2011 at 13:27
  • Turned out nothing was clogging it. The motor was broken. Luckily, it was still under warranty.
    – JohnZaj
    Nov 11, 2011 at 3:00

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I recommend using a wet-vac to empty the pit. If you don't have one and the pump was installed correctly the pipe would have a union fitting along it somewhere above the water line -- although not the best way to do things, the pump can often be lifted out by its pipe.

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