OT: Electronics help debouncing a float switch

[wmgeorge]

Sounds like a job that I would not want. The issue with the pump setup that you might be pumping sewer water also. How did this get past inspection when it was installed??

[Cenedd]

No inspection required for that - would have been had it been a new drain I would think. The steel that went in as part of the external wall came out was engineered and then inspected.
Had it been inspected it likely would have passed anyway as there are no maps so it would not have been known that something joins this drain.

[wmgeorge]

Regardless its going to be a not fun job, wish you luck!!

[JRouche]

I have a small float switch

and it bounces for a while.

Many thanks,
Gareth

The floaty might be too light. Id strap some weight on the float arm to slow it down. Slow the float down some maybe. JR

[Cenedd]

Well, we've had a camera down the manhole now. Four pipes coming in and even found what appears to be one joining after the manhole. Guess which pipe my toilet is connected to..... that's right, none of them. So it's looking very much like the combined service we have isn't combined at all.
So now negotiations for the costs of digging begin. *Sigh*

[psomero]

555 timer or build your own one-shot trigger circuit. It will charge a cap, then dump it when the switch is closed, energizing the relay coil, and you can size it such that it will hold the relay energized for some amount of time.

[reggie_obe]

Well, we've had a camera down the manhole now. Four pipes coming in and even found what appears to be one joining after the manhole. Guess which pipe my toilet is connected to..... that's right, none of them. So it's looking very much like the combined service we have isn't combined at all.
So now negotiations for the costs of digging begin. *Sigh*

Sell your house.......during a spell of sunny weather.

[Cenedd]

Sell your house.......during a spell of sunny weather.

Don't give my wife ideas! .....although, more space for a workshop that isn't a cupboard would be nice...

[reggie_obe]

Don't give my wife ideas! .....although, more space for a workshop that isn't a cupboard would be nice...

That's the greatest benefit of relocating. Go house shopping while the ball 'n' chain is on a conference call. Find a place where she could have a home office (tiny) in exchange for you having a spacious shop.

[J Tiers]

Well, we've had a camera down the manhole now. Four pipes coming in and even found what appears to be one joining after the manhole. Guess which pipe my toilet is connected to..... that's right, none of them. So it's looking very much like the combined service we have isn't combined at all.
So now negotiations for the costs of digging begin. *Sigh*

You must have numpties for plumbers.

When we had the sewers lined here, the plumber put down the camera, BUT he also had a sensor unit.... he walked around outside with that, and was able not only to find the pipe and discover where it went, but also was able to determine how far down it is.

Seems like your folks should have been able to do that from your house.. Find one who is. Otherwise there may be a "treasure hunt" all over the place.

In the US, there would have to be a "stack", a vertical vent pipe from the toilet pipe. That would have a "cleanout port", and the camera with sensor compatible head would be fed down that, to follow the drain, and be tracked with the hand-held sensor.

That would probably answer a lot of questions in a "non-invasive" manner. At this point it may be your best path forward, if that is available where you are.

[Cenedd]

You must have numpties for plumbers.

The builder who did it originally, yes I'd agree with you. The plumbers however are trying to do me a favour. The camera they use does have sonde capability but they don't have the detector and it's a skill to interpret the signal well. The guy who does that is about $700 so if we don't have to do that, frankly it's a bonus!
That said, we can't get the camera down the line we're connected to (and can't clear the block) so we couldn't trace it beyond where we know it goes anyway. However, it's kind of academic since we know where it doesn't go and that is to the only place it is permissible for to to go - so anywhere it does go is off-limit. We do know where the line from stack to manhole is now that we have found the manhole - a string line should give us that quite accurately and we can dig to meet it and join it. So on paper, it's all easy....it's just getting it done and negotiating who should pay for it. My theory is that it shouldn't be me as it wasn't me who did it wrong in the first place. The builder will want to charge for it despite being responsible for it. However, I suspect that the result will end up somewhere in between. As long as it's less than getting someone else to do it - and it'll be less than taking it legal, regardless. I should caveat that by saying that I want him to do the digging and making good but the actual plumbing part of it ....not so much!

[Bob Engelhardt]

Maybe you have a septic tank! My Dad lived in a house for 40 years before he got a plugged drain line. When they snaked it, the line didn't go to the street, but to a septic tank under the front porch! He never had any idea that it was there.

[wmgeorge]

Sounds like you need to find a lawyer, yes the builder is liable unless you signed something otherwise.

[Cenedd]

Bob Engelhardt They're quite unusual here when you're anywhere near a grid. Not unheard of but given the main sewer is on-grid it seems more likely that it's a separate rain water service....that we've been polluting. Were there proper maps kept we obviously would not have.

wmgeorge Maybe but it's more a last resort here. It's costly up front, you stand to lose ("I did it in good faith and there were no maps") and even if we win we might just break even. Most likely effect is having to live with it for far longer than if we just got on with it. Sad but true unfortunately.

[wmgeorge]

Bob Engelhardt They're quite unusual here when you're anywhere near a grid. Not unheard of but given the main sewer is on-grid it seems more likely that it's a separate rain water service....that we've been polluting. Were there proper maps kept we obviously would not have.

wmgeorge Maybe but it's more a last resort here. It's costly up front, you stand to lose ("I did it in good faith and there were no maps") and even if we win we might just break even. Most likely effect is having to live with it for far longer than if we just got on with it. Sad but true unfortunately.

Hard to believe no records of sewer piping. I would have expected more in the UK. Sorry.