Tom's Diary

Today’s Activities

• Shower.  DONE.
• Cat duty. DONE.
• Pay all (1) pending bills.
• Schedule appointment for Mom with the retina specialists in Johnstown for sometime in April, 2010. 

Log

06:45 AM: I’m up. My weight dropped 1.5 pounds from yesterday, to   175.0 Lbs.    See   here   for a summary of the progress on this goal so far in 2010.

08:50 AM: Working the   Sump Pump Replacement: 2010   project.

10:05 AM: It’s quite windy.  Light rain so far and I believe I just heard a distant thunder clap.  Hard to know though if it was really thunder, or the roaring wind in the trees outside the office window here.  But no matter.   The wind alone is making for some severe weather.  Lots of garbage and broken limbs in the yard already. 

11:00 AM: Worked the   Pink’s PC Problems: 2010-03-10   project.

12:40 PM: Going   shopping   to get supplies for the   Sump Pump Replacement: 2010   project.

02:00 PM: I got back home a little while ago.

03:15 PM: Read more of the  Team of Rivals    book.

04:00 PM: Worked the    Sump Pump Replacement: 2010   project.  The new sump pump has been installed.  Just a few more finishing and cleanup tasks to complete now.

06:30 PM: Water has reached the pavilion for the second time this year.  Sister Jojo and her daughter came by to help us remove moisture-sensitive items from the basement. 

09:40 PM: Water has now assumed a position eight feet beyond the pavilion.  I’ve moved the lawn mower out of the shed nearby and brought it up to the house and covered it with a tarp.  We also brought the other gas-powered tools to the house as well, just in case the water engulfs the shed. 

10:30 PM: Talked with [Emmy].  Sounds like she’s getting a cold now. 

11:15 PM: Took the   weekly system backups.

11:45 PM: The river hasn’t risen appreciably in the past two hours, and the basement is still quite dry. So, I’m headed to bed but will get up early tomorrow morning to see if the water’s edge has moved any closer to the house here.  So, take care and have a great night.  I’ll see you back here in less than ten hours. 

11:55 PM:  Read more of the  Team of Rivals    book.

12:15 AM: Heading to bed.  Good night and take care.

Tom Hesley

Received Mail and Shipments

•  Renters insurance premium bill.
• Mom’s medical insurance premium bill for April, 2010.
• Credit monitoring report (mine).
• Checking account banking statement for the WPSBC Alumni Association.

Related Posts

• Book: Team of Rivals
• Pink’s PC Problems: 2010-03-10
• Shopping Trip: 2010-03-13
• Sump Pump Replacement: 2010
• Today’s Diet: 2010-03-13
• Weekly Backups: 2010-03-13
• Weight Loss: 2010

Weekly backups of all my blog sites completed.

• Databases size: 11.1 MB.  That’s up 300 KB from 10.8 MB last week.  This is a new record high; the more posts and comments, the higher this number grows.
• Total data backed up: 67.6 MB.  That’s down 2 MB from 72.5 MB last week.  This includes all databases, site code, static pages, and log files. The record amount of total data backed up is currently 72.5 MB, established last week.. 

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Today’s Business: 2010-03-13

12:40 PM: Heading out to Lowe’s with sister Jojo to purchase pieces for the   Sump Pump Replacement: 2010   project.  I purchased the following there:

• 2” PVC couplings (6)
• 2” PVC 90-degree elbow
• 2” PVC male adapter (threaded) (2)
• $1 donation to muscular dystrophy research

Total cost: $9.19

Then, while waiting for sister Jojo to return from picking up her son, I bought the following from Dominick’s sandwich shop:

• Foot-long steak sub (1).

Total cost: $8.00 (approximately)

Grand total: $17.19

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Sump Pump Replacement: 2010
• Today’s Business: 2010-03-13
• Today’s Diet: 2010-03-13

The Problem

So, with the weather so rainy and threatening, and with a strong desire to avoid the four feet of water in the basement that we experienced in the fall of 2004, I’m executing an upgrade of our sump pump system.

The current compliment consists of two 1/3 horsepower pedestal pumps, sitting in a milk crate in the lowest part of the cellar. A separate PVC pipe for each unit routes water up to about seven feet, then discharges it outside, aimed toward the river.  Of course if the water gets so high as to completely surround the house, then no amount of pump power will prevent basement fill-up. 

These pumps proved inadequate in the flood of 2004, because the water level rose above their motors, which are not waterproof.  They remained under water for a couple days then, and that appears to have degraded their bearings.  The first (better-working pump) of the two, when activated, emits a loud grinding noise, hinting that the bearing is contaminated with dirt particles, or rusted.  The second sump pump is in worse shape.  When its float switch is raised, the motor hums but often does not turn (stalled). When it does, it too makes the loud grinding noise. 

Additionally, rocks, dirt, and other debris line the bottom inch of the the makeshift pump pan (the milk crate), and should be cleaned out, so as not to clog the pumps. 

The Solution

I purchased a new sewage pump during yesterday’s shopping trip.  This is a 3/4 horsepower, completely submersible  unit constructed of cast iron, that can move over 8400 gallons of water per hour.   

Given the above facts, my plan of attack for this problem is as follows:

1. Remove both old sump pumps.  DONE.
2. Remove the milk crate and clean it out.  DONE.
3. Determine how deep the hole must be to accommodate the new pump.  DONE. 
4. Dig out the hole to the appropriated dimensions as determined in the previous step.  NOT NEEDED.
5. Replace the milk crate.  DONE.
6. Obtain 2” PVC fittings and pipe to attach the new pump to existing plumbing.  DONE.
7. Install the new pump.  DONE.
8. Glue all fittings.  DONE.
9. Fasten the discharge pipe to ceiling beam for maximum stability.

I’m beginning this operation now and will track my progress in the comments below.

Tom Hesley

Related Posts

• Projects Page
• Shopping Trip: 2010-03-13
• Today’s Business: 2010-03-13

Today, I consumed the following items:

• Perfect Peach herbal tea and diet caffeine-free Pepsi  throughout the day. 0 calories.
• 11:00 AM: 2 cups V8 juice.  100 calories.
• 01:30 PM: 12” steak sub.  1000 calories.
• 06:00 PM: 1 cup oatmeal.  300 calories.
• 06:00 PM: 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.  200 calories.
• 07:45 PM: 2 large pieces of pizza.  1000 calories.

Total calories: 2600.

Tom

Related Posts

• Shopping Trip: 2010-03-13
• Today’s Business: 2010-03-13
• Weight Loss: 2010