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Chamber type septic system

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
I put a chamber type septic system in last month for a customer,all went well and the chambers come in 5 foot sections and snap together and also allow some room to bend them in order to stay on contour when on a slope.This was my first one to install,I have allways used a stone system with 4 inch perforated pipe.Any other members use the chamber system ?
 

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td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
It was a gravity fed system optherockman.Dang! it looks like they had you working in pretty tight quarters on that septic job.From the pics it looks like it's overdug,then backfilled whith lime.Pretty cool job .I also see pvc pipe running though the center of the chambers,is your job a pressurized system? I install the chambers 2 feet deep and lay them on the dirt.We can install leach lines as close as 7 feet on center and they can be 100 feet long.On the job I posted we were able to keep the lines about 10 feet apart.Thanks for sharing & cool pics optherockman.
 

Willis Bushogin

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
855
Location
NC
Occupation
owner
Chamber system

I put a chamber type septic system in last month for a customer,all went well and the chambers come in 5 foot sections and snap together and also allow some room to bend them in order to stay on contour when on a slope.This was my first one to install,I have allways used a stone system with 4 inch perforated pipe.Any other members use the chamber system ?

They look like a Infiltrator type chamber. I have installed many of these systems. I used, to use them all the time, because I did away with the need for any hauling (rock)If I remember, there wasnt much difference in the cost of materials, chamber vs rock system. In my area, the chambers can be a 25% reduction (100ft rock lines, 75ft chamber system)
I really dont have a preference, on either one (as which one is the best)
I stopped using chambers (unless required) about 8 months ago. I cut down on my labor, because of workload. With the rock system, all I need is one guy on the ground. With the chambers, you really need two guys on the ground, because the bottom of the ditch, has to bee almost perfectly level and thats the PITB. Its all about profit and I can work one guy (takes me a bit longer) and install the rock system and make more profit
What is the PVC pipe for, I never have seen that used, Ive used something similar in a rock system. It was called a dosing system.
My question is: how does everyone install the rock systems. Batter boards, angle iron, sled??? This question probrably makes sense to installers only.
 

amunderdog

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
297
Location
Sunbright,TN
My question is: how does everyone install the rock systems. Batter boards, angle iron, sled??? This question probrably makes sense to installers only.
That is odd. I do not uderstand what you are getting at.
 

wolfman

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
20
Location
nc
Occupation
Wildland Fire Dozer Operator (Fighting Fire with
I put a chamber type septic system in last month for a customer,all went well and the chambers come in 5 foot sections and snap together and also allow some room to bend them in order to stay on contour when on a slope.This was my first one to install,I have allways used a stone system with 4 inch perforated pipe.Any other members use the chamber system ?

Yes very good system I have some in for about 10 yrs. now they are 25% reduction in N.C. and there is another type EZ-Flow also 25% reduction bothwork real well just check your local inspection dept if you can use.
 

bill onthehill

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
661
Location
pa/ny border
We have a choice around here. The infiltrators are ok but need at least 2 people to put in and I don't like covering them with anything heavier than a light skid steer. They are a lot stronger once the cover ground has settled.
 

Willis Bushogin

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
855
Location
NC
Occupation
owner
system installation

My question is: how does everyone install the rock systems. Batter boards, angle iron, sled??? This question probrably makes sense to installers only.
That is odd. I do not uderstand what you are getting at.

The question is, how does everyone install the standard rock system in the trenches? The 4" drain pipe has to be 6" off the bottom of the trench. The old way, was to install batter boards (1x4's on its side) with the top 6" from the bottom of the trench. Then you would secure the drain pipe to the top of the batter board and dump the rock, on top of it, with a 2" cover, over the top of the pipe. Now this was a PITB
Now everyone in my area, uses what we call a sled. It is made of 5-6" PVC pipe, my is about 8ft long. The pulling end of the sled, has a bracket bolted to the PVC pipe, with a piece of flat metal (about 10" x 12") this is the sleding part of the device, it is 6" from the bottom of the plate, to the bottom of the inside of the PVC pipe. You start out, with the dead end of the sled resting on top of a 6" +- stick, This holds that end, at the correct height, you just install the drain pipe (in my case we use the black flexible pipe, with holes on the bottom. Put all the pipe together at the correct total length, put it in the working end of the sled and dump rock on top of the sled, the working end has a rope attached to itand you just pull the sled until its gets about 2ft from coming off the end off the rock, now dump rock on top of that and just keep going to the end.
Im sure I have let stuff out, but I was just curious how everyone installed their regular rock systems
 

dist3

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
110
Location
Connecticut
Occupation
Equipment Manager Enviromental and Site Contractor
Our area feeds the trench from a distrubution box and into the end of the infiltrator. We are normally limited to 75' runs off the box. Originally we were allowed to backfill with approved septic sand but that isn't permitted in our as the sides of the infiltrator plugged up. Now we use 1.5" washed traprock up the sides and just over the top of unit. Trench is excavated level and depthe is kept at a minimum.
 

amunderdog

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
297
Location
Sunbright,TN
We always dug about 10' of ditch and dumped #3 rock in it. Then continued ditching pulling the bottom rock with you. The ditch man places pipe on this bed of rock and gets it held in place. We always just shovled some dirt on it here and there.
Then the ditch man: lines up the loader and watches placement of rock.
Smooth it out with shovel roll out the barrier material.
Back fill. Done.
 

Willis Bushogin

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
855
Location
NC
Occupation
owner
septic system

We always dug about 10' of ditch and dumped #3 rock in it. Then continued ditching pulling the bottom rock with you. The ditch man places pipe on this bed of rock and gets it held in place. We always just shovled some dirt on it here and there.
Then the ditch man: lines up the loader and watches placement of rock.
Smooth it out with shovel roll out the barrier material.
Back fill. Done.

Always willing to learn new tricks
How do you know how thick the rock is, before you install the pipe?
How do you level the pipe?
We use a rake called a potato rake to level/spread the rock. I can only find them at Arig supply stores. We use the long tang and heavy duty rakes. They sell for about $50, but they out last the cheaper ones
 

Landworks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
50
Location
Nashville, TN
Occupation
Owner/CEO
The question is, how does everyone install the standard rock system in the trenches? The 4" drain pipe has to be 6" off the bottom of the trench. The old way, was to install batter boards (1x4's on its side) with the top 6" from the bottom of the trench. Then you would secure the drain pipe to the top of the batter board and dump the rock, on top of it, with a 2" cover, over the top of the pipe. Now this was a PITB
Now everyone in my area, uses what we call a sled. It is made of 5-6" PVC pipe, my is about 8ft long. The pulling end of the sled, has a bracket bolted to the PVC pipe, with a piece of flat metal (about 10" x 12") this is the sleding part of the device, it is 6" from the bottom of the plate, to the bottom of the inside of the PVC pipe. You start out, with the dead end of the sled resting on top of a 6" +- stick, This holds that end, at the correct height, you just install the drain pipe (in my case we use the black flexible pipe, with holes on the bottom. Put all the pipe together at the correct total length, put it in the working end of the sled and dump rock on top of the sled, the working end has a rope attached to itand you just pull the sled until its gets about 2ft from coming off the end off the rock, now dump rock on top of that and just keep going to the end.
Im sure I have let stuff out, but I was just curious how everyone installed their regular rock systems

Pics of this would be great!
 

DigDug

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Messages
577
Location
Maine
We put alot of plastic chambers in. The leach fields are designed a little different here . We dont do trenches , the plans always call for a flat sand bed with 3 -7 long rows of chambers.
We used to just cover them with sand , but the last 5 yrs we have had to cover the side vents with crushed stone , then fabric over stone , then cover entire system with sand . Then loam over and seed.
Heres a pic of my son installing some a few weeks ago. These were small plastic chambers called "Bio 2's" . There were about 8 rows with 10 chambers in each row.
 

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amunderdog

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
297
Location
Sunbright,TN
Always willing to learn new tricks
How do you know how thick the rock is, before you install the pipe?
How do you level the pipe?
We use a rake called a potato rake to level/spread the rock. I can only find them at Arig supply stores. We use the long tang and heavy duty rakes. They sell for about $50, but they out last the cheaper ones

Remember the Old hand i worked for had been around since the begining.
Dicky Clay and tar- etc. He knew all the inspectors and made sure they were happy. That said we did quality work and cannot remember going back to a problem of our making in the 15 yrs i worked for him.

We did step and overflow type systems.
Hard line out of tank a few feet to about 2" below outlet level.
Then drop down 10" and start ditching holding level as good as possible,
checking regularly with level and grade pole, Then pulling bottom rock along with you. If you measure the teeth on your bucket you should find them at least 6" long. Mine are at 7" right now.
Your laborer with a shovel will dress the gravel bed before he places the pipe, but the operator will determin how hard a laborer will have to work. A good operator will take most all the work out of it.
At turn you step up 8" leaving un-disturbed soil to make the dam around the turn.
Drop back down 10" and carry on. The out flow water will never back up to closer than 4" of outlet level. And will have to work 8" of water per ditch. We dug out some old systems that never used more than the first ditch there whole life. We used 10 tons of rock per 100'. When you go to get more bottom rock you put rock on the pipe you have laid, also when you do a corner turn you have to rock top and bottom with loader. You need a good laborer to keep up. we could do a 300' system in a day without to much trouble. I went to a certifacation class on time and passed with no problems using this knowledge. But that was about 20yrs ago.
 
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td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
They look like a Infiltrator type chamber. I have installed many of these systems. I used, to use them all the time, because I did away with the need for any hauling (rock)If I remember, there wasnt much difference in the cost of materials, chamber vs rock system. In my area, the chambers can be a 25% reduction (100ft rock lines, 75ft chamber system)
I really dont have a preference, on either one (as which one is the best)
I stopped using chambers (unless required) about 8 months ago. I cut down on my labor, because of workload. With the rock system, all I need is one guy on the ground. With the chambers, you really need two guys on the ground, because the bottom of the ditch, has to bee almost perfectly level and thats the PITB. Its all about profit and I can work one guy (takes me a bit longer) and install the rock system and make more profit
What is the PVC pipe for, I never have seen that used, Ive used something similar in a rock system. It was called a dosing system.
My question is: how does everyone install the rock systems. Batter boards, angle iron, sled??? This question probrably makes sense to installers only.

It's the same 25 percent reduction when we use the chamber system in my area as well Willis.I agree,I think the chamber system requires more labor,and I also have the same story on the rock system,It takes a little bit longer to install but I do make more profit using the rock system and my jd 8875 skidloader loves to haul rock to the leech lines.
 
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