Comments on: Sewer clog alert system

By: Chris P

Chris P — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:19:52 +0000

Tampons are a notorious problem for wastewater transport and treatment systems. They bind together to form large plugs which clog pumps, valves and other treatment equipment. Grinder pumps help, but the little buggers reform and cause more problems unless removed from the system.

By: Viagra

Viagra — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:12:08 +0000

Best wishes and keep posting.

By: Noah Woodward

Noah Woodward — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:40:26 +0000

Theres trash cans for a reason. yet I’m sure this will somehow continue happening. I would find out how flushes them and charge them cleanup or something.

By: Wwhat

Wwhat — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:38:02 +0000

Yeah it’s so much more discreet if a maintenance guy has to pull the tampon out of the drainage together with anything people did on top.
It’s simple physics, the thing is designed to absorb, put in in a drainage pipe and it’ll swell up and block it, that’s NOT discreet.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:08:28 +0000

^ fucking palmface.jpg

By: Ann Germanow

Ann Germanow — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:52:37 +0000

The ONLY way to keep women from flushing tampons down the toilet is to provide an easy, clean discreet disposal system! Signs are totally ineffective because in most restrooms there is no hygienic alternative. Disposal receptacles mounted to the stall are disgusting–a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and possible blood borne pathogens!

Check out new single-use feminine care disposal bags dispensed from refillable units. The bags are biodegradable plastic, tie handled closure, pink on pink, scented and embedded with an antimicrobial additive. Products are thrown in the trash-not down the toilet.

Perfect solution to plumbing problems being used in facilities (and homes) across the USA!

By: sunjester

sunjester — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:59:06 +0000

@mcscrewdriver: yes it goes in the trash.

this is very useful.

maybe another idea, using sound waves? depending on how much sound is transferred to the other end determines how clogged it could be?

By: MCscrewdriver

MCscrewdriver — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:10:35 +0000

But really, where are women supposed to throw the tampons? They won’t carry their “handiwork” to the bin for others to see. So a garbage bin in a stall might work.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:43:53 +0000

how does it know its clogged? at my plant we have to take amp readings off the grinders, the only alarms are low and high water levels, waiting for those can lead to a burnt pump and a big bill.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:34:50 +0000

@adam even better then a grinder is a bar screen before the grinder….it requires allot of cleaning but it stops the evil things like flushable wipes and other fibrous things from cloging the cutter.

By: Adam Ziegler

Adam Ziegler — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:10:37 +0000

@nick…

Good catch!

I was involved with a project where the grinder pump can supposedly take a pair of shorts being flushed. With that said… is seems that certain “flush-ables” still can cause problem if they build up.

yuck.

By: tim

tim — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:21:03 +0000

from xbee inmport xbee
where can we find xbee lib ?

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:54:05 +0000

@adamZ,

if you look at the source code picture, the msg is “Tampon Alert – Grinder pump is clogged”. those white rabbits must be tough critters.

By: brent

brent — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:41:56 +0000

@reklipz: Not the original person who did the zigbee work, my sms system isn’t to do with clogged toilets! ;)

By: ReKlipz

ReKlipz — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:40:10 +0000

brent said: has happily delivered over 4000 messages since I put it in production

That’s a lot of clogs…