Pit Cleaning Techniques?

[Buzzie8]

I just searched a bunch of threads but could not find anything on this. My older wash has 48"x84"x48" deep pits (500 gallons). In the past I have always had them pumped $1300+ for 5 bays. I want to get some casual labor to clean them by hand this time. This might be a stupid question but do I just send him (and a helper) into the pit with some hip waders and a shovel? Is there any logical technique to this? I think I could pay them $75 bucks a pit and it might take them an hour or two for each pit and save a few bucks.

 

[soapy]

You need to get a couple of handiclam pit shovels. They make the work much easier and quicker if you are doing pits by hand.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

Use a clamshell shovel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8rA61oWoKo

(not me in the vid, I just found it on youtube)

 

[Reds]

My pits are also 500 gallon. I use a 7' handiclam. I get a huge amount of mud from the gas drillers and it is difficult to get it out. I made some alterations to my handiclam - welded a D shaped handle to the top of it so I could pull it out of the mud easier. I also welded some reinforcing plates on the outside of the clamshells because I was having problems with the clamshells breaking where they were welded on. Due to the extreme volume of mud and the composition of our soil (lots of clay) the mud sticks together like concrete. The local septic pumpers try to take advantage of me and charge $1000. (that's right - 1k) per pit ! So I use the handiclam and park my carwash tractor bucket just in front of the pit and clean it regularly. I try to take at least a couple bucket loads of mud out per week so that it doesn't settle in too much and harden. I am happy with the handi clam arrangement. I also have catch pans under my grates to stop some of the mud from getting into the pits. I clean the catch pans and shovel the floors every day. I get over 50 gallons of mud from the floors and catch pans on an average day.

 

[washme1]

I use a Handi-Clam on a sand trap not large enough to allow the pit cleaners shovel to enter. It is hard work but worth it not to have to pay the portapotty guy $150.

 

[Kevin Reilly]

I just searched a bunch of threads but could not find anything on this. My older wash has 48"x84"x48" deep pits (500 gallons). In the past I have always had them pumped $1300+ for 5 bays. I want to get some casual labor to clean them by hand this time. This might be a stupid question but do I just send him (and a helper) into the pit with some hip waders and a shovel? Is there any logical technique to this? I think I could pay them $75 bucks a pit and it might take them an hour or two for each pit and save a few bucks.

If your pit is 4' by 7' by 4' wide I would think the quickest way (besides pumping or ring-o-mat clam shell), then getting into the pit if you can find somebody that wants to work would be the quickest way. You would need to pump out the water first (of course you know that!)

 

[2Biz]

I have a 2-stage pit system in my bays. They are about 12 feet long, 16" wide, and 18"-24" deep. The pit is seperated into 2 sections, one section is 8 feet long and the other is about 4 feet long. They are seperated by a flood wall. The 8' section is covered with 1/4" plate with 1" holes. The 4' section is covered with solid 1/4" plate. The 4' section is where the drain is. The 8' section is where the mud is trapped. I also have three seperate pits outside about 8' x 5' x 5' deep before the water goes out to the sewer...These only need cleaned once every 5 years or so...So I'm told...I've only owned the wash 2 years and cleaned them last spring.

The reason I posted the measurements of my pits is to tell you how easy it is to clean them and to offer a solution to your "Huge" bay pits...About once every 3-4 weeks, depending on how busy the wash is, I pull the plates off the pits and just shovel them out. I usually get about 10-15 (5) gallon buckets of mud out of all 4 pits.

So heres my suggestion on those big pits...If your pit is 48" x 84" you could make a pan about a foot or so deep and about 46" wide and 82" long (If your pit is 48" x 84")...Set the pan in the pit so the top of the pan is just under the grate. You could block it up or put legs on it. This way the pan would fill up with mud and water would run over the edge of the pan and into the main pit. Whenever the pan fills up with mud, remove the grate and shovel it out...This would definetly extend the time it would take for the pit to fill up with mud and make it much easier to shovel since the pan is not so deep...Plus when the pits need cleaned, the mud won't be so deep to just get down in there and shovel or bucket it out...

Just thinking outside the box....

 

[2Biz]

Woops! Just read REDS post above and he said the same thing as I did. Sounds like its already proven.....

 

[Buzzie8]

If your pit is 4' by 7' by 4' wide I would think the quickest way (besides pumping or ring-o-mat clam shell), then getting into the pit if you can find somebody that wants to work would be the quickest way. You would need to pump out the water first (of course you know that!)

Are you using a trash pump or a regular sump pump to get the water out?

 

[pitzerwm]

Here are a couple of articles from our library:

http://www.autocareforum.com/Articles/howto/pitcleaning.html

http://autocareforum.com/Articles/howto/r-mercer-pit cleaning.html

 

[Buzzie8]

Here are a couple of articles from our library:

http://www.autocareforum.com/Articles/howto/pitcleaning.html

http://autocareforum.com/Articles/howto/r-mercer-pit cleaning.html

Bill,
The "magic fork extensions" are very interesting to me because I already have a small kuboto BX23 tractor. I did a google search and could not find anyhting on them. Do you know where to buy them?
Thanks,
Buzzie

 

[Dirt]

Buzzie8, just last month, I rented a vac trailer for 470$ a day. It's like a septic truck, but you pull it with a 3/4 ton pickup. Cleans out a 2x4x5 foot deep pit in 10 minutes. You don't need water or anything. It will take anything that's about 3" or less, wet or dry. When your done, just go to your secret spot ( in this case it was my buddies farm ), and dump it out. Works like a dump truck, and has its own pressure washer and water tank for cleanup.
It was made by Vermeer, but Ditch Witch makes them too.
I got it from Sunbelt Rentals in Irwin, which is close to you.
Next time, I could probably do my place and yours, being I only put 1.9 hours on it and was allowed 8.
I'm going to try and post a pic.

 

[Buzzie8]

Buzzie8, just last month, I rented a vac trailer for 470$ a day. It's like a septic truck, but you pull it with a 3/4 ton pickup. Cleans out a 2x4x5 foot deep pit in 10 minutes. You don't need water or anything. It will take anything that's about 3" or less, wet or dry. When your done, just go to your secret spot ( in this case it was my buddies farm ), and dump it out. Works like a dump truck, and has its own pressure washer and water tank for cleanup.
It was made by Vermeer, but Ditch Witch makes them too.
I got it from Sunbelt Rentals in Irwin, which is close to you.
Next time, I could probably do my place and yours, being I only put 1.9 hours on it and was allowed 8.
I'm going to try and post a pic.

Awesome,
I had two of my five pits done yesterday and will probably just have these guys do the other three. Let's talk and coordinate for next time. Mine need done about once a year. PM me your email and we can have lunch sometime.
Buzzie

 

[Dirt]

Sounds good.
For everyone on the Forum, these machines are great, and becoming more popular, especially where there is gas drilling.

 

[Reds]

Any idea what model it is? I am in gas country and would like to try to hunt one down to rent. I want to make sure that I am hunting for the right machine that can do the job.

 

[Randy]

Any idea what model it is? I am in gas country and would like to try to hunt one down to rent. I want to make sure that I am hunting for the right machine that can do the job.

Something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DglcO1MZKd0
Or like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=WoNtbl-NbOk&NR=1

We clean our pits often, stay on top of them and they aren't so hard to clean out

 

[Dirt]

The one I used this time was the V500LEHD. For good capacity and not too heavy when loaded, a 500 gallon model is the best choice.

 

[mjwalsh]

The one I used this time was the V500LEHD. For good capacity and not too heavy when loaded, a 500 gallon model is the best choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6aR-J3BRWI

 

[dbrown2911]

I am new to the biz and i have multiple pits that need done. I have a retaining tank that is also full...I call around and all I hear is that is considered hazardous waste and they cant pump it. What are the rules and regulations on this. I live in Indiana..if a tractor is involved is it considered agricultural??