# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  New Wastewater plant installed at last

## woodbe

After a lousy year of hassling the service agent of our old wastewater treatment system, we have bitten the bullet and replaced it altogether. I have lost count of the number of times I have contacted the service desk asking for the unit to be fixed, and we have stared at the red alarm light  which has been on continuously since the day after Christmas 2006.  
We and our neighbors have endured the smelliest of times together! 
We started looking around mid-year, and looked at other similar systems (anerobic + aerobic + settling + disinfection) as well as the Biolitix worm system. In the end, one system stood out, because of it's final water quality, and that is the one we installed. It was not that cheap, but we don't pay sewage rates and we get to use the processed effluent on the garden, so what is a good price for that anyway? Of course, we want the water to be safe for re-use too. 
The system we installed is the Econova NovaClear    
It's an aerobic system with a hightech membrane filter as the last stage, followed by UV disinfection. It's a low pressure membrane, not high pressure like those found on the desalination plants. The system treats all the water from the house including black (toilet) and grey water. 
Most of it is below the ground, but this is the bit you can see:   
This system is approved for above ground dispersal of it's effluent water, which makes it's odor-free guarantee a bit stronger than most of the other systems which require subsoil dispersal. We've installed about 500m of Netafim dripline to take care of that, and in the future we may extend the irrigation to cater for other garden areas.      
It's early days yet, but so far the system is operating as it should. I sure hope we are onto a good one this time, I have no interest in repeating the disaster of our old system. I will be monitoring the output water for TDS in an effort to keep track of the effectiveness of the filter over time. Wish us luck  :Smilie:  
woodbe.

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## Uncle Bob

Interesting. Did you look at the  Biocycle ? If so, how did that compare? My brother had one (Biocycle) , it seems ok, used to get smelly sometimes, though I put that down to his missues being a cleaning freak and using something bad.

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## Big Shed

woodbe, looks like an interesting system and it will be interesting to see how it stands the test of time. 
We have a Septech system and apart from replacing the aeration pump twice ( once after 12 months!) it has been working fine for 7 years so far (touch wood) 
I notice your dripper pipes laying on the ground like that, that would not be allowed here in Victoria, has to be under (nominally) 250mm of mulch eg pea straw.  
Our Septech treats all our sewage, grey and black, and the water quality is excellent when it finally gets to our dripper lines

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## woodbe

> Interesting. Did you look at the  Biocycle ? If so, how did that compare? My brother had one (Biocycle) , it seems ok, used to get smelly sometimes, though I put that down to his missues being a cleaning freak and using something bad.

  Hi Uncle Bob, 
Yes. The Biocycle is a similar unit to the one we replaced. (ours had a completely separate anaerobic chamber, but the process is the same). In tip-top conditions, this type of unit can be relatively odor free, but after having one, I wouldn't do it again in a suburban area. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

> woodbe, looks like an interesting system and it will be interesting to see how it stands the test of time.

  Amen to that. 
Mulch is going in shortly, not sure of the requirements for it in SA, but it would be silly not to mulch the area anyway. 
The Econova is approved in some states for installation without any disinfection. In SA, UV is part of the approval, and I'm happy with that. I've always been a bit sus on the chlorine tablets our old system used - you could smell it when they were fresh, but not after a week or so, and they were only topped up every three months... 
Wastewater plants are two things joined together at the hip: Design and service/support. A breakage in either part renders the system useless. Our old system was broken in both parts. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Also, please note that we could have opted for spray irrigation of the effluent if we had wanted to waste the water to evaporation. If you do that with just about any other unit, you void both the odor guarantee and the Health Department Approval.  
woodbe.

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## kkperth

We have had the the Biolytix system in for 5 months and so far this is working fine with no smell what so ever.  We have to dispose of the water with sub-surface irrigation as it does not treat it to the same level as the Nova Clear and that suits us fine as this is set up under the lawn. 
We chose this as it seemed to be the simplest as it is a one stage system with no filters and no UV or chlorine system.  The only mechanical parts are a small air pump and water pump so not too much to go wrong. 
One advantage I can see from the Nova Clear is the ability to use recycled water in the toilet. I am still uncomfortable seeing my very limited rain water used to flush the loo (we are on tank water).

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## elkangorito

I used to work for Biocycle back in '89/'90. Back then, there was no need for any output filtration & the system had all the approvals from Australian Government labs. Unless the laws have changed, there would be no need for any final filtration. 
The only problems that I encountered was with European families, whereby they used large quantities of oil in their normal cooking (Italians for example). The oil would eventually "stall" the system. Also, if a whole family had the "flue" & was taking antibiotics, the system would also "stall". 
The remedy for this was to use a product similar to Actizyme on a regular basis. The use of such a product will virtually guarantee nil odour & therefore system "stall". 
BTW, I have no connections whatsoever with Southern Cross Laboratories (Actizyme). As a Facilities Manager, I have frequently used their products in the past, to save money.

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## woodbe

Reuse of the treated effluent in the toilet is something that may or may not get approval by the health departments, so we don't count on it. If it happens, it will be a bonus as we are about 50% rainwater. 
We liked the idea of the Biolytix, and if the Econova had not turned up, I think that is what we would have installed. Although it would have been a bit of a problem getting a phone line to the unit, the back-to-base communications and once-yearly service used by those plants is a great idea. 
elkangorito, any unit you want to install must have state Dept of Health approval and be approved for installation in your situation. Compared with the market when we installed the first unit about 12 years ago, there is more choice and I think the regulations have tightened up somewhat but you are correct, I am unaware of any actual requirement for final filtration. For approval, each manufacturer must submit a unit for independant testing, and there are minimum standards to be met.  
The dripline manufacturers specify 120 mesh filtration so that the lines don't clog up, so most installations will probably have some sort of final filtration in any case. 
I think any of the mainstream brands would have turned out better than the one we had, and even then, ours would probably have worked out ok with a good service agent. Here in SA, most of these systems have only one agent, and if they change direction after you buy (as ours did) you land up with an orphan installation. Not something you can predict when there were just one or two brands on the market back then. Couldn't find anyone else approved and willing to take over servicing. 
For example, I lost count of the number of 'cheap' chinese pumps our old unit consumed. They don't work out cheap if they don't last long though. With the new unit, we've gone from 3 submersible pumps to just one, and it's a decent pump. The other pumps are out of the water and they have light duty work. No way I could convince the old service agent to replace with better quality gear... 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

It's probably a good time to update this thread as the Novaclear has been in for over 4 years now. 
I cannot say that we have been without problems, but I will say that when it works, the system is excellent. When it breaks, everything turns to crap  :Smilie:  
There have been some external problems that I should explain before talking about the unit itself. The first problem is that a little under a year after installation, Econova (which was the company that made our NovaClear system) went broke at Christmas 2009. Great. Thankfully, within a few weeks a WA firm, 'WaterGurus' took over the novaclear operations and a lot of the staff in the Sunshine Coast. The repercussions of that for us was that any remaining guarantee and responsibility for our installation were extinguished. At least there was an ongoing source of information and parts... Some time following this change, our service agent decided to get out of WWTP servicing. Great x2. Again, we landed on our feet and were passed on to an even more helpful and competent service agent based in the Barossa. No names or pack drill, but if you want a reference just send me a PM. 
So, I'm sure you want to hear that everything has been rosy, but unfortunately, this is real life and it rarely works out like that. Ours was an early system (production number on the sticker is in the low 60's) and there have been problems, some have been fixed by Econova, some by WaterGurus and/or the service agents, and some by yours truly. 
.*#1. NovaClear hates oil!* Visitors dumped about 2L of oil down the kitchen sink. Can't blame this on the system, but it shut the system down pronto. Membranes were totally clogged by the oil. Service agent came to the rescue, the system was pumped and cleaned, membranes replaced. (they didn't charge for the membranes or tell me that they were replaced until a lot later)As an aside, we applied to the Health dept to install a grease trap after this event, and they would not give permission!
 .*#2. System needs regular service.* Regular on time service is vital. If the service ran late, the throughput of the membranes will drop. Result is that the primary chamber level rises and the high level alarm goes off. If no-one does anything, you are heading for an overflow situation. We had a high level alarm fault one time, and the first we knew about it was the image burned in my retinas of the system overflowing.  *#3. Membrane pump failures.* The original membrane suction pump used on the system is crap for this purpose. The pumps used are simple diaphragm pumps like you use for shower on a boat. Some boffin had specified a 24v pump operating at 12v originally, and we had no end of pump failures, some of them covered under warranty, but some were charged to our account. This was a pain until the new service agent came along and swapped in a 12v pump like they use on an agricultural boomspray.   *#4. Controller issues.* The controller has a 12v transformer soldered to it's circuit board. This is pretty common, but the problem with this idea surfaced when one of the pumps in #3 went dead short. The transformer got hot and basically trashed the control system. Thankfully, it didn't catch fire. We got slugged for a new controller because the old one was out of warranty (WaterGurus now). Ouch. As a precaution I then installed a separate 12v supply for the pump, fused relay switched by the controller. Has survived a further dead short without taking out the controller.  *#5a. Solenoid over voltage.* The aeration in the primary chamber is switched by a 12v irrigation solenoid. This would get hot to the touch. Very hot, too hot to hold. They would fail on a regular basis resulting in continuous aeration. I got suspicious of this heat even though WaterGurus and the old service agent said it was not a problem, 'they're all like that'. I measured the voltage at 17v. No way! After getting no resolution from WG, I elected to fix it myself and built a Jaycar adjustable voltage regulator kit and put it in the circuit. No more hot solenoids and no failures.  *#5b.* *Solenoid diaphragm can't take the heat.* Even then, I still got some aeration faults, and I tracked this down to the rubber diaphragm inside the solenoid. The air coming out of the airpump is quite warm, a lot warmer than the water in an irrigation system. On a whim, I rang the solenoid manufacturer and found that there was a Nitron high temp diaphragm available. Popped one of those expensive buggers in the solenoid and have had zero problems since.  *#6.* *Fiddly air balancing.* The air supply is split between Primary Aeration, an air powered transfer pump, and the filter chamber aeration/air scouring. Balancing the air supply was performed by inserting different size restrictors into the lines. This was a tedious operation, and was doomed because the primary chamber and the filter chamber ran at different levels _and_ the primary chamber alone would vary in level from day to day, altering the back pressure and therefore the air balance. The new service agent removed the restictors and installed taps so the system could be easily rebalanced.  *#7. Fine particle overload.* In the original design of the system, Econova claimed that the system would never need a pump out because everything would be eventually broken down to the size that would go through the filter. I always questioned this, but never got a straight answer how this was possible with such a fine filter (it's 5 micron or something like that). We have just been through 6 months or more of the system struggling to keep up with minimum loads and at a meeting the other day, the service agent and I decided to pump it out completely. It's running like new now, which rather proves my point. We'll be pumping it out every year or so from now on. 
If I can think of anything else, I'll update this post. I'm sure there are other people out there with these systems who could use a break.  :Smilie:  
woodbe.

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## woodbe

I should add that there were a few 'upgrades' installed by Econova and WaterGurus over this time.
.*1. Transfer Pump continuous operation.* The air-operated transfer pump referred to above was originally turned on and off by the controller and a level sensor in the filter chamber. The air line had a solenoid in it like the one mentioned above. This must have been problematical either due to problems with settling stopping the pump or the solenoid playing up as already described. The solenoid was removed from the line and a large 75mm hole was cut between the filter chamber and the primary chamber to handle the resulting overflow.  *2. Air pump upgrade.* The original system came with a '100' air pump. This was deemed too small, possibly because of the extra demands of continuous transfer operation, and a '200' was fitted.  *3. Primary Chamber air diffuser.* The original diffuser was a pvc pipe with holes drilled in it. Service crews found it regularly clogged. An upgrade came through which was a disc diffuser with a membrane over the top of it that stopped the problem.  *4. Filter membrane diffuser/air scourer upgrade.* The original device was a section of air-permeable pvc tube attached to the bottom of the filter cassette. This gave problems and was difficult to adequately clean. An upgrade was performed replacing the tube with a length of pvc pipe with holes drilled into it. It still clogs up, but nothing like it used to.
I think that is it... All of these upgrades were performed at no cost to us. Some of them by WG which gave us some faith in the new owners, they were within their rights to charge us for the mods they performed. Both companies struggled with changes to the suction pump and several different types were trialled. Some free, and some at our cost. Generally, the problem with the pumps was the diaphragms not the motors, but the agent for the pump had a policy of replacing the pump rather than repairing them and parts were unobtainium. Not a problem with the new pump, there is a local agent who can repair them. 
woodbe.

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## SilentButDeadly

We looked at the AquaNova when we needed to replace the septic but were turned off by the two tank solution - it just wouldn't have fitted in the space available.  The complexity of the system and the simplicity of the local agent didn't help either.  Your experience kind of makes me glad we turned it down. 
Funnily enough we ended up with a Biolytix.  Who of course have now gone by the wayside.  However, given that the moving parts consist only of an aquarium pump (for air) and a submersible trash pump (for effluent) and most of the control box components come from Jaycar or Rockby's...I'm not too concerned.   The rest of the parts come from plumbing or irrigation component specialists (and I've easy access to them).  Only regular maintainence is a quarterly clean of the outlet filters (120 micron Arkal disc filter, 100 micron disc filter with root inhibitor compound). 
As long as we are nice to the worms...they'll be nice to us.  Worked so far...

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## woodbe

Glad it's working for you SBD. Like all of these systems, there are horror stories around. 
Just to be clear, our system is not the AquaNova you were considering. Aquanova is just another AWTS with an Anerobic section (septic) feeding into an aerobic chamber which feeds into a clarification and disinfection chamber before sending the results into the garden. That's the kind of system we replaced. 
The Novaclear is a single tank system with 3 chambers. A primary tank, a filter chamber (MBR), and a recycled water chamber: 
It looks like this:   
One of the benefits of your worm farm system over our filtration system is power consumption. Ours pulls a few hundred watts 24/7 to run the air pump. 
woodbe.

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## VanguardAlpha

Woodbe, we have had many of the same issues as you with our '08 Novaclear.  After about two years it started going down hill with overflow, alarm failure, pump failure etc.  The most basic issue with it is though, that it does not and cannot break down the fats and oils, and so the filters ultimately fail at about the 3 year mark.  From then on you need to pump the system out and you will get 6-8 months before your 3-monthly filter cleans/services stop doing the job.  I got my whole system pumped in December, cleaned the whole system out and then serviced it at 3 month intervals (the most recent in June).  Now, 2 months later it is ready to overflow and I had the added bonus of the board frying today.  My local service agent said he quit installing them because they are basically a badly designed system which needs a grease trap, so instead he rips them out and replaces them with more basic systems.  Because they don't have a grease trap, they fail at the filter where the build up can eventually not be cleaned out.  I'll have to replace the board, but I really just want to dig the thing out and have it taken to landfill.  It is a colossal failure.   
For $14,000, you really should not have to know your waste treatment system as well as you and I do.  I think it is immoral of Water Gurus to keep selling them, knowing they are poorly designed.

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## SilentButDeadly

Sorry to hear of your grief.  However, the service life of most membranes in the water treatment industry is not massive so three years is possibly not unheard of.  What has me curious is the claimed build of fats and oils on the membrane.  Now I know a thing or two about wastewater treatment and I don't believe that such a build up can occur if the primary aeration tank is a) doing its job and b) you are mindful of what goes into it.  Most small scale treatment systems fail because of how their owners treat them (or mistreat them) rather than anything else.  Granted in this case, this product does appear to be operating at the edge of complexity and it certainly has had its moments for both yourself and Woodbe.   
But I would ask you...can you hold your hand on your heart and say that you don't use any aggressively caustic or chlorine based cleaners, don't overload the tank with load after load of washing water in a single day and avoid putting anything bar ordinary everyday crap into it?  The primary aeration tank in good working and biological order should be more than capable of dealing with a typical domestic oil & fat load...a box of Biozyme occasionally won't hurt either.  If it is working properly then it won't be overloading or overworking your MBR and it'll last longer...

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## woodbe

Vanguard makes some good points.  
We're on our third treatment plant, and I have to say I have become a walking encyclopedia for each of them. It comes with the territory. Would be nice if we could just install a system and forget it, but the reality is that these are just machines and we are just humans. One or the other will have failures.  :Smilie:  
If I were to spend more on this system, I think I would add an anaerobic (septic) in front of it. From what I have heard, that would kill any processing issues the system has and I can deal with the various pumps and valves long before the service guy shows up. 
Apparently Watergurus has gone bust. The only real issue is an ongoing supply of membranes. 
SBD, these are low pressure membranes, not those blocks of water permeable plastic from desal plants you are probably thinking of... 
woodbe.

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## SilentButDeadly

> SBD, these are low pressure membranes, not those blocks of water permeable plastic from desal plants you are probably thinking of...

  Understood...I knew they'd be low pressure...more like trickle filter membranes than the columular pills in a desal.  Which makes them even more vulnerable to biofouling.    
As for replacing your membranes....check out Merck Millipore's Durapore membrane in a 0.45 or 0.65 micron sizing Durapore® Membrane Filters - Millipore  might be something you can use

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## woodbe

> Understood...I knew they'd be low pressure...more like trickle filter membranes than the columular pills in a desal.  Which makes them even more vulnerable to biofouling.    
> As for replacing your membranes....check out Merck Millipore's Durapore membrane in a 0.45 or 0.65 micron sizing Durapore® Membrane Filters - Millipore  might be something you can use

  Interesting... 
They don't seem to make the sizes in use in the Novaclear - I haven't measured them, but they'd be something like 1.5m x 0.5m double sided on a frame (effluent is extracted from between two sheets of filter material) 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

I've managed to track down the manufacturer of the membranes from the WaterGurus Liquidation creditor list: KOReD CO., LTD. in Korea. I contacted them by email and they have confirmed that WG have been buying their standard membranes. The Australian agent is: Aallied Maintenance Services Pty Ltd Phone : 07 5583 1919 
Vanguard, I cannot reply to your PM. It seems your mailbox is full? Anyway, here is my thoughts on your system issues: 
Firstly, if your filters are getting gummed up with oils and fats, there  is something basic wrong with your system or what you are putting down  the drain. We have been to hell and back with this system as documented above, but the only time we have suffered oil on the membranes  was when a visitor dumped litres of it down the drain. 
Secondly, your service rep seems to be exaggerating. The systems have  not really been out long enough to have the long term experience he claims  regarding membrane replacement. The thing that will always put a  NovaClear on the edge is late servicing. If the service agent runs  services like clockwork at 3 months, the systems will function just  fine, not withstanding issues with components. If the solids build up to  the point that three monthly servicing is not enough, then time to pump out. 
As far as pumpout is concerned, I'm happy to pump out every year if it  is required. I don't know what sewage fees are in your neck of the  woods, but we are literally thousands better off than being connected to mains sewage even after including the costs of a yearly pumpout should we need it, and regular servicing. Heck, if  membranes are $1500, we could replace them every year and still be  ahead! 
I agree that if you revert to a good simple system, you should have less  to worry about day to day, but don't kid yourself that these systems  are trouble free. Our last system we lost count of how many submersible  pumps were consumed, and after a couple of years the system smells were pretty  rank. If we had people coming over, I used to turn the system off to  avoid the embarrassment of the stench when it pumped out the 'treated'  water into the drip system. To be fair there was also bad  servicing and the use of cheap components involved, but my point is that past the initial honeymoon period you cannot ignore an AWTS or expect it to be trouble free. 
Good luck with it! 
woodbe 
PS I have the user and User and the Operation and Maintenance manuals for the system in PDF form if anyone wants them.

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## Moondog55

Makes you think that the simple pit down the back of the block isn't such a bad design after all.

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## VanguardAlpha

> Sorry to hear of your grief.  However, the service life of most membranes in the water treatment industry is not massive so three years is possibly not unheard of.  What has me curious is the claimed build of fats and oils on the membrane.  Now I know a thing or two about wastewater treatment and I don't believe that such a build up can occur if the primary aeration tank is a) doing its job and b) you are mindful of what goes into it.  Most small scale treatment systems fail because of how their owners treat them (or mistreat them) rather than anything else.  Granted in this case, this product does appear to be operating at the edge of complexity and it certainly has had its moments for both yourself and Woodbe.   
> But I would ask you...can you hold your hand on your heart and say that you don't use any aggressively caustic or chlorine based cleaners, don't overload the tank with load after load of washing water in a single day and avoid putting anything bar ordinary everyday crap into it?  The primary aeration tank in good working and biological order should be more than capable of dealing with a typical domestic oil & fat load...a box of Biozyme occasionally won't hurt either.  If it is working properly then it won't be overloading or overworking your MBR and it'll last longer...

  We were very well educated by our initial installer re: fats/oils, which cleaners we could use, none of those hand soap squirters, bio friendly everything (makes cleaning soap scum a real pain!!), but we are pretty fanatical about it, so I highly doubt there is anything going down there that could be causing any issues.  Definitely no chlorine based cleaners.  I used to chuck in Biozyme (to no apparent effect), but two plumbers have said to stop wasting my money.

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## VanguardAlpha

> Vanguard, I cannot reply to your PM. It seems your mailbox is full? Anyway, here is my thoughts on your system issues:

  My bad, only allowed 5 messages.   

> Firstly, if your filters are getting gummed up with oils and fats, there  is something basic wrong with your system or what you are putting down  the drain. We have been to hell and back with this system as documented above, but the only time we have suffered oil on the membranes  was when a visitor dumped litres of it down the drain.  
> Secondly, your service rep seems to be exaggerating. The systems have  not really been out long enough to have the long term experience he claims  regarding membrane replacement. The thing that will always put a  NovaClear on the edge is late servicing. If the service agent runs  services like clockwork at 3 months, the systems will function just  fine, not withstanding issues with components. If the solids build up to  the point that three monthly servicing is not enough, then time to pump out.

  I am beginning to think perhaps the primary aeration has issues because the rapid build up of solids is not caused by the filters.  The filters just seem to have lost their efficiency. 
I got the new control box today but it doesn't seem to be working - it won't automatically turn on the suction pump (works manually).  Have to get my guy out again - bummer. 
Vanguard

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## woodbe

> I am beginning to think perhaps the primary aeration has issues because the rapid build up of solids is not caused by the filters.  The filters just seem to have lost their efficiency.

  Lift the lid and look, do you have good aeration in the primary chamber?   

> I got the new control box today but it doesn't seem to be working - it won't automatically turn on the suction pump (works manually).  Have to get my guy out again - bummer. 
> Vanguard

  If either the primary chamber or the MBR chamber level is low, the suction pump will not operate. Is the carlyle air transfer pump working? (check the level in the MBR chamber). A high level in the effluent (clean water) chamber will also stop the suction pump.   
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Update... 
Late August, after my last post in this thread, the membrane suction pump up and died. Dead short across the contacts, not worth repairing. It was 18 months old according to the local pump agent. 
Not wanting to be caught again (these things always die at the most inopportune moments) I bought a spare from the pump agent. ($161 each) This is the only mechanical part that has caused repeated grief that I have not been able to solve. The local Novaclear service agent has improved the situation somewhat by switching to a more reliable and locally available pump. Basically, this relatively cheap 12v spray pump is flogged on a duty cycle of 8 minutes on, 2 minutes off, 24/7 - 19.2hrs per day, 7000hrs per year. Bet that they are not designed for that... 
Other than that, the system is still performing well. The pump out was on June 8th and the plant is having no difficulty maintaining the primary tank at the low level. We are on the original membranes which are now about 4.5 years old, contradicting advise relayed here that the membranes do not perform past 3 years. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Whenever I head off for a trip somewhere, leaving my cohorts to fend for themselves, something always breaks  :Rolleyes:  
This time, the cause was not an auto-destruct, it was a lightning bolt. When I got back home I found a list of inoperative devices: Trickle Charger for the car; Solar system logger; Wireless Network; VoIP phone system; Network Switch; and of course, the Wastewater plant. 
Painful!  :Mad:  
The wastewater plant had power to the controller and the airpump etc as normal, but the critical suction pump was not operating. Investigation revealed that its power supply had died in a big way (a big 440v electrolytic cap had literally been blown off the circuit board) A trip to Jaycar and we are back on track with a bit of a wastewater backlog to catch up. Luckily, I was only away for a week or the yard would be a bit yucky! 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

> Woodbe, we have had many of the same issues as you with our '08 Novaclear.  After about two years it started going down hill with overflow, alarm failure, pump failure etc.  The most basic issue with it is though, that it does not and cannot break down the fats and oils, and so the filters ultimately fail at about the 3 year mark.  From then on you need to pump the system out and you will get 6-8 months before your 3-monthly filter cleans/services stop doing the job.

  Well, we're just over 6 months since the pump out. No sign of membrane failure yet, the Primary chamber is sitting on the low level, as it has since pumpout apart from when the lightning took out the power. 
I'm bracing for the next 2 months VanguardAlpha, but I can't see it falling in a heap in such a short time. Fingers crossed!  :Smilie:  
woodbe.

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## Frankyboy

Hi all  
my thanks for all the info on this thread, I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one out here with the issues that are listed. I have struggled with my Novaclear since 2008 and been close to ripping it out a few times but it is hard to turn your back on such a large investment. 
i have not used a forum before but I am interested in staying in touch to share troubleshooting ideas. What is the etiquette for exchanging email addresses and other contact details?

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## woodbe

Time for another update. 
Last week, the Air Pump died. I haven't noted when it was installed, but I think 2009 they upgraded the HP-100 to the HP-200 so we got about 4 years out of it.   
Split diaphragm! 
The good news is that these pumps are repairable to new with a repair kit that replaces all of the wearable moving parts. Cost is a bit over $200 although if you had time, kits are on ebay for about half that price. Installing the kit takes about 20 minutes and is pretty easy. 
The system was without air for a couple of days while the parts made their way here, and the level rose form normal to 10cm below the high sensor in that time. After the pump was fixed and replaced into the system, the level continued to rise  :Eek:  ... 
I lifted all the lids and found we had no aeration in the MBR Chamber regardless of the airflow directed to the MBR aeration line. By now it was Saturday, and the level was looking scary, so I elected to pull the cassette from the MBR and find out what the problem was - and it turned out to be a totally clogged aerator on the MBR Cassette. Once cleaned and the system re-assembled, the system operated normally and pulled the primary level down to normal overnight. 
I've been watching the *cough* 'consistency' of the liquids in the system, and it is thickening up as expected, but still operating fine at the moment. I'm pretty sure the best plan is still going to be to pump the system out yearly to avoid the sort of problems we've had before. 
Frankyboy, I'll drop you a PM, happy to exchange info with you. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

For Frankyboy, photos of the non return valve sitting on top of the cassette:     
woodbe.

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## Frankyboy

Thanks for the photos Woodbe 
The suction pump lost prime again today. I opened it up and used your shots to compare.  It seems that I don't have a non-return valve. Is this something that I can get from a regular plumbing supplier?  
I will take your photos with me to the local pump shop and see what they can do for me. 
Thanks again all, the system is still a pain but I am feeling far more confident that I can diagnose and fix problems as they arise using other owners as a sounding board. Beats calling in my service guy all the time; expensive and he is pretty sick of my system. 
Frank

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## woodbe

Yes, I think it's a pretty standard part. 
As far as I can tell, they come in horizontal and vertical versions. Ours is vertical. Match the thread sizes and you should be good to go. 
Watch that suction pump too. What brand and model is installed in your unit? 
woodbe.

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## Frankyboy

Hi Woodbe et all 
Apologies if this is a repeat, I had some problem with my last post. 
anyway, at the moment there is a Surflo 8000-151-296 suction pump in the system. It has been loosing prime periodically but it is quiet. I suspect it is on its last legs as the flow into the final chamber is a bit patchy, sometimes slowing to a dribble before kicking in again. 
perhaps the new one way valve will help when I get it in. 
does anyone have a recommendation re: suction pumps? I have had Johnson, jabsco, and surflo previously but they have all struggled.  I want to have spare here to install without having to get my service guy up. 
Thanks Frank

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## Frankyboy

Also.....it seems that I have had a mix of 24 and 12 volt pumps, does it matter?

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## woodbe

> at the moment there is a Surflo 8000-151-296 suction pump in the system.

  Hi Frankyboy, 
Yes, Watergurus changed to the Surflo pump soon after they took over the system. It is a 24v pump. 
For some fascinating and involved reason, the designers of the NovaClear decided it would be more reliable if they ran a 24v pump with 12v. In my experience, it didn't help... 
When they switched to Surflo, there was an additional circuit required to massage the voltages so the pump would run. We tried it, but I was unimpressed by the results. I was also becoming aware of the transformer problems internal to the system controller, so I elected to switch to a 12v pump with external power. Here is how it currently works: 
1. I picked up the +/- pump control wires from the controller and used them as relay switching voltage. This took ALL of the pump load off the transformer inside the controller. 
2. I installed a Jaycar 12V Switchmode powersupply. I think this one. If you want to do this, please contact me here or PM/email and I will verify the details. 
3. The relay is a fused 12v Automotive type. I installed a 5A fuse. 
4. I replaced the pump with a FloJet 12v LF122-401D Pump. This has the best quality diaphragm components for long life, and is locally repairable. It's an Agricultural quality pump (boomspray) 
5. Be aware that there are interlocks in the pump operation circuit that stops pump operation if the MBR filter chamber level OR the primary chamber level is low. In my system, these are in the pump power circuit. I'd be happier if they were in the pump switching circuit, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. 
Hope that helps. 
woodbe.

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## Frankyboy

Thanks heaps Woodbe 
i will need to do a bit of homework to figure out what electrical configuration is currently in mine as the Gurus came back a few times and made changes. I might send you some photos after Easter.  
I like the look of that pump. Given my system has operated off 12 and 24 volt pumps before, do you think it's ok for me to swap to that regardless of the control set up.  I'll have a chat to my service guy as well. 
is it quiet enough? 
F

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## woodbe

> I like the look of that pump. Given my system has operated off 12 and 24 volt pumps before, do you think it's ok for me to swap to that regardless of the control set up.  I'll have a chat to my service guy as well. 
> is it quiet enough? 
> F

  I guess it would work off the controller, I have never tried though. I can't imagine it has a higher loading than the Surflo, but I really don't know. The way I look at it is, the controller is probably difficult and (now with the demise of watergurus) expensive to replace, and a transformer overload will potentially nuke the circuitboard (the transformer is soldered to the board). I'm a lot happier having the pump running off a separate power supply and having a lightly loaded, cool running transformer inside the controller unit. I'd recommend the external pump power setup regardless of what you do with the pump. 
As far as noise, all these pumps make some noise. I think the Johnson was the quietest. What I have done is to uncouple the pump from the box. It used to be bolted to the side, now it is located loosely with cable ties - there is no physical contact between the pump body and the box, it's suspended on the cable ties and the hoses. I can still hear if it is running when I walk up to the unit but it is not loud and certainly not the loudest pump we have had in the unit. 
HTH 
woodbe.

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## RaeKue

Hi everyone, 
So pleased I came across this forum as I am currently having problems with my Nova Clear system, installed 2009 and I would be glad of your expertise in this area. 
I am also new to forums, so please bear with me.... 
Background....
Ok, so system was running fine until Jan this year.  We have it regularly serviced, every 3 months and as the system was getting a bit thick, we had a pump out after maybe 3 1/2 years.  I'm an Enjo user so I don't use any chemicals and my plumber gave me a list of what not to put down the drain etc. 
Ok, so we arrived home from hols on Jan 1st to a unit that had high level P chamber alarm going off.  12/24volt pump was the culprit and one was ordered.  Pump arrived, but adapter to change the voltage wasn't installed till some months later due to floods and plumbers not being able to access the right parts. 
Anyway..... Unit seems to be running fine now, but we are left with a high level P chamber alarm that is on constantly.  Initially the plumber said to limit water usage for a couple of days and it should settle, but it's probably been 6 + weeks.  I have talked to my plumber and he's not inspiring confidence.  He says I can come out, but I seriously don't know what I could do. 
Sprinklers are working and there is no back up into toilets as before..... 
I would be most grateful for any suggestions of what might be going on...

----------


## woodbe

> Ok, so we arrived home from hols on Jan 1st to a unit that had high level P chamber alarm going off.  12/24volt pump was the culprit and one was ordered.  Pump arrived, but adapter to change the voltage wasn't installed till some months later due to floods and plumbers not being able to access the right parts. 
> Anyway..... Unit seems to be running fine now, but we are left with a high level P chamber alarm that is on constantly.  Initially the plumber said to limit water usage for a couple of days and it should settle, but it's probably been 6 + weeks.  I have talked to my plumber and he's not inspiring confidence.  He says I can come out, but I seriously don't know what I could do. 
> Sprinklers are working and there is no back up into toilets as before..... 
> I would be most grateful for any suggestions of what might be going on...

  Hi RaeKue, 
Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been away... 
Ok, if the unit is running, but you have a high level alarm, the first thing to check is if there is actually a high level in the primary chamber. Are you able to lift the motor box on its hinge to see into the primary chamber? 
woodbe.

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## RaeKue

> Hi RaeKue, 
> Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been away... 
> Ok, if the unit is running, but you have a high level alarm, the first thing to check is if there is actually a high level in the primary chamber. Are you able to lift the motor box on its hinge to see into the primary chamber? 
> woodbe.

  Hi woodbe, 
Thanks for your response.  Ok so since I posted last time,  a lot has happened.  I did indeed lift the control box and check the primary level.  It was high, indicating the alarm was correct and not that the float was just caught up.  I read and re read the manual and decided my next step was to check the treated effluent amount. I tested and it was nowhere near what the book says it should be, so I decided the suction pump was struggling to pull the water through the four year old membranes..... So next step, pulling out the membranes and cleaning them with a chlorine solution.... 
We also cleaned the air diffuser in the MBR chamber as it stopped at one stage, when we were mucking about with the membranes.  We back washed and cleaned the little holes out. Working fine.... 
So membranes back in, I hooked up the suction pump and checked the flow rate of the treated effluent and success it was running about 1.35 litres per minute, which is acceptable..... 
Then.... Of course another problem, everything working fine except I check the MBR chamber as the suction pump was off and noticed the float down and nothing coming out the Carlisle transfer.  Primary was full so this should be pouring out, so after some more research we unhooked the Carlisle and cleaned it, but still nothing.  Turns out where the air hose connects to the bottom of the control box, there is a hose fitting and it has a green washer and a white disk with a little hole and the hole was blocked with fluff....... So removed that and success, pouring out of the Carlisle and good to go.  So now just waiting for the system to process all the excess and then the high level alarm will be a thing of the past. 
Oh and we replaced all the hoses that run from the manifold in the MBR to the individual membranes.  These were worn in one spot from continually rubbing on the membrane cassette. 
This has been a long road, but hopefully now we are on the right track..... 
Regards, 
RaeKue

----------


## woodbe

RaeKue, 
Well done, sounds like the problem solving is on track.   

> Turns out where the air hose connects to the bottom of the control box, there is a hose fitting and it has a green washer and a white disk with a little hole and the hole was blocked with fluff....... So removed that and success, pouring out of the Carlisle and good to go.  So now just waiting for the system to process all the excess and then the high level alarm will be a thing of the past.

  The balancing of the air can be a regular issue depending on the liquid levels in the system, and if you look in all the air junctions you will likely find several different sized restrictor washers in the system. For instance you will notice the carlyle pump benefits from adjustment if the primary chamber level is high, but if you do that, the aeration may suffer and the air system needs to be re-balenced. We removed all the washers and put irrigation taps on the lines so that they are easy to adjust on the fly instead of having to fiddle with washers. 
If you are getting fluff in the air, check and clean the filter on top of the air pump. If it is disintegrating, replace it. (It's under the pull-off plastic cover on top of the pump, just rinse it out and dry it) 
Cleaning membranes, we've found a pressure washer run at low pressure is very effective if there is any build-up on the membranes. 
Is your primary chamber aeration timer working - it tends to break down and aeration then remains on all the time. If there is a problem, it is most likely to be the diaphragm in the solenoid valve inside the control box. 
Ours has just had it's yearly pump out. All going well and ready for another year! 
woodbe.

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## NeedsWork

> I've managed to track down the manufacturer of the membranes from the WaterGurus Liquidation creditor list: KOReD CO., LTD. in Korea. I contacted them by email and they have confirmed that WG have been buying their standard membranes. The Australian agent is: Aallied Maintenance Services Pty Ltd Phone : 07 5583 1919 Vanguard, I cannot reply to your PM. It seems your mailbox is full? Anyway, here is my thoughts on your system issues: Firstly, if your filters are getting gummed up with oils and fats, there  is something basic wrong with your system or what you are putting down  the drain. We have been to hell and back with this system as documented above, but the only time we have suffered oil on the membranes  was when a visitor dumped litres of it down the drain. Secondly, your service rep seems to be exaggerating. The systems have  not really been out long enough to have the long term experience he claims  regarding membrane replacement. The thing that will always put a  NovaClear on the edge is late servicing. If the service agent runs  services like clockwork at 3 months, the systems will function just  fine, not withstanding issues with components. If the solids build up to  the point that three monthly servicing is not enough, then time to pump out. As far as pumpout is concerned, I'm happy to pump out every year if it  is required. I don't know what sewage fees are in your neck of the  woods, but we are literally thousands better off than being connected to mains sewage even after including the costs of a yearly pumpout should we need it, and regular servicing. Heck, if  membranes are $1500, we could replace them every year and still be  ahead! I agree that if you revert to a good simple system, you should have less  to worry about day to day, but don't kid yourself that these systems  are trouble free. Our last system we lost count of how many submersible  pumps were consumed, and after a couple of years the system smells were pretty  rank. If we had people coming over, I used to turn the system off to  avoid the embarrassment of the stench when it pumped out the 'treated'  water into the drip system. To be fair there was also bad  servicing and the use of cheap components involved, but my point is that past the initial honeymoon period you cannot ignore an AWTS or expect it to be trouble free. Good luck with it! woodbe PS I have the user and User and the Operation and Maintenance manuals for the system in PDF form if anyone wants them.

  Have tried the ph no posted but just gets me through to a fax, sent a message to the mobile listed under the company so far no reply (0439 771 863) I am looking at around $2200 plus postage for a new cassette if I can't find cheaper!! also would love a copy of the Operations and Maintenance Manual. We seem to have an air fault alarm coming on all the time at the moment, can't find the culprit. Any Ideas!!! System is about 4 years old haven't replaced the Membranes as yet but feel that its due. Have had ongoing issues and am so happy to find this forum so I can get some knowledge from people who actually use the system.

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## woodbe

> Have tried the ph no posted but just gets me through to a fax, sent a message to the mobile listed under the company so far no reply (0439 771 863) I am looking at around $2200 plus postage for a new cassette if I can't find cheaper!! also would love a copy of the Operations and Maintenance Manual. We seem to have an air fault alarm coming on all the time at the moment, can't find the culprit. Any Ideas!!! System is about 4 years old haven't replaced the Membranes as yet but feel that its due. Have had ongoing issues and am so happy to find this forum so I can get some knowledge from people who actually use the system.

  Hi NeedsWork, 
I've sent you a pm with the contact details of the membrane manufacturer in Korea. I suggest if you cannot get a reply from the distributor then email the manufacturer in case there is a new or alternate supplier. 
When you say $2200 for a new cassette, are you talking about the cassette only? Where are you sourcing it from? 
I have appended the 2009 versions of the Owners Manual and the Operation and Maintenance manual to this post. I also have the Installation Manual if you want it. 
Regarding the air fault.  
The air fault is generated by a pressure sensor on a T taken off the air line inside the control box. When there is no air, the pressure sensor trips the alarm circuit and the unit will not operate. Assuming your air pump is running and pumping air, then I would have a close look at the pressure sensor and test that it is operating with a multimeter. Also check the wires leading back to the controller for faults. Over time the connections to the PVC air manifold can become brittle and leak (they basically crack) so I'd be having a close look at all connections and look for leaks. All these components are generic and reasonable easily replaced. 
Let me know if you have trouble locating the pressure sensor and I'll post a photo. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Update: Pump failure, and panel damage. 
A few weeks ago, the system stopped pumping. On investigation, the suction pump was not operating even though the controller and relay were switching it on. As the pump was hot and we needed it to be running, I switched in the spare pump and everything came back to normal. 
Fast forward to last Friday. I had noticed the level in the Primary chamber was rising each day. The suction pump was running, but there was little output. The panels had been cleaned in the regular service a little while before the pump failure so I elected to pull them and give them a touch up to see if I could isolate the cause of the issue. I found it:   
Now, I have no way of telling how this damage occurred. I'm doubtful that it happened inside the membrane chamber, but I will be pulling the cassette and draining the chamber next week to make sure there are no foreign objects floating around in there. Panels are getting hard to come by, I don't want to lose any more...   
The patterns in the panel are unusual, they are accumulated detritus inside the panel that had made it's way through the tear. 
I tied off the spare suction line, cleaned and re-installed the remaining panels. After flushing the suction pump and lines with fresh water the system is working back as normal despite it now running on 5 panels instead of 7.  
woodbe.

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## BRADFORD

I can't beleive you guys put up with all this cr*p (pardon the pun).
I have a septic system, installed in the early 70's, and have no problems at all, no smell no issues, the only maintenance required is a pump out about every 5 - 7 years. It seems to me these newer systems are overcomplicated and do not work as well as the old setups.  
One of my daughters and also one of my freinds have setups something along the lines you have and they both have endless trouble and expense, to the point that they both have thought of ripping them out but the local council require that they be replaced with similar units, septic is unacceptable. (are there palms being greased here?). We all live in rural areas where houses are kilometres apart, so I can't see what the problem is. 
I don't see that they are particularly enviromentaly freindly either, the power consumption alone would offset any improvment in the rest of the system (if there is any).

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## cyclic

> I can't beleive you guys put up with all this cr*p (pardon the pun).
> I have a septic system, installed in the early 70's, and have no problems at all, no smell no issues, the only maintenance required is a pump out about every 5 - 7 years. It seems to me these newer systems are overcomplicated and do not work as well as the old setups.  
> One of my daughters and also one of my freinds have setups something along the lines you have and they both have endless trouble and expense, to the point that they both have thought of ripping them out but the local council require that they be replaced with similar units, septic is unacceptable. (are there palms being greased here?). We all live in rural areas where houses are kilometres apart, so I can't see what the problem is. 
> I don't see that they are particularly enviromentaly freindly either, the power consumption alone would offset any improvment in the rest of the system (if there is any).

  You really should not be talking about the enviroment and septic in the same sentence, it is, after all, all about the enviroment and health
 ie treating the effluent before it enters the ground water system, septic/sullage systems do not do this.
Up to the 70's, estates were built allowing septic/sullage on 600 sq metre blocks, you can imagine how successful that was, as soon as the yards started to get a little soggy the owners would simply connect the septic/sullage drains to the storm drains and all the effluent would run down the street.
It was filtered to an extent by running through some gravel, but it still stunk and left a good slime in the gutters for the kids to play in.

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## toooldforthis

I have been watching these threads with interest cause I have a septic with a large leach drain area. Works fine.
The septic might get moved if I do an extension so have been thinking of an ATU, but frankly they sound a nightmare. Unreliable and expensive to buy and to run. Won't even comment on the council attitude to all this except to say they are all _council-ish_.

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## woodbe

> It seems to me these newer systems are overcomplicated and do not work as well as the old setups.

  To a certain extent, you are correct. These systems are complicated, and septic systems are simple. The problems arise when septic systems become overloaded or lack maintenance. These newer systems treat the effluent to a far higher standard than septic, and despite your claims they smell less than a septic. (I've had most types of treatment systems except sand systems and worm farms). The water coming out of this system is of a far higher standard than anything coming out of a septic. It is clear, non-odourous and not very far from drinkable (but don't ask me to try it!) 
The use of power is a valid point. 
On a large block you can get away with septic if you can get it approved. In near city locations or in areas where the local health bodies are aware of the problems with septic you probably cannot get approval any more. In our situation, we are in a near city location on a rocky hillside with a suburb below us. Guess what the chances of getting an approval for a septic would be here?  :Smilie:  
We're preaching to the converted. The problems with all these systems including septic is a lack of regular inspection and maintenance. Septic tank audits routinely turn up excess of sludge in the tank and a lack of drain field maintenance. Anyone reading this thread is probably trying to keep on top of maintenance. 
I'd appreciate it if further discussion was directed to a new thread. This thread is specifically about maintenance of the Econova NovaClear unit. 
Cheers, 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

> I have no way of telling how this damage occurred. I'm doubtful that it happened inside the membrane chamber, but I will be pulling the cassette and draining the chamber next week to make sure there are no foreign objects floating around in there. Panels are getting hard to come by, I don't want to lose any more...

  Ok, so the pumpout man came last week. We pulled all the panels and the cassette and pumped it out. Look what we found:   
Apart from the large blue pumpout suction hose, there should be nothing down there... 
Of course, there is no way of knowing for sure, but the damaged panel was on the outer edge of the cassette and it is possible that aluminium tube was between it and the side of the cassette. The tube is actually my measuring stick to check the level of the primary chamber. It went missing after the last service and I know for sure I didn't drop it down there... The half moon shaped item is a block of wood that was previously lost in the MBR and could not have caused the issue (it's too low) but we retrieved it with the pumpout suction anyway. 
On the subject of panels and cassettes. I checked with the EkoRed membrane panel distributor and they are still available. Ours being an older unit, it has different sized panels than those currently available. If we need new, we would need a new cassette to suit the changed size. 
Even with only 5 panels, the system is running great. I'm even considering disabling the primary chamber low level cutout switch. Theory being that the air operated transfer pump into the MBR pumps less the lower the primary chamber level sits - its a self limiting system. That would give us greater reserve capacity for visitors etc and for times when the system has one of it's little hissy fits. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Disabled the Primary Chamber low level switch. 
System has been struggling a bit of late, probably due to the shortage of usable membrane space with the missing panel and now quite old panels in the system. I've been cleaning them once a week and that allowed it to just keep up. Pretty certain a couple of the panels are well past their use-by date, but which ones? Thinking of devising a test rig to measure their output in clean water. I also know from a conversation with watergurus' guru before they went bust that they had been doing panel maintenance by immersing the panel in diluted bleach and running the suction pump, drawing the bleach through the membrane. They reported that the panels came up much better than any other method. 
A replacement panel and a better cassette (both secondhand) turned up this week and the system now seems to be on top of the load. 
One problem occurred that we have not seen before after adding the replacement parts; the suction pump started cycling maybe 10 seconds on 10 seconds off. We were totally mystified with this until I remembered it is actually a pressure pump with a high pressure limit switch. Clearing some debris from the outlet constrictor in the clean water outlet resolved it. 
Until the next exciting instalment, 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

Primary chamber level has been slowly raising over the last week. Did my usual check-over of the likely culprits and came up with a lack of suction on the pump, it would barely suck water out of a bucket. Removed and replaced the suction pump, unfortunately it is out of warranty by a few months. 
Pulled the failed one apart and found lots of corrosion between the pump body and motor. It would appear the seals and valves are dying earlier than we thought. According to the local supplier, the 8 minutes on - 2 minutes off duty cycle is too much for the pump. Pity I can't find a suitable peristaltic pump, I reckon they would solve one of the major problems with the plant. 
Even though the service agent and/or I have managed to always get this unit back up and running, the constant handholding is becoming a bit of a pain. Starting to consider options for replacing the novaclear. If we were to go ahead with that early in the new year, then the novaclear will have lasted 5 years. Amazed that given the council property value and the silly sewerage rates, we would still be ahead financially, although if I accounted for my time, we'd probably be behind. The demise of Econova certainly made the maintenance more challenging, and stopped the development of the unit which might have seen many of it's issues resolved.  
woodbe.

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## boyracer

Hello All. I read through this thread last night. Had nightmares last night.
The SA government is mandating a WWTP system be installed in a remote area that we access for motor racing once a year. It's real remote, 2hours dirt road north of Iron knob. We previously have had a leach pit we shared with a sheep station which is  not allowed anymore. 
My concern is  maintenance given we only visit site a few times a year and the ability of a system to handle hundreds of people for a week solid then nothing....
We are being suggested as a club to purchase a Aqua Nova Wastewater Treatment Plant for $12,000.
What system would you learned people use now?

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## woodbe

> Hello All. I read through this thread last night. Had nightmares last night.
> The SA government is mandating a WWTP system be installed in a remote area that we access for motor racing once a year. It's real remote, 2hours dirt road north of Iron knob. We previously have had a leach pit we shared with a sheep station which is  not allowed anymore. 
> My concern is  maintenance given we only visit site a few times a year and the ability of a system to handle hundreds of people for a week solid then nothing....
> We are being suggested as a club to purchase a Aqua Nova Wastewater Treatment Plant for $12,000.
> What system would you learned people use now?

  I'm guessing you are talking about the Lake Gairdner races? 
I think you need a system that can be easily shut down and restarted. If it's abandoned, running, in the desert for 12 months and expected to run for a week once a year, I can only see a world of pain managing that system. Maintenance visits are going to be expensive too, I'd imagine. 
How many people will be using the facilities attached to the system, and over how many days? Which Aquanova? I frankly doubt that a standard AquaNova (1200L/day, 560g BOD/day) will cope with that sort of load but perhaps they are suggesting one of the higher volume models like the 80202T (2000L/day, 700g BOD/day) or the EP40-SA (6000L/day, 2000g BOD/day). Not sure you can get those for $12k though...  
For just a week with hundreds of people, I would have thought a holding system and collection might make more sense, but I'm not the government  :Smilie:  
The list of approved systems in SA is here: Approved Aerobic Wastewater treatment plants for SA (PDF) 
I have the FujiClean on my shortlist, currently looking for other alternatives. FujiClean wouldn't have the capacity for the races though. 
woodbe.

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## woodbe

How about a transportable system?   
This one from Ozzikleen Unfortunately, I bet that one costs more than $12k... 
woodbe.

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## SilentButDeadly

> Hello All. I read through this thread last night. Had nightmares last night.
> The SA government is mandating a WWTP system be installed in a remote area that we access for motor racing once a year. It's real remote, 2hours dirt road north of Iron knob. We previously have had a leach pit we shared with a sheep station which is  not allowed anymore. 
> My concern is  maintenance given we only visit site a few times a year and the ability of a system to handle hundreds of people for a week solid then nothing....
> We are being suggested as a club to purchase a Aqua Nova Wastewater Treatment Plant for $12,000.
> What system would you learned people use now?

  These ones... Gough Plastics - Hybrid Toilet System - Commercial 
They are in use with apparent success in a number of remote locations in NSW and Qld that are subject to seasonal and intermittent use.  And they are approved for use in SA.

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## boyracer

I've seen a few of those Gough systems on trails, etc. Bit pongy i remember?
I have passed on your advice to those with the cheque book. I will keep you posted.
Thanks.

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## ringtail

I'm about to go through this nightmare. Something to be said for go old fashioned septic pit, if you can get away with it. Its a bit of a joke really, particularly in remote areas. The property we are considering buying has about 500 cattle surrounding it. They do far more damage to the land with their hoofs and the water with their excrement than two people in a weekend cabin could ever manage. Long drop dunny looks appealing ( as much as one can) at the moment. Being totally off grid my system will have to get by with next to nothing other than a tiny fan, maybe. I'm thinking black water only. Grey water should be able to go directly on the ground since it wont be stored in a grey water tank. Of course, every council has it's own little Hitler rules and mountains of red tape so I'll rely on the soil engineer to trump the council with an approved design.

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## woodbe

Don't worry ringtail. The nightmare happens some time after you install it, you've got lots of bliss left yet  :Biggrin:  
Sounds like you're well out of built up areas, don't think you will have the sorts of problems we've had. Without power, your options are drop toilet, composting toilet, septic, or solar powered awts. 
Just go with the simplest tech you can get away with, and maintain it. Even septics work well with regular owner inspections and care. 
woodbe.

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## ringtail

I'll be pushing for septic. Problem is we have a pristine creek that runs along the building envelope at a distance between 40 and 60 mt.  So the proximity to that, soil type etc.... will play a huge roll in what we are allowed to do. Fortunately the creek is outside the catchment area for the nearest dam. Probably makes no difference to the council nazis though

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## toooldforthis

> I'll be pushing for septic. Problem is we have a pristine creek that runs along the building envelope at a distance between 40 and 60 mt.  So the proximity to that, soil type etc.... will play a huge roll in what we are allowed to do. Fortunately the creek is outside the catchment area for the nearest dam. Probably makes no difference to the council nazis though

   where I am the leach drains have to be 30m from the creek (regardless of where the creeks flows to). I currently have an old septic (not used for a few years now) but if house gets extended will need to be moved. Neighbours have a Fuji, on one side, and a Nova on the other - both in about a year or 2 I think.

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## woodbe

> Neighbours have a Fuji, on one side, and a Nova on the other - both in about a year or 2 I think.

  Any chance of getting any feedback from your borders on these units? I'm thinking 'Nova' means 'AquaNova' ? 
Fuji is on my list, they have a few million units in service, I'm thinking that's a good sign... 
woodbe.

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## toooldforthis

> Any chance of getting any feedback from your borders on these units? I'm thinking 'Nova' means 'AquaNova' ? 
> Fuji is on my list, they have a few million units in service, I'm thinking that's a good sign... 
> woodbe.

  hi woodbe
yeah, been meaning to try and catch up with them. I am not there when they are and vice versa. 
Speaking to different people, inc my local council, Fuji seems to be the go but, unfortunately, my local installers/servicers are complete w*nk*rs. The AquaNova has a reputation for being complex and expensive so will be interested to see how my neighbour goes down the track. 
the only guy I have found who talks sense is a guy from Clearwater, but I don't think they are related to the Clearwater in the eastern states? This guy knew all the councils and their particular idiosyncrasies, running costs, servicing etc. 
here is his homepage: Home
be interested to know what you think.

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## woodbe

> the only guy I have found who talks sense is a guy from Clearwater, but I don't think they are related to the Clearwater in the eastern states? This guy knew all the councils and their particular idiosyncrasies, running costs, servicing etc. 
> here is his homepage: Home
> be interested to know what you think.

  Interesting. 
If you spend some time looking at these systems (apart from the fuji) you will notice few have a large tank with internal baffles cast in situ and sealed to the lid. A large tank generally means a primary anerobic (septic) section equivalent to a normal septic tank as well as a comprehensive aerobic section. A smaller system means that there is limited anerobic residence time in the system and the aerobic has to do most of the work. Your Clearwater mate and Taylex are the only two I have come across so far with large tanks and sealed to the lid compartments. In shock load conditions, or in system problem situations (blockages, pump failures, etc) this is important because it means that overflow between compartments won't happen. Waste will spend less residence time in each compartment, but it won't deteriorate into a gross contamination scenario. Been there, done that with our previous system. 
With the Clearwater and the Taylex, the similarities are too close to be coincidences. Both tanks have the exact same capacity (9320L) I haven't finished looking, but Taylex looks like a solid option so far, probably Clearwater WA is in the same league.

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## toooldforthis

thanks for the feedback woodbe. much appreciated. hope the Clearwater spec has helped in your assessments. 
you obviously know heaps about these systems. at the moment I am relying on my people and fact checking skills to assess when these suppliers are talking cr*p... due to Perth's low summer rainfall and heat, grey water systems and recycling black water is a popular notion... so some business people see this as a goldmine with over priced products with high ongoing maintenance and fixed periodic servicing costs (what's not to love about cash flow), with little interest in the longevity of these systems (reflected in the warranty I might add). One of my problems with my Fuji guy was he either was misleading or ignorant of reticulation area requirements, in other words he was quite happy for me to commit my money only to find council would not have approved it without very substantial site works (my block is not flat)

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## woodbe

Haven't updated for a while. The last update was December 5 with a pump replacement. 
Since then, I found the primary chamber level rising early in January (7th) so I pulled the panels and gave them a thorough clean, rinsed with bleach and let them stand for 30 minutes or so. Then I gave them a dose of citric acid which I had noticed is used in commercial MBR cleaning processes, squirted bleach inside the panel and gave it a good mix around.  
When the system was back online, it seemed to be working better and has stayed that way until recently. And recently, we have had the mother of all windstorms and have been without power for a couple of days so I expected the system level to rise but it doesn't seem to be recovering as quickly as it should so will give the big clean again pretty soon. 
No further progress on replacement yet but hopefully we will get some inspection dates soon. 
woodbe.

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## VanguardAlpha

Well I have been through a bit with my system since my last post a couple of years back.  We have patched small frays in the membranes with plumber's glue, I have hard a new (old style) cassette put in because the last one broke apart, I am 6 years in to my original filters, I have needed a new Shurflo pump again, and I pump the whole system out once every 18 months.  After my latest pump out, it seems that the transfer pump stopped automatically running, i.e. the float is working showing low and high in the MBR chamber, the suction pump itself works fine when you manually press the suction pump button, but it won't engage itself.   
I have had this issue before but cannot remember the cause... Woodbe have you had this happen?  I am going to clean all the connections out, I checked the operation of the float switch and it seems fine.

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## VanguardAlpha

To solve my own issue, I found "fluff" in the connection to the carlysle air hose, and a clean out here seems to have sorted the failure in the automatic engagement of the suction pump.  Weird. 
I know I am up for $2200 new filters soon... cannot believe I have got 6 years out of them so far.

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## ringtail

Update here too. My DIY composting toilet is working a treat. Zero tech. Just a scoop of sawdust/coffee grind mix after each deposit and I " stir the pot" every few weeks. The composting process should really ramp up with the warmer temps coming. Grey water from the shower goes directly on the ground. Note that we only stay one night a week so thats two showers and two poos per week so ultra low impact. Good practice for when we actually build a proper cabin though. The toilet has absolutely no smell at all, none, so pretty stoked with that. My advice to anyone messing around with this sort of stuff is to go straight for a composting dunny and the absolute lowest tech grey water system you can. Bugger all the filters and bio jargon. KISS principle is the only way to go.

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## woodbe

> To solve my own issue, I found "fluff" in the connection to the carlysle air hose, and a clean out here seems to have sorted the failure in the automatic engagement of the suction pump.  Weird. 
> I know I am up for $2200 new filters soon... cannot believe I have got 6 years out of them so far.

  That's weird. If the Carlyle pump was not working, the MBR chamber would be low - the float would turn the suction pump off until the level in the MBR came back up. You should haul that carlyle pump out every now and then and clean the bottom chamber. Also check the filter on the air pump, maybe it is disintegrating? It should be removed each service and washed under water and replaced. You can buy spares. 
I got sick of the suction pumps burning out. I don't know if I have mentioned this here, but those surflo and any other pump of that type is not designed to run 8 minutes on/2 minutes off. I put together a jaycar circuit that runs the pump 2/2 (50% duty cycle) and replaced the last broken pump with a cheap caravan 'Seaflo' diaphragm pump that cost me $40 at the show. It's been going since May this year.  
I have had 2 panels wear out. One was because of abrasion when a foreign object was left in the filter chamber. The other one died for no apparent reason. Apart from lower throughput, the telltle sign is they become very heavy with captured effluent inside the panel. 
Meanwhile, our controller died a week or so ago. No sign of any damage inside and the fuses are fine. I put another jaycar timer circuit in to manage the aeration and have received an old working controller from our service guy to refit when I get a moment. 
Still thinking of replacing it, bit busy at the moment though.

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## VanguardAlpha

The Carlyle pump was working, but the hose had fluff in it.  I did clean the bottom chamber as well as I do every 2nd service.  I haven't changed the air pump filter for ages - I'll have to check it out.  Where do you get replacements from these days? 
I checked this morning and it seems to have been working overnight but this morning the MBR chamber is flowing back into the primary (though the primary is lowish).  Is it a combination of the primary float and the MBR float being on high to engage the suction pump?  I always thought it was the MBR float only... in which case, it should be engaging (and it doesn't seem to be again).

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## woodbe

Hi Vanguard, 
Yes, either float can disable the suction pump. Sometimes a float is slow to switch - try lifting the primary chamber float up for a while and see if it triggers the suction pump. I disconnected the primary chamber float for a while but it is best to leave it connected - the idea is to draw effluent from the mid layer of the effluent in the chamber, if you let it pump the chamber down it starts transporting effluent that isn't ideal for the MBR. I found this out by going away for a couple of weeks, the primary chamber was very low, the carlyle wasn't working very well and the MBR was pretty gunky. The carlyle struggles the lower the primary chamber level is. 
It's normal for the system to routinely stop running the suction pump because of low primary chamber level. Not many novaclear users realise that, because their systems struggle to stay below the high level most of the time. I had another novaclear owner visit and he asked why the primary was so low. He was not happy when I told him that is where it should be! 
It's also normal for the MBR to be flowing back into the primary. This stops the MBR from getting too thick and concentrated, making the membranes work too hard to extract what little water is there. 
Filters for the air pump are available from irrigation suppliers. You have to hunt down a supplier based on the brand of air pump you have. They last a long time, unless it is falling apart, just wash it in water.

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## VanguardAlpha

Got back from a month overseas and it's humming along nicely... for now  :Smilie:   i know those filters are one foot in the grave though haha

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## woodbe

Give it a week and you'll be up to your elbows in it again  :Smilie:

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## VanguardAlpha

> Give it a week and you'll be up to your elbows in it again

  Actually kept going fine!  But at my regular service interval it was nearly overflowing.  More debris from that old air filter.  I have one of those Air Blower 150 pumps.  I got the new filter here:  Hiblow HP100-200 Filter Pad | Wastewater Equipment and Services 
Hopefully it shows up soon. 
The membrane filters are wearing on the surface quite a bit now.  I might get my plumber's glue out again and patch the holes up next service.  It's the top layer that has frayed, not the bottom.  I reckon I'll get maximum one year more out of these, which is pretty good - 7 years of service!  Just the $2200 for the new cartridge and filters doesn't sound so good.

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## woodbe

Ours is behaving too. 
I've taken to giving the panels a rinse in bleach (as well as squirting some bleach inside the panel), rest them for a while, rinse them off and then give them a citric acid rinse before re-installing them in the chamber. Seems to help. 
Our problems seem to have settled down since I changed the pump duty cycle to 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off. That cheap pump has outlasted every other pump!

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## VanguardAlpha

I'll try the bleach.  I have been known to do the same with Morning Fresh!  How many years have you got out of your membrane filters?

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## woodbe

Well, that's an interesting question.  
We are running some of the original filters, 1 update filter and 2 secondhand filters in response to damaged panels where they became overloaded due to a hole in the membrane. So I think that makes half of the filters original since early 2008, 7 years. The rest, indeterminate.  :Smilie:

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## Kenjas

Hello Woodbe and others who have contributed to this forum.  I have found it helpful already as we have just purchased a home that has a Novaclear system that was apparently installed when the house was built about 7 years ago.  The system had problems the day we moved in just before Christmas and as we could not locate the agent or service person I have spent many hours trying to work out how the system actually works. Interestingly our previous house had a Bicycle system that has operated for 25 years with very few problems. A question I have is "What settings should the primary aeration "ON" and "OFF" periods be set to. I have worked out how everything should work and have got the system working at present but want to fine tune it. Any help is greatly appreciated. THANKS.      

> Well, that's an interesting question.  
> We are running some of the original filters, 1 update filter and 2 secondhand filters in response to damaged panels where they became overloaded due to a hole in the membrane. So I think that makes half of the filters original since early 2008, 7 years. The rest, indeterminate.

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## woodbe

Hi Kenjas, 
Welcome to the forum and this thread. 
Do you have an operations manual? 
Our controller died a little while ago, and we are currently running a Jaycar timer for the primary aeration on a 1 hour on, 1 hour off schedule. Previously with the working controller we were running 90 mins on, 60 off.

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## Kenjas

Hi woodbe. Thanks for the information.  I had originally set the Primary aeration "ON" to 90 mins and the "OFF" to 30 minutes so I will take your thoughts on this and alter this to 90 mins ON and 60 mins OFF.
I am a sparkie and agree with you thoughts about the separate power supply for the suction pump and the voltage rating of the primary chamber air solenoid, so I will make both the modifications you have made to your system. 
In answer to your question about the Operations Manual - NO I do not have a copy of this Manual.  If you could advise where I can obtain a copy of this Manual and any other relevant literature that would be greatly appreciated.   
I take it from what I have been able to glean from this forum that there is no longer any agent for support or parts for our Econova systems?  Do you know if there was ever a list of authorised service agents (my area - Hervey Bay QLD) as so far I have not been able to find one and following up via phone No's and web contacts shown inside the control box has led to dead ends. 
Overall the system is working and the membrane panels seem in reasonable shape. Not sure if they have ever been replaced but if not then they will be around 7 years old.  I have replaced the suction pump with a Shureflow 12 volt unit, but from comments seems this may not last due to its DUTY rating not being totally suitable.  I will try to source one of those used in agricultural sprayers. 
Thanks again for your assistance.  I will keep you posted as to my progress over time.
Regards - Ken.

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## woodbe

Hi Ken, 
I have attached the Operations and Maintenance Manual, and the Owners Manual below. 
Regarding the suction pump, we switched to a Flojet agricultural sprayer pump and it did last better than the boat pressure pump originally specified, but even the Ag pumps died. They are not designed to run 8 minutes on and 2 minutes off! Eventually, the diaphragm dies and the resulting leak rusts the interior of the chamber leading to the pump and/or motor failure. I built a Jaycar timer to run the suction 2 minutes on, 2 minutes off, and we have had a lot less trouble with the pump since then. Currently, the aeration and suction pump both run from separate jaycar timers. We are still running on a cheap $40 caravan water pump since last march, I think that might be a record! 
 For support, there is no remaining service network. The only way of finding out is to discover someone who has existing knowledge of the systems and who perhaps already services them. Might be worth doing a bit of a ring around. Your local health department may be able to hook you up as I think all servicing has to be reported as a routine.  Operation and Maintenance Manual December 2009.pdf Owners Manual Mar09.pdf

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## Kenjas

Hi woodbe.  Firstly thanks for the manuals - any information is certainly appreciated.   
My system has been operating reasonably OK the last few days but the MBR chamber seems to be building a reasonable amount of sludge, so I am thinking I will arrange a pump out of the entire system and start afresh as I have no idea when the last pump out may have been, having just purchased the house.  I did raise the Carlyle pump a little by moving the PVC pipe from straight down vertically to about a 45 degree angle, to try to have the pickup point a little higher in the primary chamber. 
The primary chamber seems to be maintaining a level about 300 mm below the main sewer pipe inlet - is this somewhat similar to your system?  
I have experimented with the suction pump supply voltage and found that with the Sureflow pump I am using I get the best consistent flow by having about 9 volts to the pump.  This seems to match the pump suction to the best flow rate the membranes can manage.  As I increase the voltage over this the pump stops  pumping consistently & the flow becomes somewhat spasmodic.  I am getting about 1.6 litres per minute with the 9 volt supply.  I suspect that after a pump out and cleaning membranes again I may be able to increase the pump speed a little (by raising volts) and thus increase the flow rate a bit more hopefully. 
When the pump out s done are there any precautions? 
I have worked out that caution will need to be exercised by the contractor that the 3 chambers are pumped down in equal stages to avoid the water pressure collapsing any of the chambers as they are only plastic.  
In regard to "Re-seeding" the system what do you normally do to get things started again? 
Thanks again for all your assistance.
Regards,
Ken

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## woodbe

> Hi woodbe.  Firstly thanks for the manuals - any information is certainly appreciated.   
> My system has been operating reasonably OK the last few days but the MBR chamber seems to be building a reasonable amount of sludge, so I am thinking I will arrange a pump out of the entire system and start afresh as I have no idea when the last pump out may have been, having just purchased the house.  I did raise the Carlyle pump a little by moving the PVC pipe from straight down vertically to about a 45 degree angle, to try to have the pickup point a little higher in the primary chamber.

  This is a good plan for a system with sludge build up. It should reduce clogging of the Carlyle and also present better effluent to the MBR Chamber.   

> The primary chamber seems to be maintaining a level about 300 mm below the main sewer pipe inlet - is this somewhat similar to your system?

  Yes. When my system is running well, the inlet is visible and I'd say 300mm is good. According to my service guy, most Novaclears they see run routinely just below the high level alarm which is well above the inlet.   

> I have experimented with the suction pump supply voltage and found that with the Sureflow pump I am using I get the best consistent flow by having about 9 volts to the pump.  This seems to match the pump suction to the best flow rate the membranes can manage.  As I increase the voltage over this the pump stops  pumping consistently & the flow becomes somewhat spasmodic.  I am getting about 1.6 litres per minute with the 9 volt supply.  I suspect that after a pump out and cleaning membranes again I may be able to increase the pump speed a little (by raising volts) and thus increase the flow rate a bit more hopefully.

  That is mimicking the original running system: 24v pump running on 12v. I think that as long as 9v doesn't stress the pump that's a valid option and it should extend the life of the pump diaphragm. If you're getting a consistent 1.6L/min (equates to 1843L/day) you're doing fine. Our daily water use is only around 500L/day and our suction pump duty cycle is 50% (yours is 80% if you are on the standard controller) so we only need about 0.7L/min to cope with the load. I haven't measured it recently but the primary level is usually well down so we must be getting a consistent >0.7l/min. As long as everything is running ok, our system aces the load.    

> When the pump out s done are there any precautions? 
> I have worked out that caution will need to be exercised by the contractor that the 3 chambers are pumped down in equal stages to avoid the water pressure collapsing any of the chambers as they are only plastic.

  The risk is that the primary chamber collapses the side chambers. Later versions of the system had thicker walls than ours, do you have a serial number, we can compare! In any case, I would pump the Primary first, then the MBR. Unless your clear water chamber is contaminated, I'd leave it full.   

> In regard to "Re-seeding" the system what do you normally do to get things started again?

  I get the pump out man to leave 15-30cm in the bottom of the primary chamber, making sure the sludge is removed before the level gets that low. Haven't had a problem after pump-outs yet. I think it's illegal, but I have heard of problem systems being vaccinated from another well running system. 
Edit: Forgot to add, I then fill the MBR with fresh water and then fill the primary to within about 30cm of the bottom float level.   

> Thanks again for all your assistance.
> Regards,
> Ken

  You're welcome, glad to help. It's good to share this hard won practical knowledge amongst us orphan Novaclear owners!

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## Kenjas

Hi woodbe.  Helpful info and again thanks.   
The details of my system from the nameplate on the rear of the control box housing are as follows:
- Model _Novaclear_
- Manufacture date _4/2008_ - Serial No _00357_ 
Based on you original post date, it wold seem that our systems are about the same age. 
I will keep you posted with future progress reports.
Regards
Ken

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## woodbe

Close, but mine is nearly 300 units older:   
I guess that explains why we had so many factory mods in the early days as the units were improved. 
I've never noticed that the name on the plate wasn't Novaclear before...

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## Aalliedmaint

Hi Guys, 
Aallied Maintenance Services are service agents for Nova Clear Systems in Qld and also the  suppliers of  all parts for the Nova Clear systems should you need parts or technical advice for these systems please call Dave on 0449018800 or John on 0449017788

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## VanguardAlpha

> Hi Guys, 
> Aallied Maintenance Services are service agents for Nova Clear Systems in Qld and also the  suppliers of  all parts for the Nova Clear systems should you need parts or technical advice for these systems please call Dave on 0449018800 or John on 0449017788

  That is good to know... where are you guys located? 
How much are you selling new cassettes and filters for nowadays?  I had heard they were about $2200 or so (all new filters plus cassette).  Is this accurate? 
My system needs a pump out... too many solids and oils again.  Only 6 weeks since the last clean and had to do it again today!!!  
Vanguard

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## woodbe

> My system needs a pump out... too many solids and oils again.  Only 6 weeks since the last clean and had to do it again today!!!

  Oils are an issue. We have ours under control. Any oils from cooking pans etc in the kitchen are transferred into a container and either placed into the rubbish or disposed of in the garden. The pan is then wiped out with a paper towel. We would like a grease trap but are not permitted to have one by the fat controllers  :Smilie:  
Routine servicing is scheduled 3 monthly. We rarely make it that far so I do my own clean process when the levels rise and stay up. I do a pressure wash of the panels, give them a squirt inside and out with diluted bleach, water rinse and then give them a squirt of citric acid before re-installing. 
How long since your last pump out?

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## VanguardAlpha

> Routine servicing is scheduled 3 monthly. We rarely make it that far so I do my own clean process when the levels rise and stay up. I do a pressure wash of the panels, give them a squirt inside and out with diluted bleach, water rinse and then give them a squirt of citric acid before re-installing. 
> How long since your last pump out?

  I do 4 monthly cleans.  Last pump out would have been 15 - 18 months ago.  It's time for one to happen again  :Smilie:

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## woodbe

Had some wastewater plant drama this week. 
System stopped producing filtered water. I checked the suction pump by detaching the suction hose from the MBR and placing it in a bucket of water. Pumped just fine. Cleaned up the membranes and checked for air leaks but still no go. Primary chamber was reaching high level so I had to find out what was wrong pronto. 
The weather was really wild here today, so I spent some time indoors building a new suction line attached to a new spare pump and in a break in the weather I detached the old suction line from the MBR and hooked up the new one, and it happily pumped away! That's the first time I've had a pump fail but still appear to work, I'm guessing the valves in the pump body could no longer control air or pressure. 
Hopefully, the primary chamber level will be back on the way down when I check it tomorrow!

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## woodbe

Update: 
We're at the end of the line with this system. I know I can continue to keep it running, but the simple reality is there is only so much cr*p I need to deal with. I think I have done my penance. I have had to deal with all parts of this system: The air pump and lines, the suction pump, the MBR filters, the air diffusers in both tanks, the Carlyle transfer pump, the electric solenoids, the controller, the warning system, and the irrigation field. 
From it's new state in 2008, it now has a secondary low voltage supply, a supplementary controller built from scratch that takes over everything except the alarm system, a brushless suction pump I specified and had made in China, a voltage controller to stop the solenoid valve from repeatedly burning out, a 'Viton' diaphragm in that solenoid to stop it failing, and individual air line taps to make the air balancing easier than the standard 'washer in the pipe' method. There are multiple other minor things that have been done but are forgotten or not worth mentioning. The only moving part that has not needed major maintenance or replacement is the irrigation pump! 
Getting quote for Fujiclean...

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## woodbe

Job done.   
In the end, the NovaClear started running down hill fast, so no time for dithering about. After wrangling the NovaClear for seven years, the most impressive thing about the FujiClean is the absolute simplicity. It has one low wattage (54w) air pump and one irrigation pump. No solenoids, no controller, no transformers. Fingers crossed we have made the right choice. There are millions of these systems around the world so we're hopeful our wastewater system is going to be a whole lot less hassle from now on. 
I'll be glad to see the back of that tank!

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## VanguardAlpha

Woodbe, well done.  I'd love to do that if I wasn't selling my place. 
I am going to put the suction pump down to 9v and give that a go.  It has been pumping hard and then slow and seems to be struggling to keep up.

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## VanguardAlpha

By the way, what did the Fuji system cost?

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## woodbe

Thanks Vanguard, its a relief! 
In my experience, hard then slow means air getting in the system, or the membranes just cannot pass water. Perhaps air coming through the membranes or leaks in the suction line. I never tried it, but reducing voltage might help. What I did do was reduce the pump runtime so the panels had a rest every 2 minutes, that helped a lot until the end came into view.  
I just couldn't stomach the idea of buying an expensive set of new panels and cassette and start the whole disaster up again. An added bonus is the Fuji is pulling about 300w less than the Novaclear, = ~7kWh per day, and around $1 a day more solar export in the 8 hours of solar production. 
Fuji was a just over $8k plus install. Bit over $9k all up.

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## VanguardAlpha

That is very tempting... but as we're for sale, it will probably be someone else's problem. 
I'll check the seals again.  I think I have had that happen before... can't remember the fix.  The washers might have gunk in them and in doing so, allow some air into the system.

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## VanguardAlpha

Doesn't seem to be air getting in... it sounds like the pump slowing and then jumping back to life again.  I'm going to buy that Flojet as a backup for when this one dies.  It only lasted a year this time (although it's not completely dead yet  :Smilie:

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## VanguardAlpha

I think you were right about an air leak in the suction line.  I can actually see bubbles through the hose, but am struggling to see where the air leak is.  it could be in the assembly at the top of the cassette, as the hose itsel;f works fine when sucking from a bucket of water.  The membranes are clean, but unless they have degraded so that they cannot pass enough water anymore, I can't see them being a problem.  That also does not explain the air in the line... looks like I'll be testing that system for leaks. 
I am using the Flojet... was yours a lot noisier than the Sureflo?  I had to rig up some different sized fittings too, as the Flojet came with small horizontal inlets.

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## VanguardAlpha

Well I cannot find any air leak... the new suction pump runs perfectly through a bucket of water at the end of the suction hose, but once attached to the membrane cassette, it runs for 10 seconds perfectly, then slows for 5 seconds, and then I get the flashing light in the control box and the suction pump quits. 
I think the membranes might not be passing enough water and it restricts the pump too much and so it shuts off.  That is probably what just killed my Sureflo pump. 
Now I have to decide whether to go spend $2200 on new filters and cassette, or get a new system.  On a house I am trying to sell, it's a real frustration.

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## woodbe

Hi VanguardAlpha, I've been away! 
Air in the suction line was a recurring problem for me too. Too many junctions, and sometimes the air was coming from the membranes (I think). My theory is that when the membranes cannot pass enough water to reduce the suction, maybe the air from the aeration bubbles gets pulled through any working micro holes instead of water. 
An idea I had but never tried was to reduce the voltage to the pump. Maybe reducing the suction below the level that pulls air will allow the membrane to function. Might be worth a try instead of $2200. 
Our Fujiclean has been absolutely faultless since install so far. I'm touching wood as I type.  :Biggrin:

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## VanguardAlpha

Well I replaced the 12v Flojet with another 24v Shurflo and it's all back to working 100%.  Also with the pump out, the quality of the water in the tanks is very high again, quite clear with no sludge.  I can only guess the computer was not liking the 12v pump?   
Woodbe I know you powered your pump from another source, so maybe this allowed the computer to disregard or was not aware of the different pump.

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## woodbe

That's a good point, I did run a separate power supply for my pumps. 
Tipped all the broken pumps into the recycling the other day. Gosh it's a relief not to have to hand hold the septic any more! 
2 months down. No service calls, no dramas.

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## VanguardAlpha

Well you know, my new pump works quietly etc. but it still starts off every cycle pumping hard, but splutters and stalls a little as it pumps.   
I think if it fails this time, a cheap and old school septic will be replacing the whole thing.  I'm done replacing things.

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## woodbe

My standard test method was to measure the output per cycle in the clear water compartment. I just suspended a bucket under the pipe from the pump. From there it is easy to work out if the system is going to keep up. 
I reckon replacing things does most owners heads in. Well, that and having to watch to see what's breaking all the time...

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## VanguardAlpha

Yeah well it's definitely down.  I guess the membranes are finally stuffed.  I haven't put bleach on them yet though. 
Getting an old school septic priced up.  Big trench, no power consumption, no pumps, pump outs every 5 years (vs 18 months), around half the price.  I do have 10 acres I guess...

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## woodbe

The end is nigh! 
I think you're the last NovaClear owner on the forum!

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## VanguardAlpha

Maybe but I am sure there are some other poor souls still out there  :Redface: ) 
FYI non-diluted domestos seems to have cleaned up the filters and the pump is running well.  Might buy me some time until I get a quote for the replacement!

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## VanguardAlpha

And so we crushed and decommissioned the Novaclear.  I drew great satisfaction watching its demise! 
Back to a regular septic, no noise, no energy use...

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## PeterM54

Hi Folks 
Another frustrated Novaclear owner here. About to replace it but trying to keep it running for just a few more weeks. After 6 service calls since the week before Xmas the unit was still not working so I started cleaning the membranes myself. I did this daily and each time they were covered in sludge. Cleaning membranes would get the suction pump running at about 2 litres per minute but next to nothing 12 hours later, Today I had the system almost fully pumped out. I refilled the MBR chamber with clean water to activate operating float. Suction pump runs but nothing being delivered to effluent tank. Do I need to refill the primary chamber to activate the operating float level there also?

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## PeterM54

Thanks to Woodbe who was kind enough to offer advice via PM while my earlier post was waiting for moderation. 
As he suggested the suction pump light was on but the pump was locked out until the working level float in the primary chamber was raised to the right height. All now working and hopefully will be OK until we replace it with an Aqua Nova system asap.

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## woodbe

Good luck with it Peter, hope your new system brings less problems than the Novaclear (or should we call it the NovaClog?) 
Our new system has been in for over 6 months now, not a single problem or bad smell yet. Long may it continue!

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## travisdj

Hi, I've been reading these posts regarding the Eco Nova septic system.  Unfortunately I have one of the systems and it is a major downfall in an otherwise nice property I've recently bought. Within 2 weeks of moving in I've paid out over $1000 in repairs the plumber said were overdue and they would have knocked $15000 off the price just to get a new system. Anyhow I now have to deal with it. 
I'm wondering if anyone has replaced the Hiblow HP-200 with another type of air blower?  I ask as I've been told that my air blower was on its' way out and they thought that they were about $2000 to replace.  I've looked around separate to this and the cheapest I could find for the same is about $1000.  Though there are other brands which I can get which put out about 140 l/min for about $190.   Unfortunately I cannot find ones that are similar that will put out 200 l/min.  I've found that vortex ones (HG-180 Vortex Aquaculture Air Blower) can put out more, but have less pressure so I am told that they may not work as well as they may not provide the pressure to get to the bottom of the chamber.  Or has anyone tried one of these and had it work?  Or do you have an alternative?  One guy from a store suggested that I could increase the pressure by connecting into a 40mm pipe out of the vortex blower for a distance and then go back to a smaller pipe, but these septics don't really allow the space to do this.  Or does anyone know how long the HP200 last for if you keep replacing the diaphragms? 
I did try the a Hailea Hiblow HAP-100 Air Pump 100L/min, but I don't think it provided as much air as what the system requires, as after 1 week there was a 3-4mm thick line of sludge on the majority of the membranes.  They hadn't been cleaned for probably 2 months prior, but I did note that the water level had risen since installing the smaller air pump which indicates to me that the lesser amount of air may have made the sludge stick. 
I've also found that the sureflo pump is 24V where the current coming out of the dicksmith converter attached to the control box is more closer to 12V (actually the converter only goes to 12v), so I am looking at changing either the power, or the pump to fix this.  From the converter one of the power wires goes into the main tank and I assume only lets the power pass if the a float is actuated or not and then comes back up.  I found that more times then not this link doesn't allow the pump to turn on when it should be, so something wrong with that, but I've just taken out that connection and just connected it straight to the pump.  Now it turns on every time the controller sends out the power and seems to be on a timer basis, which is keeping the level at a better situation then it was with this connection back in.  What is the connection that I've taken out doing?  I may want to fix it at some point.

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## woodbe

Hi Travis, 
Sorry to hear your system woes  :Frown:  
Re the airpump. Why are they saying it is on the way out? Ours only killed it's diaphragms twice over the life of the Novaclear. Repair kits were installed. Cost of kits were about $150-$200 from memory and they only take about 30 minutes to install. Google says there is a major parts kit for the hiblow 200: Hiblow HP150-200 Major Repair Kit | Wastewater Equipment and Services 
When our novaclear was installed, it was an early version and it had a lower capacity airpump, I think it was an 80. In short order it was upgraded to a 200. I think the novaclear needs that air capacity. 
The standard sureflow pump in the novaclear is 24v. And the power supplied to it is indeed 12v. The idea is that the pump runs more reliably when run at 12v. That all works well when the system is new, but as the membranes deteriorate and the surflow wears it just struggles to pull enough through the membranes. The cost of the surflow 24v pump was relatively high, and it was a regular disposable item. We switched pump to an ag boom sprayer 12v pump which was relatively cheap (less than $100) and reliable. They make more noise, and they will still fail over time, but no sooner than the expensive surflo. They also have a 12 month warranty which we managed to get a replacement every now and then. FloJet LF122-401D 12v DC Diaphragm pump 
We also separated the pump power from the controller. The controller has an inbuilt 12v transformer which can get hot and basically fry the circuit board over time because there is no ventilation in the controller. (!!) Taking load off the transformer helped the controller to last longer. We used a Jaycar 12v transformer to power the pump and used a 12v automotive relay to switch the pump on/off from the controller. 
The connection I think you disconnected is to the float switch in the filter chamber. The idea is that if the pump manages to drop the level in the chamber below the top of the membranes, it should stop pumping. That was a rare event for us, only when we went away for a weekend or more. I did leave it connected, but if it is playing up, worth checking it is actually working: if the pump is not running on cycle, lift the filter chamber lid and check the water level in there.

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## travisdj

I am so over this system!  I took out the dicksmith 12V converter as measuring the output from the control panel it was already about 12V, and I was getting a dodgy connection with it in.  I connected back in the connection that goes into the tank, then added a switch which bypasses the connection into the tank so that if it doesn't work as well with it back in then I can easily flick a switch and it will be back to the way it was without it in.  Anyhow after all that I turn on the connection and find the the suction pump light flashes and the pump does not turn on, upon pressing the test button it will turn on for that instance, but then flashes upon the next actuation without pumping again.  I've turned on and off the system several times to see if it would change behavior, but unfortunately it hasn't.    I've now taken out the switch and connected back to what was working, but now it is not, just the flashing.  Do you know what that means?  and how to fix it?  I've seen the manuals for the system, but not any for the actual controller. 
I do want to set this system up the way you recommend using the actuation as a relay, however I'm not sure if it will work while the control box light for the suction pump is flashing. 
With regard to the air blower, the plumber was just talking when he replaced the sureflo pump, he said that he hadn't replaced the air blower yet and that's a $2000 job.  So I assume he was saying that it is coming.  But I'm happy to go with the rebuild kit.  Thanks 
Thanks for the advice on the pump, it is pretty similar to these two do you foresee any problems in using either? DC 12V 100PSI 4L/Min Diaphragm Pump Water Self Priming Solid High Pressure | eBay  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/351190262...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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## woodbe

> I am so over this system!  I took out the dicksmith 12V converter as measuring the output from the control panel it was already about 12V, and I was getting a dodgy connection with it in.  I connected back in the connection that goes into the tank, then added a switch which bypasses the connection into the tank so that if it doesn't work as well with it back in then I can easily flick a switch and it will be back to the way it was without it in.  Anyhow after all that I turn on the connection and find the the suction pump light flashes and the pump does not turn on, upon pressing the test button it will turn on for that instance, but then flashes upon the next actuation without pumping again.  I've turned on and off the system several times to see if it would change behavior, but unfortunately it hasn't.    I've now taken out the switch and connected back to what was working, but now it is not, just the flashing.  Do you know what that means?  and how to fix it?  I've seen the manuals for the system, but not any for the actual controller.

  Hi travis, 
Sorry, I don't think I have seen the pump light flashing, so I'm not sure what the issue is. 
Maybe it is something to do with the dicksmith 12v converter. Try putting it back and see if the pump behaves as per normal.  
If that doesn't solve the issue, Try temporarily disconnecting the pump, maybe it is near failure and the controller is sensing a high load? If the controller acts normally with the pump disconnected but flashes with the pump connected, try another pump. 
I'd try one of those cheapie pumps. Worth investigating what the pump valves are made from, best is viton which can put up with a lot of stress. Of all the pumps that we had die, most were due to the valve body giving up, not the motor (which usually failed later due to the valves leaking)

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