bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Hi all, I am after some advice because I am having a bit of problem with my inspection pit in that it keeps turning into a swimming pool! This is not due to water flooding the workshop as everything above pit level is bone dry this seems to be a ground water problem. I am looking for advice on how to seal the pit from ground water as although I can, and have been, pumping it out when I need to use it, I am worried that the integrity of the concrete is going to be effected. Also it is going to cause problems with condensation on anything parked above the pit.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Ritchie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 765 
Club RR Member Number: 12
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Flooding inspection pit. Ritchie
@ritchie
Club Retro Rides Member 12
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Nov 19, 2018 14:13:20 GMT
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The only thing I can think of (and I've seen it done but built from scratch when the pit was dug) is tanking it by using a modified heating oil tank or suchlike.
You would have to consider it floating but depending on the depth you could pour some concrete in the bottom.
It'll be fine if you're a shortarse.
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Nov 19, 2018 15:28:24 GMT
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I'm not that short but the pit is too deep really anyway. I find I have to put pallets in the bottom of the pit if I want to reach anything on the underside of anything that isn't slammed.
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Nov 19, 2018 15:58:41 GMT
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Hi. The trouble is the pit has been dug down into the water table and has not been tanked, there's not much you can do that doesn't involve lots of inconvenience and expense apart from keep pumping it out. This is just but one of the reasons I hate pits and personally I would fill it in if I had a garage with one. And I've worked in full width, brightly lit pits with 'walk outs' at the end on PSV vehicles.
Colin
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Nov 19, 2018 18:23:09 GMT
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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You can put a large bathtub in there,that way you can still work lying on yor backšš
Seriously,it is annoying. A mate of mine has the same problem. Is also thinking of just filling it in.
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Nov 21, 2018 12:10:52 GMT
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Pumped drainage at the bottom and suspend the floor
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Nov 22, 2018 17:06:54 GMT
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Pumped drainage at the bottom and suspend the floor Yes that might work if I put an automatic bilge pump in. I'm currently pumping it out with a 3 inch petrol pump as it gets about 5 ft of water in it. |
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Nov 22, 2018 17:43:00 GMT
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You could line the floor and walls with concrete render using Sika waterproofing additive, its what they use for tanking basements etc, its expensive but it works
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Nov 22, 2018 18:35:06 GMT
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If its too deep how about lining it with a pond liner, putting 6" of concrete in the bottom then lining the sides with blocks if there is enough room or a couple of layers of ply if not.
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I see 2 options :
Stop the water getting in. Tank the walls or line it somehow.
Pump the water out. 5ft of water is a lot to move, I guess the water table is just below ground level. Are you on level ground or can you run a drain channel to somewhere lower?
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Nov 29, 2018 17:11:08 GMT
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Iād just sell it on eBay, buyer collects & buy another pit, dead cheap they are š
Seriously though 5ft of water is some water. If it is filling up to that level, as mentioned a pump in a sump would be my way out
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My parents have one which also fills up over time, our solution was a sump. We cut out a 20inch square in the corner of the concrete and took it down to a similar depth. then set a grill over the top. We've got one of those little hippo submersible pumps in there permanantly and its power lead is fastened to the wall of the pit, with a hook to loop the plug around near the surface. weve also got a length of pipe fastened to the same wall with a connector at surface level. To empty it, we just attach an extension cord and an extension pipe outside to the drain and pump it out periodically. It does mean working in the pit is often damp. It neeeds tanking and redoing eventually.
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Dec 14, 2018 21:10:30 GMT
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as mentioned abouve, the water table has to be just below ground level. i personaly would tank it and see where that gets you. the products nowadays realy are great and work for cellars and basements so i don't see why they shouldnt help with your problem.
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ian65
Part of things
Posts: 276
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Dec 15, 2018 14:04:10 GMT
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I had one of these.... they're hopeless ( and very expensive) If I was dealing which this I'd build a plywood box out of 18mm external ply, glue and screw it together and make it just undersize for the internal dimensions of your pit. Buy some rolls of Bituthene off Ebay and a tin of the primer to go with them. This is a professional tanking membrane we use at lot at work. It's quite pricey but you can often by end of rolls etc from Ebay as people tend to sell on any unused material to get some money back so you sometimes pick it up cheap. It's very heavy duty and self adhesive, particularly when sticking to itself on overlaps. I'd prime the outside of the ply box with the bitument primer then wrap it well all around in the Bituthene. Nothing will come through this stuff and as long as you get overlap it well and get the overlaps flat and sealed well, you'll be good to go. get a sub pump and pump the water out of your pit then lower in the box and grout the gap between the box and the wall of your pit with sharp sand and cement. You could leave the inside of the box bare ply or clad it with flat upvc sheet.... or just paint it. |
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Last Edit: Dec 15, 2018 18:35:30 GMT by ian65
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