What is a Solido overfill alarm and how to fix it?

The Solido Smart has a control panel which gives fault readings. One of the common faults is an "overfill alarm". Whilst not actually a fault with the system itself, it is an indication of a problem within the plant and needs addressing quickly.

How does the alarm work?

The overfill alarm on the Solido Smart is a simple float switch which when lifted (by water) sounds the alarm. if the alarm sounds, it is because the float switch is in the up position. This can happen for a number of reasons as follows:

The float switch was not set up properly during installation
Too much water is entering the tank
Water cannot get out of the tank due to a blocked drainage field our outlet pipe
Water cannot get out of the tank because the pump is blocked (only applicable on pumped outlet systems.

1. The Float switch was not set correctly

When a system is installed, someone with working knowledge of the Solido Smart should commission it. This is sometimes neglected and can subsequently lead to "pseudo" errors occurring. For example, should the float switch not be clipped correctly and left dangling in the water, the alarm will always be going off.

2. Too much water is entering the tank

Every person produces around 150 litres of wastewater per day, so a family of 4 will produce around 600 litres per day. If there is a tap left running or a valve in a toilet fails, the volume of waste produced can shoot up. An increase in water can cause the float switch to rise and therefore set off the alarm. Consult your service company if you suspect this.

3. Water cannot get out of the tank due to a blockage

If the outlet pipe is blocked, then water cannot escape, this will lead to water filling up inside the solido smart and the alarm going off. If you have a "gravity outlet solido smart and your alarm is going off, then you should look at the level of water in the tank, should it be too high, you might have a problem in your drainage field.

4. Water cannot get out of the tank because the pump is blocked

The Solido Smart is available in a gravity or pumped outlet version. The Pumped outlet version has a lift pump to discharge the cleaned sewage. If this pump gets blocked, the water cannot escape and therefore will rise in the tank. If this happens you will need to stop using water and contact your local service company to come and unblock the pump immediately.