Leveling remote sump

[zelie_dad]

I have place my sump in my basement on a shelving unit. I tried to level the tank with shims but I couldn't without making it wobble. So I'm guessing I need to place the stand on something j can level. I was thinking plywood, and shimming the plywood. Would this work, or can someone recommend a better solution. I have also placed the tank on a 1" thick piece of pink foam insulation which isn't in the image.

 

[username in use]

Remove the foam. A rimmed tank doesn't need it and can be destroyed by it. Level the stand itself. A sheet of ply on top is a good idea. Don't shim the tank itself, just shim the stand.

 

[heathlindner25]

No foam on rimmed tanks, if you trust that stand how far out of level is it?

 

[zelie_dad]

No foam on rimmed tanks, if you trust that stand how far out of level is it?

It's not the stand, it the floor. I live in a old house, and a level basement floor wasn't a top priority for the people who built it.


I'll take a few pictures of it out of level when I get home.

 

[zelie_dad]

Remove the foam. A rimmed tank doesn't need it and can be destroyed by it. Level the stand itself. A sheet of ply on top is a good idea. Don't shim the tank itself, just shim the stand.

I was thinking about setting the entire stand on a piece of plywood, and using my shims to level the it that way.

 

[zelie_dad]

I guess it's not that out of level. What does the internet think?

 

[heathlindner25]

A little too out of level for my comfort zone . Try to level it up

 

[zelie_dad]

A little too out of level for my comfort zone . Try to level it up

So that is my question. I'm not really sure how too based on the stand that I'm using.

 

[heathlindner25]

I guess if it was me , I would ""skirt " the outside metal framing with a plywood material to keep it from "racking" and then level it at the base

 

[zelie_dad]

I guess if it was me , I would ""skirt " the outside metal framing with a plywood material to keep it from "racking" and then level it at the base

I have no idea what you mean.

 

[heathlindner25]

I have no idea what you mean.

No construction experience? If you cut plywood the dimensions of your metal stand,them skew them to it, the " wobble " will be gone and you can level it....hth

 

[billdogg]

At least IMO, that "stand" is barely worthy to hold empty boxes, much less a substantial amount of water. As it currently exists, it is an almost certain disaster waiting to happen. Even if you skin it with plywood as suggested I would consider it marginal.

Once you beef it up enough (and it would probably be easier to just build a stand out of 2x lumber and plywood), shims under the stand will bring it to level without a problem.

jm.02

 

[heathlindner25]

At least IMO, that "stand" is barely worthy to hold empty boxes, much less a substantial amount of water. As it currently exists, it is an almost certain disaster waiting to happen. Even if you skin it with plywood as suggested I would consider it marginal.

Once you beef it up enough (and it would probably be easier to just build a stand out of 2x lumber and plywood), shims under the stand will bring it to level without a problem.

jm.02

Agree....I was working with what he had.

 

[zelie_dad]

At least IMO, that "stand" is barely worthy to hold empty boxes, much less a substantial amount of water. As it currently exists, it is an almost certain disaster waiting to happen. Even if you skin it with plywood as suggested I would consider it marginal.

Once you beef it up enough (and it would probably be easier to just build a stand out of 2x lumber and plywood), shims under the stand will bring it to level without a problem.

jm.02

That "stand" is rated for 4000 lbs and each shelve 800...

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Edsal-36-i...Commercial-Shelving-Unit-UR185L-BLK/202995256

 

[heathlindner25]

Off topic...what type of silicone did you use in your sump,some are dangerous
About the stand,front to back needs shims. Left to right isn't terrible. Try 2 wood blocks on the 2 front legs....hth

 

[billdogg]

That "stand" is rated for 4000 lbs and each shelve 800...

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Edsal-36-i...Commercial-Shelving-Unit-UR185L-BLK/202995256

That may very well be. With the majority of the load on top, it is subject to racking (twisting). If those legs get any twist to them at all, simple physics will insist that gravity will force them to complete their failing, resulting in your sump, in pieces, on the floor.

You do whatever you want. Just keep your kids/pets/loved ones away from it so that if (when) it fails, they don't get injured.

 

[Entacmaea]

Hey Zelie - you can also try something like this, if you can safely attach it to the legs. Check the loads, looks like each of these are rates at 440 lbs each. Looks like the stand bottom platform doesn't reach the floor, so you would need to adjust the four contact points of the legs anyway. These would work better on a wood stand, but can still likely be attached to the legs, or to the bottom plate as long as the levelers extend beyond the pour points of the legs.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/14...JcITd89bTFs-prkoyYg-mmtZFWJuxjzaC8aAnwZ8P8HAQ

I would agree that the perforated legs of that stand make me nervous, especially if there will be no weight on the bottom, with the sump on the top - making it very top heavy. But then again I live in earthquake country, so am overly cautious

 

[Entacmaea]

PS: cutting some 2x3's and bolting them inside, from both outside surfaces, the "L" of each leg will help prevent any twisting...

 

[zelie_dad]

Off topic...what type of silicone did you use in your sump,some are dangerous
About the stand,front to back needs shims. Left to right isn't terrible. Try 2 wood blocks on the 2 front legs....hth

I bought it second hand from a RC member. For the looks of it, it had been used in a SW environment for some time.

 

[heathlindner25]

I bought it second hand from a RC member. For the looks of it, it had been used in a SW environment for some time.

Just looking out for you....