Submersible or Pedestal?

[pconley]

So, we have power outages here a few times a year and I always worry about my finished basement flooding. I have a portable generator setup for mine. I have two backup pedestal sump pumps. One of them is rather old that I rebuilt. The other two are a few years old. But sometime when it rains hard for a few days my sump pump will run as fast as every three minutes to pump out the water under my house. They have about an 18" height of float movement. I have always seen the submersible pumps, but I was recently reading that the pedestal pumps last as much as twice as long as the submersible ones. I believe it is because of the shorter height of the float before it pumps each time on the submersible pumps. I was just wondering if anyone had any pros or cons to each of them. Mine is set up for the pedestal type and I think I would rather prefer them over the submersible ones. And opinions on either one?

 

[larry4406]

Can't help you much, but in our new homes we use submersible 1/2 HP units, piggy back float, and they can pass 1/2" solids.

You have a lot of groundwater!

Pipe your downspouts away a long distance and make sure your grade is proper.

 

[zendriver]

I had a pedastel pump at the old house said if it ran a lot the motor got pretty hot and occasionally I’d have problems with the float sticking

Submersible seem to held up much longer at the newer house

Just my two cents

 

[308guru]

They still make pedestal pumps? I thought those went the way of the dodo. Why would anyone use one?

 

[Tuhls]

I have had both, I prefer the pedestal style.
I had one submersible fail, the case ‘rotted’, that doesn’t mean that all submersibles should be avoided, but personally I like the idea of all of the electric workings residing above water.
I have a second pedestal pump sitting there with the check valve and rubber coupler attached ready for service. When I experience a failure I am one worm gear clamp away from being pumping again. When the backup is put into service I purchase and outfit with a check valve my next backup pump.
Over the years I have upgraded from 1/3hp to 1/2hp, the difference is noticeable draining the tub.
I recently added an active backup pump, a Simer 2385 suspended in the tub controlled by a remote (mounted across the tub) vertical float switch. The Simer is plugged into an SEC America 1733 1800 watt inverter with pass-thru 120vac and inverted 12vdc supplied by two Mighty Max ML125-12 AGM batteries connected in parallel for a bank total of 250Ah. With this setup rather than connecting the main pump into the inverter system I am protected by both main pump failure and a power outage. Should the outage go on for days I have a 4hp generator converted to run on natural gas with receptacles in the basement to take over with powering the pump(s).

 

[Snapped-off]

I have a pedestal installed since 2012. I'll probably end up replacing it with a submersible so I can put a proper lid on it.

 

[Caa311]

I've had both. One was a very expensive explosion prof one that the shaft rusted through at the impeller. I would get a cheap submersible if I were buying one..

 

[The Cobbler]

whatever set up you use, have 2 pumps on separate circuits so if one fails you have a back up. the second pump set at a higher level.
I prefer submersible over pedestal .

 

[HoosierMark]

If you’re worried about running a sump pump during a power outage and have city water check out a water powered sump pump. My friend says it saved him a couple of times due to power outage.

 

[T444e]

I would, and have, put in a submersible over a pedestal. Easier to use a sealed cover and the water will help cool the motor. I have never put anything but submersibles in commercial applications.

 

[Dagny]

I always recommend Zoeller sump pumps. It don't matter what kind you put if it's cheap chicom ****.