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Sump Pump needs
- Thread starter Beowulf
- Start date
ishiboo
Well-known member
Liberty and Zoeller are some of the best.
We live in an area where sump pumps are required in many houses. My house in particular, when we typically loose power we have a lot of water coming in... so a generator was the way to go for me. I have two pumps in the sump next to each other with two different switches, so that if one fails the other turns on. There is also a high water alarm.
Sizing, battery backup, etc. all depend on how much water volume you are getting when the weather gets bad.
I recommend drilling the airlock hole as all pump manufacturers I am aware of require, but many people don't.
We live in an area where sump pumps are required in many houses. My house in particular, when we typically loose power we have a lot of water coming in... so a generator was the way to go for me. I have two pumps in the sump next to each other with two different switches, so that if one fails the other turns on. There is also a high water alarm.
Sizing, battery backup, etc. all depend on how much water volume you are getting when the weather gets bad.
I recommend drilling the airlock hole as all pump manufacturers I am aware of require, but many people don't.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Do you swap the switch levels back and forth to even out the wear ?... when we typically loose power we have a lot of water coming in... so a generator was the way to go for me. I have two pumps in the sump next to each other with two different switches, so that if one fails the other turns on. There is also a high water alarm.
If you actually get so much water that BOTH pumps are running, I would have a third pump stored near by !
Good advice !Sizing, battery backup, etc. all depend on how much water volume you are getting when the weather gets bad.
ishiboo
Well-known member
Do you swap the switch levels back and forth to even out the wear ?
If you actually get so much water that BOTH pumps are running, I would have a third pump stored near by !
Good advice !
Yes, every few months I swap the two and check to see if the screens/switches/etc. need to be cleaned or anything.
I'll never get to the point of needing both at the same time... They are hooked up to the same 1.5" discharge and I never intended for them both to run. The flow isn't even that bad, it's just twice it's flooded since a single pump failed. One was the BRAND NEW replacement... the float switch was held on by a little rubber piece which let the rod slip out, and the float itself just floated away... while I was in Vegas. Now, I have redundancy plus an alarm if I'm home.
Todd.Brock
Well-known member
I had a 15 year old Zoeller that for some reason had a float switch that would stick. Caused the battery back up to kick on at least 4 or 5 different occasions. I could watch it fail if you sa there long enough and watched it in a bad storm. Replaced with Zoeller BG 55- I think- 1/3rd hp. 125-145 bucks at the plumbing supply store
Last edited:
beakie
Well-known member
if the pump never runs, you can get away with 1, but buy 2 cheap ones for insurance.
if the pump runs all the time, skip buying 1, buy 2 cheap ones for insurance.
our pump runs all the time, mid summer or dead of winter, 1-3 times an hour for approx 15seconds.
so I have 2, one in the hole and one waiting for the first one to die.
both are cheap, and the back up has only ran once, to ensure it worked out of the box.
expensive ones do the same thing the cheap ones do, and they can die just as quickly.
ensure you install a check valve, so it's not moving the same water twice.
if the pump runs all the time, skip buying 1, buy 2 cheap ones for insurance.
our pump runs all the time, mid summer or dead of winter, 1-3 times an hour for approx 15seconds.
so I have 2, one in the hole and one waiting for the first one to die.
both are cheap, and the back up has only ran once, to ensure it worked out of the box.
expensive ones do the same thing the cheap ones do, and they can die just as quickly.
ensure you install a check valve, so it's not moving the same water twice.
If it is running 3 times an hour you need to adjust the switch.
It is coming on at too low a water level.
On a pedestal just slip the stops up.
The easy way on a submersible is to put 3 bricks under it to form a triangle.
That will raise it 2 inches.
You will need to cut 2 inches out of the pipe.
It is coming on at too low a water level.
On a pedestal just slip the stops up.
The easy way on a submersible is to put 3 bricks under it to form a triangle.
That will raise it 2 inches.
You will need to cut 2 inches out of the pipe.
kabinenroller
Well-known member
Don't buy Zoeller. I have used them for years until the quality and customer service went to hell. They do not stand behind their products. I would recommend Liberty brand pumps.
The last thing you need is for a pump to fail when it's raining like hell and the crock is filling up.
The last thing you need is for a pump to fail when it's raining like hell and the crock is filling up.
ford33
Well-known member
I have zoeller and they have worked well.
nh_yota
Well-known member
I had a 15 year old Zoeller that for some reason had a float switch that would stick. Caused the battery back up to kick on at least 4 or 5 different occasions. I could watch it fail if you sa there long enough and watched it in a bad storm. Replaced with Zoeller BG 55- I think- 1/3rd hp. 125-145 bucks at the plumbing supply store
Zoeller sells rebuild kits for the switch and they recommend the switch be rebuilt every couple of years.
coldh2o
Well-known member
If it is running 3 times an hour you need to adjust the switch.
It is coming on at too low a water level.
Not necessarily, it's also dependant on flow in. He could have the floats set to the maximum separation and the pump will still run three times an hour if there is a significant amount of water coming in.
The easy way on a submersible is to put 3 bricks under it to form a triangle.
That will raise it 2 inches.
Raising the pump doesn't alter the float operating points relative to each other - you're simply raising both the on and off point the same distance. This won't change the volume of water pumped or the number of on/off cycles. On my submersible the float is tethered to the pump with the control cable and I can change the on/off point by changing the untethered length.
csp
Well-known member
Pull the existing pump and check the specs for it. They need to fit the diameter and depth of the sump pit and have the correct horsepower. The existing pump will give you the HP rating to match.
Just looked at a locked up Zoeller for a customer this morning. It's 11 years old, so no surprise since it's at the end of typical useful life.
Just looked at a locked up Zoeller for a customer this morning. It's 11 years old, so no surprise since it's at the end of typical useful life.
beakie
Well-known member
If it is running 3 times an hour you need to adjust the switch.
It is coming on at too low a water level.
On a pedestal just slip the stops up.
The easy way on a submersible is to put 3 bricks under it to form a triangle.
That will raise it 2 inches.
You will need to cut 2 inches out of the pipe.
as someone mentioned, no adjustment can change the flow.
3x and hour is dependant on how much water is coming, had little to do with float settings (well within reason)
1. my pedistal pump is in a pail (with 1" holes cut 1" up from bottom)
2. the pump itself is on 2 bricks
3. #1 & #2 are to prevent sediment into pump, which had been problem after waterproofing a section of basement and replacing BigO
4. float "stops" are both adjusted according to the level of the pump & level of water.
So, good advice for those who will buy a pump, drop it in and hope for the best. This is not the case here.
p_mori7
Well-known member
Mine runs often. I am at the lowest point on my street, and we have a high water table.
I had a good quality pump for the last 15+ years. It failed on a Sunday night at 10pm.
That's why I've had a new spare (pretty basic quality) for the last 15+ years.
Swapped it out on the spot.
Generator in the garage for when we have power failures.
Now shopping for a new high quality pump that will hopefully last me a good long time.
I had a good quality pump for the last 15+ years. It failed on a Sunday night at 10pm.
That's why I've had a new spare (pretty basic quality) for the last 15+ years.
Swapped it out on the spot.
Generator in the garage for when we have power failures.
Now shopping for a new high quality pump that will hopefully last me a good long time.
redmondjp
Well-known member
I'm the sump pump guru for my circle of friends (and in the Seattle area, if you have a basement or crawl space, there are better than even odds that it has a sump pump, or needs one).
I've installed both Zoeller and Liberty. Observations: as mentioned above, the Zoeller switches will either stick or fail every few years. Not a huge problem to fix, but you have to keep watch on it.
Liberty - the one I did install has a float that hugs the side of the pump. More than once, a piece of small debris has gotten between the float and the pump and jammed the float in the 'off' position. Very frustrating!
I would still recommend either of the above, but what I recommend regardless of what type of pump you pick, is a high-water alarm, powered by something other than the circuit feeding the pump itself. I installed one of these at a friend's house, with a red light in the corner of the garage near the door where they can easily see it.
Also, there are separate control switches that can be used with any brand of pump - here is one that I haven't personally tried yet but has good reviews:
http://www.ionproducts.net/controllers/ion/
I've installed both Zoeller and Liberty. Observations: as mentioned above, the Zoeller switches will either stick or fail every few years. Not a huge problem to fix, but you have to keep watch on it.
Liberty - the one I did install has a float that hugs the side of the pump. More than once, a piece of small debris has gotten between the float and the pump and jammed the float in the 'off' position. Very frustrating!
I would still recommend either of the above, but what I recommend regardless of what type of pump you pick, is a high-water alarm, powered by something other than the circuit feeding the pump itself. I installed one of these at a friend's house, with a red light in the corner of the garage near the door where they can easily see it.
Also, there are separate control switches that can be used with any brand of pump - here is one that I haven't personally tried yet but has good reviews:
http://www.ionproducts.net/controllers/ion/