Need new sump pump; tethered or vertical switch?


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Old 04-25-18, 05:26 AM
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Need new sump pump; tethered or vertical switch?

My sump just burned out this morning and I will need to replace it later tonight when home from work and I'm wondering if its just pure coincidence or possibly my own doing...

I have a water powered backup in the sump pit as well. And to ensure the original tethered float on the main pump did not get stuck against the side way due to the water powered larger ball float, I just two days ago swapped out the original tethered float for a vertical float switch.

Now, I know I replaced this sump pump once before, probably somewhere around 5 or 7 years ago. So is it pure coincidence the pump just burned out or possible because the vertical switch seems to power cycle the pump more often with a shorter float height range then a tethered one?

So as I shop for a new sump pump later today, do you recommend a Tethered vs a Vertical float switch?

I would like to stick with a vertical float for better clearance and separation from both the wall and water powered ball float, but don't want the pump burning out to fast if that is the issue from it turning on/off more often.
 

Last edited by ptmuldoon; 04-25-18 at 05:59 AM.
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Old 04-25-18, 06:27 AM
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Ideally the float switch should be adjustable in amount of vertical travel (water level) between turn on and turn off.

Once the pump starts it should keep going until the pit is nearly empty.

The starting point for setting up the system should have the pump start when the fat pipes dumping into the sides of the pit are a third to a half submerged. You need flexibility with the pump switches so you can vary this (trial and error, wait a week before concluding a change you made was successful).

But the pump switch must be reliable. A float that flops around so much that it can get wedged between various other parts of the system is a no-no.

Sometimes a backup pump in the pit takes up so much space it interferes with the main pump. A second pit next to the first, with a 4 inch crossover pipe near the pits' bottoms, will actually improve the overall system performance.
 
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Old 04-25-18, 10:02 AM
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I prefer a tethered switch when there is only one pump in the pit. With a water powered unit also sharing the space.... you may be forced to stay with a vertical type float

I like the Zoeller M-53 pump. it has a float type switch that is attached.
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Old 04-26-18, 07:43 AM
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Thanks for the help and suggestions.

So yes, I actually went with a very similar vertical pump, which was the Everbuilt 3/10 pump from the local big box store.

And maybe a mixed blessing. I got to confirm the water powered backup did its job as we have had some good rains here, and I am in drywall stage now in finishing the basement. So good to know things worked as they should.
 
 

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