Sump Pump Question

[AE Todd]

I have a pedestal sump pump set in a fairly deep pit, roughly 30", and it is time to replace the pump. Most squat pumps will turn on at very low water levels, but mine starts when the pit is fully filled, and stops when emptied, and I am looking to replicate this feature so that it cycles less often. Do all pedestal pumps work this way? Would any other type of sump pump work in the same way? (I hear that pedestal pumps are noisier and I am open to other types that would be quieter.) Any suggestions on types or brands? By the way, my pedestal pump has a tethered float that is at the end of a rope.

[RBM]

If the diameter of the pit is large enough, you can get a float switch to control a submersible pump. This would give you more flexibility than a pressure switch as to turn on and off positions. Some companies like Zoeller make submersible pumps with a tethered float switch as well, but wouldn't give you the range of a pedestal pump

[EXT]

CAUTION: Most pedestal pumps besides being very lightly and cheaply built, are not much over 30" high themselves and in your situation of a deep pit, a power outage could result in the open frame motor being underwater when the power comes back on -- it has happened to me -- the pump actually turned on and pumped out the water despite the motor being totally full of water -- but I don't recommend the practice, I have changed to a submersible pump.

Many pedestal pumps work on a two float system. The bottom float determines the shut off level and the top float determines the turn on level and are user adjustable to suit your needs.

Most submergible pumps have either a fixed on/off level or some have a mercury type switch on the end of a power cord, this can be adjusted by lengthening the cord providing there is enough clearance to prevent it from hanging up on the edge of the sump pit.

[AE Todd]

I don't think a submersible pump with a tethered mercury float will work, but I could be wrong. The ones I have seen at Home Depot can't be lengthened long enough to reach the top of my pit; they would short cycle as the water rises halfway up the pit. Besides, I would bet that the float would snag on something on the way up or the way down if it could reach the top of the pit.

By the way, thinking a little more about my current system, I don't exactly have a pedestal pump, but rather some sort of hybrid system with a submersed pump with a float tethered to a separate switch assembly that is clamped to the discharge pipe that rises out of the pit. I was thinking that a pedestal pump would handle the deepness of the pit, but maybe a submersible with an appropriate switch system is the way to go.

And just another idea, I suppose that since the pump is what I really want to switch out, I could keep the existing switch system and plug the new pump into it. Do they make a pump that relies on a non-built in switch?

[Mark]

you said: =2E....mine starts when the pit is fully filled, and stops when emptied, and I am looking to replicate this feature so that it cycles less often.....

if the present pump comes on when the sump is full and off when it is empty, then it already is cycling as less often as possible. If it came on any sooner or switched off any sooner, then it would cycle MORE often. If you REALLY want it to cycle less often, you need to make the sump bigger.

Mark