Battery Backup Sump Pump

[lagman]

All,

The sump pump in the house we just moved into runs about every 20-30 minutes when dry, but every couple minutes when we get a hard rain. The previous owners installed an "Ace in the Hole" battery backup sump pump. They assured me the battery was brand new.

I tried testing the system by unplugging the main AC pump. When the water level reached the battery backup pump's sensor, it kicked on, but the water level did not recede. I continued to hear the pump running, but it did not seem to be pumping any water out.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Dan

[Jeff Wisnia]

Clogged inlet?

Connected to same outlet pipe as main pump, without check valve(s) and water is flowing back into the sump through the impeller of non rumnning main pump?

Jeff

[ransley]

Maybe it never was tested, , take it out and put it in a bucket and test it

[<josh]

If you hear the pump running, they were right about the battery.

Is the inlet plugged?

Is the outfall plugged?

Does it have damaged seals?

Is the backup pump&#39;s output running back down through the main pump? (Common output and no check valve?)

Detach the output of the backup pump and make sure it&#39;s really pumping water. If not, check pump-related problems.

If it is pumping water, then try to figure out where its water goes.

[professorpaul]

Perhaps a clogged inlet to the auxiliary pump??

[hallerb]

definetely get that fixed, backup pump may be defective.

any chance of running a physical drain line to daylight somehow so gravity can do the job in a power failure?