Expected Life Of a Pedestal Sump Pump ?

[Arnie Goetchius]

I have a pedestal sump going on 14 years. I wonder how much longer it will run. Typically, it runs 3-4 months a year between Dec and Apr. During heavy rain, it will run about once every 2 minutes for about 10 seconds. It sits in a 5 gallon can dug into the basement floor. There is also a battery operated pump in the sump which will run if the the pedestal sump either fails or the electricity quits. I figure after 14 years, it is getting near the end of life. Any thoughts?

[trader_4]

One part of me says you're right, it's getting old. The other part of me tells me that if you replace it, what you get today will probably not last nearly as long and many new products today fail after just a few years.

[Arnie Goetchius]

The battery operated pump (Watchdog) is only a year old and it is hooked up to 3 deep cycle marine batteries. If the pedestal failed, the battery pump would keep me going through the wet season and I could replace the pedestal at my convenience.

[Bud]

14 yrs is a good long life for a sump pump. But as long as you keep the bottom filter/impeller clean, and oil; the motor, it could last a lot more years. No sense replacing it till it fails.

What brand is it? That sounds like a reliable brand, worth buying....

[trader_4]

If the battery pump can keep you safe long enough to get a new AC pump, that would be good enough reason for me to keep doing what you're doing. I'd have the battery pump set to come on at a higher level and also an alarm set up to sound so that you know the primary pump has failed. They have cheap $10 alarms for water heaters at HD and similar. May be loud enough and work for your purpose.

[Bud]

Why would you put an alarm on a water heater, and where does it connect?

[trader_4]

You put it on the floor or in the safety drip pan that's under it, if it has one. It's just a battery operated alarm, the size of a pack of cigarettes, with two contacts on the bottom. If the WH starts to leak, you know it before it does damage.

[clare]

I've seen them go over 20 - and others fail in 5 or 6. It depends a lot on the construction/quality. When the bottom rusts off they are pretty well done.. If the impeller lets go it's done. Sometimes it's the motor that fails, or the switch - - -

[Arnie Goetchius]

It is a Water Ace R3P. According to Flotec it is obsolete but they may have parts. Reviews on Amazon are positive for the original versions but reviewers suggested that later versions were not so good.

[Arnie Goetchius]

The Watchdog battery pump I have has a built in audible alarm as part of the control panel. It sounds when it is running on battery but I can turn the alarm on or off.

[Bud]

Ok, Thanks. The contacts on the bottom must be activated by wetness. Is that correct? I assume this would work for any sort of water leakage.

I wonder how this would work in a bathtub? I know of a certain elderly person, who dont watch the tub when it's filling, and tends to overflow the tub fairly often. Ive been trying to find some way to alert them when the tub is near full.

What are they called so I can google for them?

[Bud]

I never heard of that brand, but it sounds like it was made by Flotec. (Flotec is still around). Why do they always stop producing the best stuff????

[clare]

That's par for the course. The old one will outlast the one you would buy as a replacement today.

[clare]

Because Americans won't pay for the good stuff.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Everything has been cheapened in recent years so that may be true. Aside from age, any reason to suspect it is going to stop working? If it does, how much time would you have before serious damage from water? Room in the sump to set up a secondary?

[Ed Pawlowski]

That is part of it. We want cheap. Couple that with corporate greed and you see cheap products lime 13 ounce cans of coffee, 30 ounce jars instead of a quart, etc.

[clare]

She said she already has a battery operated backup. installed.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I saw that after. In that case, I'd leave well enough alone until it breaks.

[Vic Smith]

The pedestal pump on my sewer ejection system was still pumping after

50 years. I had it replaced it because I didn't want to push my luck. I goes on about 10-20 times a day for about 10 seconds and will run almost constantly during heavy rain.

[Al Timiter]

A 14-year-old pump would have been manufactured during the Dubya years so it's prolly a good honest hard-working pump.