Sump pump recommendations needed.

I currently have a 5year old + 1/2hp Wayne pump in a well that is 2 feet deep and 18" wide. The out pipe is 1.5" pvc and rises 8 feet above the floor (9-10' from the pump) before going outside.

When I have significant rainfall, this pump overheats from constant use and shuts down, raising the water level less than 6 inches from the top of the well and kicks off my battery-backup Basement Watchdog system. Of course, this sets off the alarm and gets me out of bed at the best times.

This happens 5-6 times per year.

It hasn't overflowed yet, but I'm concerned that the main pump just isn't cutting it and perhaps something more powerful could get rid of the water fast enough to not kick off the battery backup.


Is my thinking flawed here?

If I should get a new pump, what would be your recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

A Zoeller 3/10hp will probably pump more faster and last longer than your Wayne 1/2hp pump.

You need to calculate the actual GPM that you need to pump at maximum flow. Get the smallest pump that meets this requirement. Bigger is not always better.

quality pumps

Stay away from Wayne, Simers, Flotec and other big box store brands. Go with Zoeller, Hydromatic. You may want to consider a seperate switch on a with a Zoeller 1/3 hp pump. Look through some of the threads on the site. Lots of good info.

The Zoeller 3/10 is rated almost the same GPM as my Wayne 1/2...so I'm thinking of getting the Zoeller 98 (1/2).

Does the M98 have a replaceable switch on it? I've read about how the switches on the Zoeller pumps fail all too often so I want to make sure I get one with a replaceable switch.

cbehan said:

The Zoeller 3/10 is rated almost the same GPM as my Wayne 1/2...so I'm thinking of getting the Zoeller 98 (1/2).

Does the M98 have a replaceable switch on it? I've read about how the switches on the Zoeller pumps fail all too often so I want to make sure I get one with a replaceable switch.

Click to expand...

Yea I read that too about the switch failing...
The one I installed at my moms house should be failing soon...
I installed it 27+ years ago...