Backup Sump Pump (battery)

[texasdontholdem]

I second what a previous commenter said about your 3/4 HP pump. You are probably killing your pump motor because it doesn't run very long. Its counterintuitive, but its better for your pump to run longer, rather than shorter periods of time.

I actually modified my sump pit and it is quite large and the motor does run for 45 seconds to a minute and then at peak time will sit for 5 minutes. (is that good enough?)

But maybe I should go for a 'lighter' pump next time.... But the lifetime warranty sure helps.

[carmel corn]

Deep cycle batteries are most often found in golf carts. They are usually a 6-volt, not 12 volt. They tend to have thicker plates and can withstand the constant charging/draining better than 12v batteries. You can buy 2 6-volts and wire them in a series (not parallel) to create a 12v system. This will not double your amp hour rating, but it will make them compatible with a 12v backup pump system. Generally, Trojan is one of the better known 6-volt brands. They require maintenance (water). If you want to go the maintenance free route, the best 12v deep cycle battery I know of is the Lifeline AGM made by Concorde. They are very pricey, but generally have thicker plates and are a higher quality battery vs. your cheaper marine options. Their 31T size has an amp hour rating of 105.

I don't mean to question you, but I would be extremely skeptical that you have a true 3/4 HP pump if it takes 45 sec to 1 minute to complete a pump cycle. Unless you have a double float pump switch and/or a pit the size of the Grand Canyon , then your pump rating is overrated IMHO. A Hydromatic VS33 1/3 HP can pump 40 GPM at a 10' head. A good 3/4 HP sewage pump would do around 150 GPM. Is your pump really doing 100+ gallons a cycle? A lifetime warranty won't do much for you if you flood again.

[vitaminj]

I actually modified my sump pit and it is quite large and the motor does run for 45 seconds to a minute and then at peak time will sit for 5 minutes. (is that good enough?)

But maybe I should go for a 'lighter' pump next time.... But the lifetime warranty sure helps.

Never mind. You win My pump runs for six seconds then is off for 30 seconds during heavy rain or thaws. I'm still surprised that your pumps die so quickly.

[texasdontholdem]

I don't mean to question you, but I would be extremely skeptical that you have a true 3/4 HP pump if it takes 45 sec to 1 minute to complete a pump cycle. Unless you have a double float pump switch and/or a pit the size of the Grand Canyon , then your pump rating is overrated IMHO. A Hydromatic VS33 1/3 HP can pump 40 GPM at a 10' head. A good 3/4 HP sewage pump would do around 150 GPM. Is your pump really doing 100+ gallons a cycle? A lifetime warranty won't do much for you if you flood again.

Well the pit is quite big. I have a submersible, column, and battery backup pump in there, with still enough room to fit a bucket in there to bail water if needed. Also, it may not be a 'true' 3/4 horse, but that's what it says on the motor.

[Ian Gills]

I have a submersible, column, and battery backup pump in there, with still enough room to fit a bucket in there to bail water if needed.

Are you sure it's not a swimming pool you have down there?

[texasdontholdem]

Are you sure it's not a swimming pool you have down there?

HA, it's actually 31" x 22" x 30" deep

[texasdontholdem]

Hopefully this is my last question.

I have 'tweaked' my set up and it's a little cleaner in the pit. But for my 12V battery backup, I can't get the float set up properly. It's either it's too high and the water rises more than I want, or the float is too low and the pump runs and keeps running even when the water level is below it. So my question is... will it wreck the 12V pump if it runs and it's not pumping water up/out, or will it burn the motor out? I have been told yes it will burn it out, and I've been told nah, don't worry about it.

Thoughts?

[texasdontholdem]

To add to my previous post......

Are the 12V battery backup pumps supposed to be completely submerged under water? Or is the wiring part supposed to be out of the water?

[krow]

The pump is suppose to be water tight, especially where the wire goes into the pump. It is a totaly submersible pump

[juandigital]

You can add multiple batteries and you arnt being paranoid. Just connect them in parallel, Its also adviseable to use the same type battery, ie deep cycle with deepcycle. I have two connected to my 12v sump pump because I have a nice basement bar. Cheers,

[juandigital]

I know my basementwatch dog 12 sump pump runs dry a few seconds each time the backup kicks on. The manufacturer states that this is normal and will not damage the motor. I think it would have to be running for a very long time before you had a problem.