Sump pump runs continuosly

I'm having trouble with my sump pump. It is running continuously and not pumping out any water. I checked the float and it is all the way raised as there is sufficient water in the pit to raise the float. However no water is being ejected from the pit. The float is fully operational. When I force it down the pump shuts off. There is a constant hum but no water is ejected.

Thank you,

I would pull the pump out and clean it. Some have a lint filter. It could be a shaft. If you do replace it I would go with a trash pump (I don’t know the real name fore them). They will pass small rocks and it will not hurt the pump.

More info will help. What all is the pump for? Ground water, washer…

Your drain line could be clogged and not allowing water to go any where or drain very slowly.

The impeller could be broken.

I would check the drain line first.

Is your checkvalve stuck? If you have a gate valve, is it open?

If yr installer just dropped the pump into the bottom of an open pit, the inlet or impeller could be blocked.

I'm sure you've done this, but to state the obvious: If your pump is continuously running, it won't take long for it to burn out, so until you solve the prob, you might want to leave it unplugged.

Once the prob is solved, (if the pump was on bare ground), I'd place 2 level bricks at the bottom of the pit and seat the pump on top of that.

I followed all of the above advice. I took the sump pump out of the pit and cleaned it out (both the pump and the pit). I pulled out a lot of debris. After reinstalling the pump everything was working fine. So I believed my problem was solved.

Until today. Today's project was to install a battery backup pump for my sump. I followed all of the directions and the backup system is working perfectly. The only problem now is that after I tested the backup system I went to test the main pump. Now the main pump is doing the same thing as before where it runs continuously without ejecting any water. Again the float is moving freely. I removed the check valve and all of the suspended water fell back into the pit. I reattached the check valve and then the main pump started working fine. So I ran the same test over again (ejected water with the backup and then tried to eject water with the main pump). This produced the same problem again where the pump continuosly runs without ejecting any water. It's almost like the main pump can't push the water above the check valve.

Thank you.

Ok, I did some more searching online and I think I could be having airlock??? The remedies say to drill a weep hole into my ejecting pipe below my check valve. What do you guys think?

lperrin said:

... Ok, I did some more searching online and I think I could be having airlock??? The remedies say to drill a weep hole into my ejecting pipe below my check valve. What do you guys think?

Click to expand...

I do not know whether that is your problem, but I do know my own sump pump has that small hole (about 3/16" and near the pump) at the bottom of its discharge pipe.

lperrin said:

Ok, I did some more searching online and I think I could be having airlock??? The remedies say to drill a weep hole into my ejecting pipe below my check valve. What do you guys think?

Click to expand...

Did you happen to read the installation directions that came with the pump?

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To state the obvious: make sure the hole is BENEATH the lid of the pit.

Make sure the pump is sized for the height you need. sounds like you need the hole in the pipe.