Zoeller M3 - how much of the pump is submerged when it turns on to discharge water?

[Margarett]

From the diagram on the installation instructions, the "on" level looks to be a couple of inches below the top of the pump. However when I spoke to a customer service rep, he first said that it is 7.25" from the bottom of the pump, but then he said that the water will basically come to the top of the pump despite the fact that it is 10" tall. He said something regarding the float arm causing this, but I don't see the relevance.
For those who own the M53, when it turns on to discharge, does the water go up to nearly the top of the pump, or are there a good couple of inches exposed? I want to be sure that the level is below my inlet pipe. Thanks.

 

[Reach4]

I looked that one up.

I don't think that it is a problem to have the inlet pipe below the high-water mark.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Margarett]

Thanks, Reach4 for looking at it. Can you explain why it is okay for the inlet pipe to be below the high-water mark?

 

[Reach4]

Thanks, Reach4 for looking at it. Can you explain why it is okay for the inlet pipe to be below the high-water mark?

If the ground water pipe contains water for a while, nothing bad happens. When the water rises enough, the pump kicks on. Then the pipe drains. This does not keep additional water from flowing into the sump, if it is coming from higher than the max water level. And even if it is not, the collection pipe fills, and empties when the pump brings down the water level.

Is the incoming pipe coming from the perimeter drain, or what?

 

[Margarett]

@Reach4: yes the incoming pipe takes water from around the perimeter of the basement.
I'm trying to determine if I can have an M53 Zoeller installed in my sump pump basin because its depth is only 17". Zoeller seems pretty insistent that it has to be at least 22" deep. (There is some gravel in the bottom of my basin so I dont actually know how deep it is but I don't know if that is relevant.) In addition, I was trying to avoid water from going back into the inlet pipe.
Do you by any chance have the M53? I dont know why the rep said that the float arm causes the water to go higher than the "turn on" mark of 7.25". Does that make sense to you?

 

[Reach4]

I do not have a Zoeller.

You might consider a sump pump that does not have its own float switch.

I dont know why the rep said that the float arm causes the water to go higher than the "turn on" mark of 7.25". Does that make sense to you?

I don't understand turn on mark. Is that float slidable, and there is a scale?

Some like HydroCheck. You can micromanage the levels as much as you like.

Search results for query: hydrocheck

terrylove.com

I like https://www.basementwatchdog.com/basement-watchdog-universal-dual-float-switch/ BWC1 for some things. The caged floats will not get hung up like tether floats could. However it keeps the pump on for nominal 10 seconds after the floats fall. That might be good with your system, but maybe not.

Do you know about drilling that 3/16 inch hole below the check valve, and usually in the sump? That is important if you pump down low to where air can get sucked in.

The M53 is probably more robust than most. You can get a replacement switch or replacement float if you think the unit is not working as designed. The customer service people you quote seems to say it is working as intended.

In your case, the problem is not the float, since that would cause a symptom the opposite of your complaint.

Are you confident that the pump used to not let the water get as high before turning on?

 

[Fitter30]

@Reach4: yes the incoming pipe takes water from around the perimeter of the basement.
I'm trying to determine if I can have an M53 Zoeller installed in my sump pump basin because its depth is only 17". Zoeller seems pretty insistent that it has to be at least 22" deep. (There is some gravel in the bottom of my basin so I dont actually know how deep it is but I don't know if that is relevant.) In addition, I was trying to avoid water from going back into the inlet pipe.
Do you by any chance have the M53? I dont know why the rep said that the float arm causes the water to go higher than the "turn on" mark of 7.25". Does that make sense to you?

Pump sitting on gravel? Page 2 do's and don't #3. Float arm float might have to be almost submerged before it clicks on.

https://www.sumppumpsdirect.com/manuals/MN_53_98_Man.pdf

 

[Margarett]

@Filter30 - sorry I wasn't clear. The pump itself is on a thin, flat slab that is on top of the gravel.
Interesting hypothesis about the float arm. Is that how they work?

 

[Fitter30]

@Filter30 - sorry I wasn't clear. The pump itself is on a thin, flat slab that is on top of the gravel.
Interesting hypothesis about the float arm. Is that how they work?

Next time your at store that has a display of pumps float switches have no resistance where float with linkage does.