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yeah you're probably right, I would rather have a UPS like this but there are none that are reliable and reasonably priced. I don't want a complicated setup and don't want to install a second sump pump, I just want a relay that will switch from AC power to battery backup in the event it detects a power outage.. if someone can find a good system for cheap throw a link in this thread. Thanks!
I completely agree. IF this was priced around $200 which is about what I think it's worth, I'd buy it myself. I'm trying to figure out a good backup in my situation. $600~, then you also have to buy at least a single $100~ battery, is just nuts. There's no way that device costs more than maybe $100 at most for them to build.
I'm looking at 1500watt continuous/3,000watt peak inverter/chargers that switch from wall power to battery power automatically. It looks like you can buy one for around $155~ US delivered. That size minimum will easily run at least a 1/2hp sump pump, and maybe a little larger. You then would need some 4 gauge battery wires, a 200amp ANR dc fuse, and at least one deep-cycle 12volt battery. That would be at least another $100~.
So, for a hair less than 1/2 the cost of JUST that sump pump inverter/ups on Amazon shown up thread, you'd have an entire backup including the battery pack. Heck, you could buy TWO batteries to wire in parallel to double the runtime, and still save more than $200 over just that Amazon device.
You wouldn't need multiple pumps, or junky little 12 volt backup pumps with 1/5th the capacity of your regular pump, etc.
At the least, this home-built sump pump ups system I'm laying out here will give you more than enough time to keep your basement from flooding, and to get your generator ready if the power outage lasts longer than your battery backup.
Here's yet another way to go, close to what I describe above but this inverter doesn't include a built-in charger so is a bit more complicated in that you have to provide your own transfer switching via a DPDT relay. Then you also need a separate battery charger.
P.S. On the thread above I mentioned using 4 gauge battery wiring from battery to inverter. Well, perhaps 1 gauge, or even larger 1/0 gauge copper cable would be safer. At full draw, this could potentially draw over 150 amps at 12 volt out of the battery bank.
There may be nothing he can do. If he has a high water table or underground stream, then that pit will always keep filling.
Similar issue here, the house was built in '51 and they did put in drain tiles and gravity drain. The gravity drain still works but it's about a 300 foot length to the road. It's also constructed of octagonal clay drain tiles. While it works it's just not enough for really heavy rain you might see every couple of years and it will back up. Fixing it with a new pipe.... $$$. Just not worth it for the few occasions it's needed. Even if it does backup there really isn't much to damage and it's clean water...
Should of mentioned this earlier but be sure to look a the GPM, it will be limited compared to a good pump. I wouldn't suggest it as the only plan. Be ready with a backup primary pump. As someone else mentioned it will fail at some point. Those pumps may also be difficult to obtain when you need them the most.
This is a good point, and for the water-powered ones, will be dependent on your water pressure. In my situation the water powered ones would have about 1/3 to 1/2 the flow rate of my primary. Since even in the worst storms, my primary only kicks on for about 15 seconds every few minutes, I probably have plenty of room to spare, but others may not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBear
You got that backwards. It needs 1 gallon of city water to pump out TWO gallons of sump-water.
I wouldn't install one as primary, but it sounds to me like a GREAT idea for an emergency backup!
Yes, not paying enough attention to what I typed when I typed it. I did have it backwards, thanks for posting the correction.
I see some systems that come with 3 pumps....2 main and a battery-back up, all in the same pit. The problem with this is that all that stuff leaves less room for the actual water. That means the water fills up much faster and runs the pump a lot more often.
No we have two sumps. Only one pump in each. Although have water back up in each pit (never used).
After the flood, we decided we needed two separate sumps due to the size and configuration of our basement. However they also serve as a back up to one another because they are connected.
I do have a back up generator, but am far more worried with the pump actually going dead then I am with losing power. I may be forced to dig out another sump well but I don't want these pumps competing against each other and it would seem that a shallower sump pit would trigger the back up pump first, which is what I do not want.
Also rig a wet basement alarm. This detects water on the floor (or uses another float high in the sump pit) and warns you.
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