• A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!
  • The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 31 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 31st anniversary: Happy 31st Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $24,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $24 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    Tens of thousands of subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!
  • The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!

Sump pump backup - "Water Commander" ?

IreneLF

IreneLF

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
765
Reaction score
0
Location
Central NJ
We have a sump pump in the basement which operates on electricity.
During the recent storms, we lost power and of course the pump could not operate. We were lucky in that electric came on just in time -- but I no longer want to rely on getting lucky.

One system for sump pump backup is called the water commander - it operates on your own water pressure.

Anyone have one or know anything about it?
 
IreneLF said:
We have a sump pump in the basement which operates on electricity.
During the recent storms, we lost power and of course the pump could not operate. We were lucky in that electric came on just in time -- but I no longer want to rely on getting lucky.

One system for sump pump backup is called the water commander - it operates on your own water pressure.

Anyone have one or know anything about it?
Click to expand...
From what I read they use alot of water to do the job. I have well water so not an option. We have a 12volt backup system.
Basically its a smaller pump powered by a "car type battery" that kicks in when water level hits a certain point. I like this since it works without having to do something immediately, and it will also work if the main sump pump should fail.
 
antjmar said:
From what I read they use alot of water to do the job. I have well water so not an option. We have a 12volt backup system.
Basically its a smaller pump powered by a "car type battery" that kicks in when water level hits a certain point. I like this since it works without having to do something immediately, and it will also work if the main sump pump should fail.
Click to expand...

Does the water pressure one rely on luck a bit too? It seems to me that in cases where you would need it the most (I'm in hurricane country, so that's what I'm thinking) is when you would most wish you had an independent back-up.
 
They work well but use quite a bit of water. I have had one for many years and it works very well. I like it because if we lose power while away on vacation it keeps my basement dry.
 
csudell said:
we had the same issue. we are going to get a small generator.
Click to expand...

I have a portable generator also, the battery back up gives me time to get home and connect it.:D Dont make the same mistake I made I got one so big my wife cant even move it!:wall:
 
After YEARS of worrying about the sump pump; I finally came up with a solution that I can try not to worry about.

I have an electric sump pump in my 'pit'.

This year, I had a Watchdog, with battery back up put into the same pit.

So, the electric one comes on first. Should that motor 'die', then the Watchdog would kick in electrically---and if the power goes----it would kick in via the battery.

It was about $650-$700---but when I go to Florida during some of our rainy spring weather----I will at least 'think' that I am safe with any water issues.

Pat
 
#1 Cowboys Fan said:
So, the electric one comes on first. Should that motor 'die', then the Watchdog would kick in electrically---and if the power goes----it would kick in via the battery.
Click to expand...
We're stuck with this sucky sump pump problem too. Our house didn't show a water problem until we'd lived in it for a few years... then the ground water rose up and soaked our ground floor. We got out of bed one morning to squishy wall to wall carpet in our bedroom... yuck!

Our electric sump pump also has a smaller back up pump that runs off a marine battery. Our back up will only support the motor running for 5 hours if the power goes out. We like the extra margin of time to get power to the pump with a generator, but it still makes us anxious to leave the house for very long in hurricane season.

If your system is similar to ours, it needs the marine battery serviced to keep the DI water above the plates inside. We had to replace our battery once too after we failed to service it. I sympathize with anyone having to live with the sump pump problem.
 
#1 Cowboys Fan said:
After YEARS of worrying about the sump pump; I finally came up with a solution that I can try not to worry about.

I have an electric sump pump in my 'pit'.

This year, I had a Watchdog, with battery back up put into the same pit.

So, the electric one comes on first. Should that motor 'die', then the Watchdog would kick in electrically---and if the power goes----it would kick in via the battery.

It was about $650-$700---but when I go to Florida during some of our rainy spring weather----I will at least 'think' that I am safe with any water issues.

Pat
Click to expand...

This is what I want to get--the Basement Watchdog. What model did you get? Did a regular plumber install it, or do you have to get someone who's familiar with these?
 
IreneLF said:
We have a sump pump in the basement which operates on electricity.
During the recent storms, we lost power and of course the pump could not operate. We were lucky in that electric came on just in time -- but I no longer want to rely on getting lucky.

One system for sump pump backup is called the water commander - it operates on your own water pressure.

Anyone have one or know anything about it?
Click to expand...

Check the building codes in your area. Because of the risk of water backing up into the potable water supply in a house, the water powered back up sump pumps have been banned in some areas.

If one does have one installed, make sure the recommended installation procedure including check valves, etc., is followed.

Art
 
wackymother said:
This is what I want to get--the Basement Watchdog. What model did you get? Did a regular plumber install it, or do you have to get someone who's familiar with these?
Click to expand...

I forget the model number; it was about $400---it was the more expensive of two that I had considered.

I am one of the least mechanical men on earth---so I had my handyman install it.

Pat
 
Thanks all for your thoughts.
Still undecided but it doesn't matter much as the plumber has more than enough other jobs to do since our area got hit with Irene (11") and had two other Sundays with 6"+ the two weeks before.
Plumber said this storm "saved" them as no one is doing any rebuilding/remodeling and now they are booked solid.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top