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This 1/3 HP Sump Pump Review by Comparison For Submersibles at Pumps Selection emphasizes all one-third horse power sump pumps are not the same. Differences surface in pumping capability, housing, float switch types, Amp usage, and availability of replacement parts. Becoming an educated homeowner is key to installing the best sump pump for your water pumping needs.
Quick Info About The 1/3 HP Sump Pump
- GPM and GPH varies widely thus it is important to check a pumps specifications. GPH for 1/3 HP sump pumps ranges from 1,740 GPH at a 10 foot vertical height to 3,200 GPH.
- Pump housing material used includes: cast iron, cast steel, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc and thermoplastic, Cast iron is heavier, most durable and dissipates heat well.
- Vortex impellers handle pit debris and small pebbles. A sump pump without a vortex impeller relies on a bottom screen which requires periodic cleaning or top suction which does not remove debris and pebbles from the pit.
- Tether float switches take the most pit room and tangle easily in the pit. Vertical float switches take less room and have a guard to protect the float from getting caught in the pit.
- 2-pole snap action float switches are not affected by water minerals and chemicals like the magnetic draw vertical float switch.
- Cast iron and cast carbon sump pumps offer a three year warranty. Sump pumps with thermoplastic housing have a one year warranty.
- Installing a larger horse power sump pump is not always better. Too much horse power with not enough water to pump per cycle causes pump short cycling and decreases a motors longevity.
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One-third horse power sump pumps use four float switch options: the tether, the magnetic draw vertical, the 2-pole snap action vertical and the diaphragm.
One-third sump pump pumping performance is measured by gallons pumped per minute (GPM) or gallons pumped per hour (GPH) at a published vertical head height.
A models pumping performance varies by brand and model even among one-third horse power motors; however each model does have a published pump performance curve or chart that states what to expect. The published GPM and GPH requires the home owner to consider the existing discharge pipe system vertical height, the number of elbows and the pit diameter. The published pump performance curve indicates the GPM according to the vertical height the water is pumped.
How To Apply The Performance Curve To Your Sump Pump System
1) Measure the vertical height of the discharge pipe system from the pump discharge port to its highest vertical point.
2) Measure the diameter of the pit so it can be determined how many gallons are pumped per pumping cycle. One inch of water pumped in an eighteen inch pit equals one gallon of water. One inch of water in a twenty-four inch diameter pit equals two gallons of water.
3) Determine the distance between the float switch ON OFF height. Typically the distance between the vertical float switch ON OFF point is five inches therefore five gallons of water would be pumped from an eighteen inch pit per pumping cycle.
4) Count how many times the pump cycles per minute or per hour. If the sump pump runs five times a minute, twenty-five gallons of water would be pumped per minute if the pump ran continuously.
5) Use the known vertical head height and pit volume of water pumped per minute or hour during a heavy rainstorm and find the corresponding GPM or GPH in the performance chart to know if the model of interest meets your water pumping needs.
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One-Third GPH At 10 Foot Vertical Height By Pump Model
1740 GPH At 10 Foot Vertical Height
- Little Giant model 506125, 506158, 506162, 506171, 506271, and GIDDS-52125.
1800 GPH At 10 Foot Vertical Height
- Superior Pump models 92305, 92331, and 92341.
2000 GPH At 10 Foot Vertical Height
- Flotec model FPCI3350A..
2040 GPH At 10 Foot Vertical Height
- Zoeller USA models M53, M57 and M63 and Zoeller Taiwan 1052.
There are several types of housing material used for one-third horse power sump pumps: cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc and thermoplastic.
Housing material is important because it affects the pumps weight, durability and ability to dissipate motor heat during heavy continuous pumping.
-Cast iron is the best material for durability, weight and heat dissipation. Though cast iron does rust, epoxy coating retards corrosion. A Zoeller cast iron sump pump is known to last twenty-five years or more. Ours is going on nineteen years and still doing its job. An all cast iron pump will not move during rigorous pumping which means the float will not get caught on the pit wall. Cast iron does not heat up as quickly as stainless steel and aluminum and dissipates heat well.
-Thermoplastic traps heat, warps and cracks over time; thus is not a good material for heavy duty pumping.
-Stainless steel, aluminum and zinc do not rust however they are not as heavy thus a cast iron base is often used to add weight.
-Aluminum, zinc and thermoplastic do not have durability like cast iron.
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Housing Material Used By 1/3 HP Sump Pump Models
Cast Iron Housing Pump Models
- Zoeller pumps made in the USA models M53, M57 and M63 use two layers of cast iron: one for the motor and one for the pump.
- Zoeller Taiwan uses one layer of cast iron: models 1052 and 1073.
- Basement Watchdog (Glentronics) models SI33V and SIT33D
Comparing all 1/3 horse power motors proves no sump pump brand motors are the same. Check these differences out.
- Companies like Zoeller and Liberty build their own motors while other brands like Wayne and Basement Watchdog use third party motors which means their motors do not fit as tightly in the pump housing allowing air pockets.
- Zoeller Professional and Premium Series motors use only eighty percent of their motor pumping capability. The other twenty percent is reserved for strenuous continuous pumping situations thus extending the motors life span; however the Amp usage is more 9.7 vs. 3.7 to 5.6 Amps for other brands.
- All brand models use a permanent split capacitor and include automatic overload to prevent damage to motor windings.
So the option is choosing a better built motor or using less electricity.
Debris and Solids Handling Design
There are three ways a one-third horse power sump pump is designed to handle debris and solids: 1) top suction and no debris handling 2) a bottom screen to catch debris so it doesn't flow into the pump and clog it and 3) a vortex impeller without the use of a screen which allows debris to flow through the pump without clogging it.
Top Suction
- Wayne sump pumps use top suction so there is no screen and handling of debris and small pebbles so they remain in the pit.
Bottom Screen
- Basement Watchdog, Flotec and Little Giant use a bottom screen to catch debris so it does not enter the volute and clog the pump thus the screen must be cleaned periodically. .
Vortex Impeller Designed to Handle Sol;ds
- Zoeller and Liberty Pumps use a vortex impeller which allows small debris to flow through the pump without the usage of a bottom screen.
It is best to choose a solids handling design based on the degree of debris and solids collecting in the pit.
Pit diameter size required is based on the width of the sump pump and its float type.
- A tether float requires the most pit diameter, 18 inches, because the float is free floating up, out and in.
- A vertical float switch requires an eleven or twelve inch diameter pit.
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Wattage Amps Usage
Sump pump electricity usage by measured in Amps. Converting Amps to watts is easy. Multiply the published sump pump Amps by the voltage which is 120V for 1/3 HP sump pumps. So Zoeller model M53 uses 9.7 Amps or 1,164 watts.
There is a big difference between one-third HP sump pump amps used.
- Zoeller US made 1/3 models M53, M57 and M63 use 9.7 Amps.
- Zoeller At Home pumps manufactured at the Zoeller Taiwan Plant use 5.6 Amps.
- Superior Pumps use 4.1 Amps.
- Liberty Pumps use 5.2 Amps.
- Wayne Pumps use 3.7 Amps. Top suctions pumps use less amps.
- Basement Watchdog uses 5 Amps.
- Little Giant one-third horse power pumps use 9 Amps.
One-third horse power pumps with thermoplastic housing have a one year warranty. Pumps with cast iron and carbon steel housing offer a three year warranty.
Cost
- One-third horse power sump pumps made in the USA, Zoeller and Liberty Pump, are more costly. Their average cost is around $260. The higher cost is due to quality of material, workmanship and testing. Each pump is tested before leaving the factory. Zoeller sump pumps are known to last several decades with only float switch replacement every five to seven years.
- Sump pumps made in China are more budget friendly.
- Superior Pumps are most budget friendly around $120.
- The other brands Basement Watchdog, Little Giant, and Star Water Systems range in cost from $125 to $170.
- Flotec sump pumps are made in Mexico and their cost averages around $160.
- Wayne sump pump are assembled in the USA with parts made in China. Their cost is around $150.
Most sump pump manufacturers do not test each sump pump before it is shipped.
- Zoeller and Liberty Pumps test each pump before shipment.
- Other brands test sump pumps by lots or models to ensure quality control. A warranty is used to handle sump pump failure during initial installation or within the specified warranty period.
- Since the float switch is the first thing to fail, Wayne and Zoeller have tested their 2-pole snap action float switch to show customers that it can work for a minimum of one million cycles.
- Zoeller is known as the brand plumbers choose because their sump pump will work when installed and the float switch is durable.
Maintenance
Maintenance requirements for one-third horse power sump pumps depends on the brand and model. Some models need more maintenance than others.
There are three common maintenance tasks: 1) cleaning the bottom sump pump screen 2) cleaning the air lock hole and 3) replacing the float switch.
Cleaning a bottom screen prevents clogging and pump failure.
The following models use a bottom screen that must be periodically cleaned.
- Zoeller and Liberty Pumps use a vortex impeller which allows small debris to flow through the pump without the usage of a bottom screen.
- Superior Pump one-third HP Models 92330, 92370, 92331, 92341, 92352 and 92372
- Basement Watchdog (Glentronics) models SI33V and SIT33D.
- Little Giant 506125, 506158, 506162, 506171, 506802, 506804, 506807, GIDDS-52125, and 506271.
Cleaning air lock holes is only necessary in a pit with debris.
. If cleaning is necessary the air lock hole is found in the base of the sump pump or in the discharge pipe close to the pump port. Using a thin sturdy wire works well as a cleaning tool.
The air lock hole is found either at the base of the pump or on the discharge pipe below the top of the pit. Avoiding an air lock hole to eliminate periodic cleaning is not a good idea because an air pocket can cause the pump to run but pump no water.
Eventually float switches fail and need replacement.
Planning for float switch failure is smart. Not all one-third horse power models offer replacement switches. It is smart to install a model that offers a replacement float switch rather than discard the pump just because the switch failed. Since it is impossible to predict when a float switch will fail, buying one before switch failure is a smart thing to do.
What is the difference between 1/3 HP and 1/2 HP sump pump?
The difference between 1/3 HP and ½ HP sump pump is the pumping performance. A 1/3 HP: pumps between 1,700 GPH to 3,200 GPH at a ten foot vertical lift height. A ½ HP pumps between 3,400 to 4,260 GPH at a ten foot vertical lift height. Too large of a sump pump causes motor short cycling and early motor burnout. The most commonly installed sump pump size is 1/3 HP. When the next heavy rainstorm occurs check how high the water gets in the pit during pumping. If a 1/3 HP sump pump barely keeps up, it is time to install a ½ HP.
Is 1/2 HP sump pump too much?
A ½ HP sump pump is too much if a 1/3 HP keeps up with heavy rainstorms, your house is not in a high water table area, has a footprint of less than 1,500 square feet, and is not located at the bottom of a hill with a lot of run off. The next time a heavy rainstorm occurs, count how many times it runs in a minute, multiply that number by 5. Then check the manufacturers pump performance chart for your existing sump pump, look for the vertical height your pit water is pumped, find the corresponding GPM or GPH. Determine how much more pumping capability your pump has. Installing a sump pump with too much horse power causes motor short cycling and early motor burnout.
How long does a float switch last?
On the average a float switch lasts 3 to 5 years. How long a float switch lasts depends on how often your sump pump runs and the type float switch used. 2-pole snap action float switches last longer than a tether, diaphragm or magnetic draw vertical float switch.
What is the longest lasting sump pump?
The longest lasting sump pump is a sump pump with cast iron housing. Zoeller sump pumps are known to last over 20 years because of their cast iron motor housing and cast iron pump housing. No float switch will last that long but a float switch can be easily replaced.
Is a higher HP sump pump better?
A higher HP sump pump is better if your existing installed sump pump runs continuousl6y for over five minutes during a heavy rainstorm. This means your existing pump is keeping up but it is also working hard. Going with the next higher HP is a good idea.
A higher HP sump pump is not good if you are just thinking it would be a good idea. A higher HP sump pump that pumps only small amounts of water frequently each cycle causes motor short cycling and early motor burnout.
2) Disengage the check valve so the discharge pipe is free so the sump pump can be removed from the pit; be prepared to catch water from the dangling discharge pipe
3) Remove old sump pump from the pit.
4) Unscrew the discharge pipe from the old pump discharge port.
5) Screw the piping from Step #4 into the new sump pump discharge port.
6) Lower the new sump pump into the pit so it sits solidly on the bottom of the pit.
7) Connect the discharge pipe from the new sump pump to the dangling discharge pipe.
The following video shows how easy it is to install your own sump pump. This is how we learned and no longer depend upon a plumber to do the job. Installing your own sump pump saves money and offers schedule freedom.
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