We are doing a Wayne Battery Backup Sump Pumps Review because we are concerned. What will you do if your primary sump pump fails and you are not home or the electricity goes out? Do you want your basement to flood if your primary pump fails?
The best solution for protecting your basement from flooding if your primary pump fails is to install a backup sump pump.
Wayne Pump Company has been manufacturing sump pumps since 1941 and have backup sump pump system solutions.
The following information will help you select the best Wayne backup sump pump for your basement flood protection.
Review And Compare The Wayne Battery Backup Sump Pump System Solutions.
Here are the topics covered to help you review and compare the Wayne Backup Pumps. Click on a specific topic if you wish to go there immediately, otherwise scroll down the page to read about the Wayne Backup Sump Pump Models.
Table Of Contents
The three Wayne battery backup sump pumps that used to be available are the ESP15, the ESP25 and the ESP45. But Wayne no longer makes the ESP15 and the ESP45. But the good news is the ESP25 is still available and has been upgraded to model ESP25n.
The Wayne ESP15 is comparable to a 1/6 HP primary sump pump and at a 10 foot lift can pump 12 gallons per minute or 720 gallons per hour. The pump housing, volute, impeller and shaft are made from thermoplastic. Wayne no long makes this model.
The Wayne ESP25 is comparable to a ¼ - 1/3 HP primary sump pump. The old ESP25 at a 10 foot lift can pump 38 gallons per minute or 2,280 gallons per hour. The pump housing, volute, impeller and shaft are made from thermoplastic. This model is upgraded to the new ESP25n. The old model is still available; however, we are not sure how long though.
Learn more about the Wayne ESP25n. Read the Wayne ESP25n review below.
The Wayne ESP45 is comparable to a 1/3 to ½ HP primary sump pump and can pump 40 gallons per minute or 2,400 gallons per hour. The pump housing, volute, and seal plate are made from iron. The shaft is made from stainless steel. The impeller is made from thermoplastic. Wayne no long makes this model.
A reed vertical float switch is used for the Wayne Battery pump models. Since the float is vertical and is to be attached to the discharge pipe, it takes no additional room in the sump pit. The magnetic reed float switch is more reliable than a mechanical vertical float switch. The switch turns the pump on as a magnet moves up and down passing two contacts. When the contacts touch each other the circuit is completed and the switch activates the pump.
An audible alarm sounds for each model when the battery backup system is in use. LED lights are also used to indicate battery status. A green light indicates the battery is charging. A yellow light indicates the voltage is low; that the battery is partially charged. A red light indicates the battery is depleted and needs to be recharged or replaced.
The battery charger keeps the battery in ready state but does not over charge it. The battery charger for all models is less than 1 amp so it takes at least three days to recharge a fully depleted battery.
Many of you are familiar with the three original battery backup sump pump models so we include them in this comparison, but if you are intereted in the only battery backup sump pump model Wayne makes right now, the ESP25n model, you can jump to that review.
The new ESP25n weighs 20 pounds. That is more pounds that the original ESP25 model. The differece in weigt is the carbon steel for the pump housing and the cast iron base. The ESP15 weighed less; weighing in at 9 pounds. The ESP25 weighs 13 pounds and the ESP45 weighs 30 pounds. Since the ESP15 was very light weight it can be installed above a primary pump by cutting into the discharge pipe and using a T-connector; the pump will hang in midair. The ESP25 can not be installed in line with the discharge pipe. It has to rest on the bottom of the pit or an L bracket for support. The heavier the pump the stronger and more durable it is; it has more pumping capacity per minute.
The new ESP25n is 7.25 inches wide so does not take a lot of basin space. The ESP15 has the smallest width - 5 .5 inches wide. The ESP25 has 6 inches wide and the ESP45 is 8 ¾ inches wide.
The ESP25n runs only by battery. Only the Wayne ESP45 backup pump runs on both AC (electrical) or DC (battery) power. This capability is especially helpful when your primary pump fails and the electrical power is on. The pump will not use any battery power if electrical power is available.
The Wayne ESPn is durabble because it is made of carbon steel which is Epoxy coated to retard corrosion and the base is cast iron. The Wayne ESP45 is most durable and built for heavy water flow. Its pump housing, volute and steel plate are made from cast iron; its shaft is stainless steel and its impeller is made from reinforced thermoplastic. The original ESP25 and ESP15 were made from thermoplastic.
The battery backup pump ESP45 is the only model with top suction. This prevents clogging and air lock. No weep hole is required in the discharge pipe.
The backup sump pump ESP45 alarm can be silenced for 4 hours before it sounds again. The alarm for the ESP25 and ESP15 continue beeping when the system is in use.
Only one battery can be used with the ESP25n. An additional battery bank including two batteries can be added to the ESP45 to double the runtime. This could extend the pumping time up to 16 hours of continuous pumping or much longer with intermittent pumping. But no additional batteries can be added to the ESP25 or ESP15.
The ESP25n does not have the same pumping capability as the original ESP25. The ESP25n can pump 25 gallons per minute at a 10 foot vertical height. The ESP45 Backup pump has the most pumping capability with 40 gallons per minute (GPM) at a 10 foot lift or 2400 gallons per hour (GPH). The Wayne ESP25 follows close behind with a pumping capability of 38 gallons per minute (GPM) at a 10 foot lift or 2280 gallons per hour (GPH).
The Wayne ESP25n is an updated model for the original ESP25. Here's what's changed.
Using carbon steel for pump housing rather than thermoplastic is always better. Carbon steel dissipates motor heat to some degree though not as good as cast iron, but certainly better than thermoplastic which traps heat.
Using cast iron for the base adds weight to the pump. A battery backup sump pump can encounter long periods of power outage and continuous pumping thus the extra weight keeps it more stationary in the basin.
Using a stainless steel shaft is a necessity for longevity.
Wayne pumps have long been known for their quiet pumping. That's because they use top suction. Top suction means they cannot handle debris in the basin which some home owners need.
The pump performance for the ESP25n is lower than the original ESP25 model by 13 gallons per minute or 780 gallons per hour. This is significant especially since using the Wayne 1275 gel battery is only tested to pump 10,000 gallon with a fully charged battery. Before it was tested to pump 11,000 gallons per a fully charged battery.
Compared to other pump brands, Wayne's warranty is in the middle. Superior offers only a one year warranty on their Superior Pump 92900 model. Basement Watchdog offers a 2 year warranty on their Special and Big Dog models. Both Liberty Pumps and Zoeller offer 3 year warranties on their Liberty 441 and Zoeller Aquanot 507 and 508 Battery Backup Sump Pump Models.
The battery auxilliary charger is still low at less than 1 AMP whereas Zoeller Aquanot 507 and 508 and Liberty Pumps 441 auxilliary chargers are 10 AMPS. This may or may not be important, but with a less than 1% amp charger it will take 3 days to fully charge a depleted battery.
The Wayne ESP25n comes highly recommended. The price tag is very competitive and the fact that it now has carbon steel housing and a cast iron base gives it a longer lifespan. This is definitely not for those who have heavy continuous water flowing into the pit during rainstorms. But it works great for those with low to average water flow into the sump pit. M/p>
it is advisable to check the pumping performance of your primary pump to see how much pumping capability is needed for a backup sump pump should your primary pump fail or the electricity fail during heavy rainstorms. There are more powerful battery backup pump brands on the market, but this pump is certainly highly rated by those who purchase it.
Does your primary pump rarely run? When it does run is there very little water that comes into the sump pit? And do you rarely loose electrical power? The Wayne ESP25n battery backup sump pump will very adequately meet your needs.
Does your primary pump run even when it does not rain because of a high water table? And when it rains does it take a 1/3 to 1/2 HP sump pump to keep up with the water coming in the sump pit? The Wayne ESP25n will probably meet your needs, but it would be good to check the amount of rain your primary pump pumps during the next heavy rain storm. We show you how to right size your pump and determine how much pumping performance is needed.
Does your primary pump run even when it does not rain because of a high water table? And during heavy rainstorms do you need a 1/2 to 3/4 HP sump pump to keep up with the water coming into the sump pit? The Wayne ESP25n will not meet your pumping needs. The Wayne CDU980 (3/4 HP) or the Wayne CDU800 (1/2 HP) can be plugged into a Sumpro 75 Auxiliary power unit. The Sumpro 75 converts battery power (DC) into electrical power (AC) and therefore can be used with an electrical pump. The primary pump used with the Sumpro must require no more than 15 amps to run. Auxiliary power units are very reliable, allow primary electrical pumps to run from electrical power when it is available and from converted battery power when the electricity fails, and support a sump pump with that has more pumping capability than a battery backup sump pump. When using a 1/2 HP or higher sump pump with a Sumpro, the continuous runtime is only around 3 1/2 hours.
Do you wish to own a battery backup pump that is built to last longer than a thermoplastic pump? The Wayne ESP25n is certainly that. Its housing is carbon steel and its base is cast iron.
The EPS15 was mostly plastic and average for the price. When I bought it I forgot to consider the height of our basement ceiling which is 9 feet. This pump could barely raise the water as high as I needed it. So when I saw the updated ESP25N I bought it. The ESP25n is so much better. It even feels heavier and acts like it will last more than one year. The ESP25n costs more but the cost is worth it because the backup pump is a lot stronger and more efficient than the smaller ESP15. The ESP25 also recharges faster and runs a lot longer per charge since it's off most of the time because it pumps faster and shuts back off right away.
If you have a sump pump, I would recommend you also install a battery operated backup sump pump. Your primary pump or electricity will fail sometime and you don't want it to be during a heavy rainstorm. I bought the ESP25. It is well worth every penny. I found it easy to install. I was surprised how easily it pumps water 12 feet above the pump level. I was expecting a louder alarm.
I read some reviews that complained about the installation procedures of the ESP25n. I thought they were OK except for how to install the float switch. I found a video on Wayne's website. That helped me. I couldn't believe it, but I had a harder time figuring out the configuration of the discharge piping. I installed a deep cycle marine battery and it is working fine. After installing, I tested it. It pumps more than the 1/3 primary pump I have. So I have 2 pumps in my pit, a primary and the ESP25n backup so I shouldn't have any flooding problems now.
I can say as a plumber the ESP25n is a very good battery backup-pump for the money. It was very easy to install as well. Of course I am a plumber and I better say that.
I had been researching backup pumps for some time and kept debating what to buy. Then I saw what happened to my friend so i finally purchased the Wayne backup system. It was easy install. I tested it and it worked great. Well at 7 am the next morning the power went out for 2hours! And we got rain. This had never happened to me before. We never lose power. So I am really glad I finally bought a backup pump. The Wayne ESP25n works well. It empties the pit quick and quietly. Install was easy. So far so good.
The pump is nice & quiet. The Battery box fits a full size deep cycle battery. Could have used more paint/powder coat as the cast is beginning to rust. Has been in the water for about 10 days. But I guess carbon steel shows corrosion. I recommend for future models that it has a technology option to send notification via cell vs just the alarm. We got to see the pump in action last night as our power went out. Worked perfect. Alarm is loud. Sump pump is in basement so couldn’t really hear it upstairs. Glad we got this pump.
It is always easier to see an install than read about it. Hopefully this homeowner made video will give you the confidence need to install your own ESP25.
Here's the downloadable installation manual for future reference. The WAYNE ESP25N INSTALLATION MANUAL
Here are the downloadable specifications for future reference. Make sure to note the Pumping Performance Chart. The WAYNE ESP25N SPECIFICATIONS
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