A functioning sump pump is generally synonymous to any of today’s insurance policies. As a matter of fact, sump pumps are gradually becoming a must-have for many homes around the world. Unlike some other household appliances bought out of convenience, sump pumps have saved a lot of homes from damages due to flooding. The basements of many homes are easily susceptible to flooding due to improper channelling of drainage water or high ground water level.

Whatever it is, installing these sump pumps in the house can allow you sleep through a deadly storm. While there are many articles out there that can give detailed DIYs on the installation process of the sump pumps, there is one other component in the setup that we often fail to give necessary attention. This is none other but the battery backup for the pumps. They are basically installed to act as excellent supplement for the primary pumps.
Getting the best battery backup sump pump is important for ensuring the, aim purpose of the sump pump is not defeated.

These backup batteries come in handy when there are mechanical failures or power outages. To ensure these factors do not create unnecessary flooding in your basement, you should consider installing one of these. In no way should these battery backup sump pumps be mistaken as an excuse to lazy with routine primary pump maintenance.

It is worthy to note that the essence of the battery backup is to act in place of the primary pump while the latter gets repaired or replaced. There are many manufacturers of these battery backup sump pumps. It is important to connect these battery backup to the exact output capacity of the primary pumps.

Here are quick examples of battery backup sump pumps that are available in the market today.

Top 6 Battery Backup Sump Pumps on The Market

Reviews of six best Battery Backup Sump Pumps

1.Wayne ESP25 12 Volt Battery Backup Sump Pump System with Audible Alarm

At an average price like this, this battery backup sump pump is not really professional like others in its grade. The construction material used is composed mainly of plastic; this includes the impeller. This means that pump can only be used effectively to pump water. Pebbles or other solids can destroy the impeller. There is no monitor to check the water/acid level of the battery backup pump.

2. Zoeller 507-0005 Basement Sentry Battery Pump

The check system on the battery backup seem to get loose and allow for water sip. Take care to inspect this check system during installation and operation. It won’t fit into a shallow sump pit because it needs vertical room for proper installation.

3. Liberty Pumps 441 Battery Backup Emergency Sump Pump Systems

There are some limitations with the PVC fittings provided. One would need to purchase an extra back flow preventer. The product is designed to have its battery backup sit on the main pump. This doesn’t allow for much flexibility. The product seem a little overpriced in comparison to others with its features.

4. Basement Watchdog BWSP 1730 Gallons per Hour Basement Watchdog Special Backup Sump Pump

The product does not seem to be compatible with some battery brands. The manufacturer can only guarantee compatibility with thier battery which is usually more expensive that other batteries. The battery only has about 2-3 years service life and usually gets burnt by product’s controller. The product requires a whole lot of maintenance to achieve good performance over a long period of time.

5. Hi & Dry Battery Backup Sump Pump (RH-1400)

The alarm is not as audible as it should be. Unless the house is quiet, one may not be able to hear when the alarm goes off. There’s a small opening in the pipe. Unless this is fixed, it tends to generally slow down the discharge rate. The price is a bit on the high side if you are on a budget.

6. Wayne WSS30V Pre-Assembled 120/12V 1/2 HP Primary and Battery Backup Combination Sump Pump System

The switch is a bit prone to damage. Extra care must be given to it. You would need to purchase the battery backup separately and this would cost you an extra cash.

Benefits of Using a Battery Backup Pump

The basic idea of having a sump pump installed in your home is to eliminate the possibility of your home basement flooding. Undoubtedly, this can be achieved by getting a quality, functioning sump pump. Now let us imagine you have got the best sump pump installed in your home and a heavy storm comes raging. You sit upstairs in your home knowing full well that your pump has got it all covered. Just when you are able to take a good, nice sleep, there was a sudden power outage.

This is an expected occurrence but how prepared were you for such? Depending on how quickly your thoughts can process it, you will soon realize your sump pump is electrically powered. The power outage has not only put you in darkness, it now poses a more disastrous possibility – flooding in your home.

Basically there are two types of battery backup sump pumps – AC and AC/DC. With either of these pre-installed along with your sump pump, you would rest easy even when power outage occurs. Well you may be thinking aloud and saying the possibility of a power outage occurring is down to a minimum. This also doesn’t rule out the fact that the sump pump can at any time develop mechanical failure, probably as a result of excessive usage and poor maintenance procedures. While the most common issues that could result to failure of the primary pump is as a result of mechanical problems.

In homes where there is not frequent flooding, the primary pump may not function too well and would need routine maintenance and servicing. It would be folly to think because the pumps are not used often, that they would remain in good working condition year in, year out.

How to choose the best battery backup sump pump

Before buying that battery backup sump pump, you may want to take a closer look at some of these things to consider. Anything worth doing, they say, is worth doing well. For this reason, we have highlighted the best ways to go about buying that battery backup sump pump.

Assess your needs

This should naturally go without saying but too often we get carried away with the type and kind of product to buy and we forget to start from the very beginning. By assessing your needs, you would want to see if…

• Your primary aim is the protection of the things in your basement (maybe you kept some valuable items there or it is just plain empty)
• How often do you experience flooding and what is the location of your home in relation to the flooding channel
• Do you experience power outage and how often those it occur, if it does
• What is the age of your sump pump

Best battery backup sump pump type

In today’s battery market, there are two main types of batteries – the AGM batteries and the Deep Cycle Marine batteries. To help your understanding, the Deep Cycle Marine batteries are similar to what is used in older cars. If you remember these very well, you would quickly recall how it requires addition of water as one of its routine maintenance procedures. The AGM batteries on the other hand are similar to what you have on modern cars. With the technological improvements, you do not need to add water. These AGM batteries have a service life of between 5 to 7 years and have about 50% run time more than the Deep Cycle Marine batteries

Pump construction material

Yes! This also has a major role to play as it is important for the general service life of the pump. It is recommended that cast iron constructed pumps are more rugged and long lasting than plastic counterpart.

Working capacity of the pump

Just choosing a cast iron pump over a plastic one is not all there is to buying a sump pump. More importantly, you would have to consider its working capacity. Many people make the mistake of buying a battery backup sump pump with a working capacity far less than the primary pump. For this kind of people, what exactly was the purpose for installing a “backup” in the first place if it cannot guarantee perfect replacement in time of need? So we don’t waste words on this, please get the exact or more (never less) output on your battery backup sump pump as you have in your primary pump.

Electrical technology

As we earlier stated, there are two main types of backup pumps. These are the DC and AC/DC pumps. The DC pumps can only work with the electrical current and can only last as long as the battery allows. The AC/DC pumps on the other hand can work with or without your wall current. For this reason, it is recommended to always go with the AC/DC pumps. Obviously, the AC/DC pumps are more expensive than the DC pumps but sometimes, there’s more to it all that saving up cash.

Buy from a reputable store

It is good to quickly add this to the list of how to choose quality battery backup pumps. One of the advantages of buying from a reputable store is that you are guaranteed of their assistance whenever you run into problems. These reputable stores sometimes do offer additional warranty on the product. This allows you to do routine maintenance and ensure the service life of the battery backup sump pump system is optimized.

Tips for Using Battery backup Sump Pumps

Buying a battery backup sump pump is definitely the first step but knowing how to use it is even more important. Understand that as a backup to your primary pump, the battery backup pump should also be reliable to perform if anything should happen to the primary pump. So briefly we are still going to highlight some tips on how to use it properly.

How is it powered?

The first and foremost thing to know is how the battery backup is powered. Would it be triggered automatically or manually? If the pump is an old system, chances are that it would require manual activation. Either way, consult the owner’s manual to know more about this.

Electrical safety

This should go without saying but you have to ensure you do not put yourself or your home in any form of electrical danger. If the main power control is located in your basement, you should take extra care not to walk on wet basement floor. Preferably, it is advisable to call your local electrician to help rewire. The pump should be placed in a place that it would not be exposed to the elements of weather.

Advisably, do not use an extension cord to connect the pump. This is because it may not fit firmly and can cut electrical supply to the pump. If there is need for an extension cord, please ensure it is of the same configuration to avoid interrupted current supply.

As much as possible, avoid handling of the pump’s control unit or cord when your hands are wet. Like I said earlier, this should have gone without saying but sometimes we get carried away.

Get a good battery

Get a fully charged battery and one that doesn’t require too much charging. Avoid using your car battery as it won’t be able to perform optimally. With everything in place, you can now…

Switch it on

For recent modern batteries, once turned on, you can be rest assured that it would regulate itself automatically. Some have a built-in alarm that would notify you when it is powered. This alarm works in a similar manner as a smoke detector.

Frequently Asked Questions

To ensure optimal use of the battery backup, we have decided to list out some likeable problems that may arise and their solutions. We will also list out some general questions that you may want to know.

Conclusion

No doubt we all can agree to the importance of a battery backup sump pump to a primary pump. There are many unforeseen occurrences that could take out the primary pumps; it is always safe to know you can easily rely on a backup system. When choosing to buy the best battery backup sump pump, there are several factors you may want to take into consideration. These factors would ensure that you do not waste your money in getting a below par product. It is important that your battery backup sump pump have the same output capacity as the primary pump. This would give you a great assurance that the battery backup pump has got your back!