Sump Pump Problems

[jtmoney528]

I have a sump pump that when we moved into our house awhile ago I was told just runs on a schedule which I though was weird because usually they run off a float.

It's been running like that for awhile and now it just makes a very subtle humming noise instead. I cant figure out where the float is but I tried unplugging the float to just make the pump run and all it does is hums.

 

[RS]

Is it pumping water, does the level in the pit go down when it's humming? If not, you better pull it out and troubleshoot it further, when spring arrives you may really need it!

 

[jtmoney528]

Is it pumping water, does the level in the pit go down when it's humming? If not, you better pull it out and troubleshoot it further, when spring arrives you may really need it!

No it does not seem to be pulling water out at all. I have a submersion pump that I will use to drain it so I can figure it out.

I don't see where the float is at all though.

 

[dmmsr]

Kind of looks like it might be a little giant. Regardless if it is or not the pump probably has an integral switch. Then the pipe on the left is the float for the back up pump.
The float is strapped to the pipe itself.

The pump is bad. Change it.

 

[jtmoney528]

Kind of looks like it might be a little giant. Regardless if it is or not the pump probably has an integral switch. Then the pipe on the left is the float for the back up pump.
The float is strapped to the pipe itself.

The pump is bad. Change it.

So are you saying there are two pumps in there? Is this pretty easy to replace myself? I'm decently handy when it comes to this kind of stuff when I figure out what is wrong.

 

[dmmsr]

Yes you have two pumps. The one on the left discharge pipe, the bigger one, is your primary. This runs off electric. The smaller one on the right discharge pipe is your back up which runs off of a battery. The panel with the lights on it is the charger to keep the battery fresh. It will also sound when the back up turns on or when the battery is bad.

Replacing the primary pump is fairly simple. Just need to disconnect the bottom of the check valve and pull the pump out. Unscrew the discharge from the pump and screw it back onto the new pump. Make sure you drill a 3/8" hole one the discharge just above the pump if one is not there already. This prevents pump getting air locked. Put pump back into the pit and Reinsert into check valve and tighten nut on check.

 

[wpns]

That “hockey puck” on the end of the wire with the float switch label is your float switch. When the water level gets high enough, it is upright, and the water turns on. When the water level gets low enough it floats back down and turns off. You can adjust the attachment point and the amount of free cable after the attachment for level and hysterisis.

But as everyone else has said, if your pump is humming and not moving any water, then it needs replacing. Easy enough to do.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

I have only known septic systems to run off of a timer. Are you sure this is a sump system?