Recently my area received some prolonged rainfall, lasting for 4 days. As people started getting water in their basements, I grew concerned about the old faithful pump I have in my pit. I actually bought the house from my Mom, so I know the full history of the house, and while my Dad didn't remember the make and model of the pump, its the same pump he put in 30 years ago and the pump was 10 years old when he put it in, but it has never let us down.
So because the switch for this pump is a pressure switch integrated into the pump, the best way to test it is to plug the sump pit off from the junction (its a very old house with a very whacky plumbing layout) and fill it with water. Sadly, even once filled to the top, the pump remained silent. I removed it, and dropped it in a bucket of CLR to remove the scale and rust that had built up over 30 years and dropped in a backup pump I had lying around.
Once I read the tag on the top of the pump, I realized why it had last so long. Its a Hydromatic. I got the switch housing apart, but theres no way to order a new switch for this old pump. I hotwired the switch, re-sealed the housing and dropped it back in and it still runs.
However, I am clearly long overdue for an upgrade. What i plan to do is install a Zoeller non-automatic M98, order two levelguard switches, and once i tear the Hydromatic apart and make sure everything is in good working order, set up both pumps in the sump pit. However, the Hydromatic used an 1-1/4 discharge and its 1-1/4 through the wall. Almost the entire length of pipe is lift, about 8 feet, with maybe 12" going through the wall. Because the Zoeller is 1 1/2, I absolutely need to upgrade to 1 1/2 at minimum, however to have enough flow for both pumps in an emergency situation, without them fighting eachother, I have been debating on whether to go 2" or 2-1/2" discharge.
I plan on using 2" check valves for both pumps, and them transitioning into the discharge. Because I'm using the Level Guard sensors, I can alternate primary and secondary and stagger the switching points. I figure with a 4000 GPH Zoeller, and I have to guess the Hydromatic is at very least 2000 GPH, I should size the discharge for minimum 6000GPH. The 2" will support 3300 GPH with no pressure, while the 2.5" will support 4800 GPH, but these figures change rapidly once under pressure, and at an 8FT head, the pumps need to overcome 4psi just to move anywater at all. What the actual pressure is, Im guessing, is around 8-10 PSI, which should allow the 2.5" to support both pumps running with little restriction. I have also considered just going with 3" pipe but I'm a little concerned that by the time I add reducers and the check valves, the overall length from the discharge to the pump will be too long. I want to keep both pumps a few inches away from the wall of the pit so that i can both remove the union style check valve to replace a pump if one fails and also for the fluid dynamics, the pump should have 360* access to water and if its too close to the wall, it could cause enough flow disruption to cause cavitation.
And just for fun, pictures of said 40 year old Hydromatic.
So because the switch for this pump is a pressure switch integrated into the pump, the best way to test it is to plug the sump pit off from the junction (its a very old house with a very whacky plumbing layout) and fill it with water. Sadly, even once filled to the top, the pump remained silent. I removed it, and dropped it in a bucket of CLR to remove the scale and rust that had built up over 30 years and dropped in a backup pump I had lying around.
Once I read the tag on the top of the pump, I realized why it had last so long. Its a Hydromatic. I got the switch housing apart, but theres no way to order a new switch for this old pump. I hotwired the switch, re-sealed the housing and dropped it back in and it still runs.
However, I am clearly long overdue for an upgrade. What i plan to do is install a Zoeller non-automatic M98, order two levelguard switches, and once i tear the Hydromatic apart and make sure everything is in good working order, set up both pumps in the sump pit. However, the Hydromatic used an 1-1/4 discharge and its 1-1/4 through the wall. Almost the entire length of pipe is lift, about 8 feet, with maybe 12" going through the wall. Because the Zoeller is 1 1/2, I absolutely need to upgrade to 1 1/2 at minimum, however to have enough flow for both pumps in an emergency situation, without them fighting eachother, I have been debating on whether to go 2" or 2-1/2" discharge.
I plan on using 2" check valves for both pumps, and them transitioning into the discharge. Because I'm using the Level Guard sensors, I can alternate primary and secondary and stagger the switching points. I figure with a 4000 GPH Zoeller, and I have to guess the Hydromatic is at very least 2000 GPH, I should size the discharge for minimum 6000GPH. The 2" will support 3300 GPH with no pressure, while the 2.5" will support 4800 GPH, but these figures change rapidly once under pressure, and at an 8FT head, the pumps need to overcome 4psi just to move anywater at all. What the actual pressure is, Im guessing, is around 8-10 PSI, which should allow the 2.5" to support both pumps running with little restriction. I have also considered just going with 3" pipe but I'm a little concerned that by the time I add reducers and the check valves, the overall length from the discharge to the pump will be too long. I want to keep both pumps a few inches away from the wall of the pit so that i can both remove the union style check valve to replace a pump if one fails and also for the fluid dynamics, the pump should have 360* access to water and if its too close to the wall, it could cause enough flow disruption to cause cavitation.
And just for fun, pictures of said 40 year old Hydromatic.
