Getting a new sump pump which ones are good

[steppinthrax]

My old sump pump finally gave out. It's a Zoller cast iron pump made in like 73. Anyway I'm looking at home depot and others. I notice this pump is a cast iron epoxy coated pump. It's all rusted up and cruddy. I see flotech is pretty common at home depot. All I need is a 1/3 hp one since that's whats in my hole already. I was curious is a plastic pump better then a cast iron or vise versa.

 

[boomerang]

I've had cast iron pumps with the switch behind a gasketed cover not last a year for me. Water leaking in behind the cover does a number on the switch.

The plastic ones last the longest for me. The ones that get switched on by a floater connected to the housing by a cord. I believe there's a mercury switch or something similar in there.

I really should qualify all this by saying that I have my water softener discharging into the sump crock. Brine is kind of tough on pumps.

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: boomerang
I've had cast iron pumps with the switch behind a gasketed cover not last a year for me. Water leaking in behind the cover does a number on the switch.

The plastic ones last the longest for me. The ones that get switched on by a floater connected to the housing by a cord. I believe there's a mercury switch or something similar in there.

I really should qualify all this by saying that I have my water softener discharging into the sump crock. Brine is kind of tough on pumps.

My situation isn't that bad. Interestinly enough my sump pump hasn't been kicking in for a long time. So what happens when it rains the sump hole gets flooded but dosen't overflow. The ground has been absorbing the water. There are french drains that divert the flow of water to the sump hole.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

I recently replaced my, *Zoeller* 1/2 hp. pump,(only lasted 1 1/2 yrs., probably cuz it was underpowered, HINT), with a 3/4 hp. Water- Ace, from Lowes. I have a 10 ft. rise and am still pushing aprox, 100 gal. a minute through 2". Oh, and its a lifetime warranty, in the meantime
I'm having the *Zoeller* rebuilt here locally, just in case,(HINT).

<----- I'm really not a spelling nazi, I just know that, *Zoeller*(tm), would want the correction made