plumbing question: what is the smallest submersable sump pump w/a float switch?

[Stifko]

I recently got a Zoeller pump. The sales person told me it was the smallest one with a float switch. It needs around 9.5 inches of water to activate the pump. I played around with the float switch and rigged it to turn on with less water. I need another one now but want to find one that possibly needs less water to activate and be a good quality pump. I heard that the pumps at homedepot are garbage. Any help?

 

[rhino56]

i bought a 60.00 sump pump at harbor freight tool, it takes about 6 inches of water to kick it on, could be set lower though. It has run dry, been pumping out a mud hole sitting in the mud doing fine, did seize up from all the clay and leaves but i took it apart and rinsed it out and works fine again .
I have been very surprised by this little cheap pump, i thought it would burn out in no time, it has pumped thousands of gallons.

 

[13Gigatons]

What kind of sump basin do you have that is so shallow?

 

[Stifko]

What kind of sump basin do you have that is so shallow?

It is not really a sump basin, it is a dry well. The new pump would be for another dry well. I dug it out and it is a lot deeper than the first one. They get all the run off from a big flat roof. When they can't keep up the water backs into the structure as it did today. That is why I am getting another pump. I will just get the same Zoeller even though it doesn't have a screen to keep out debris. They're supposed to be the best pumps and it is only $100. I just got done vacuuming up the water with a shop vac. I am sick and tired of having water on the floor in there now the the roof is fixed.

 

[13Gigatons]

I recommend separating the collector from the sump pump. Build a collector and then feed it too a proper sump basin.

Don't know your land though and inclines and declines and whether it's cement or just dirt you need to dig.

pic: http://www.tyelandscaping.com/uploads/Drain____Dry_well.jpg

 

[DrPizza]

Use a little ingenuity. I don't see a picture of the particular style of float switch you have, but you could always get some sort of foam (close cell, not open cell that would gradually absorb water) and hot glue it to the bottom of your float switch. That would effectively start raising the float switch before it was even under water.

 

[Stifko]

I recommend separating the collector from the sump pump. Build a collector and then feed it too a proper sump basin.

Don't know your land though and inclines and declines and whether it's cement or just dirt you need to dig.

pic: http://www.tyelandscaping.com/uploads/Drain____Dry_well.jpg

Thank you for the replies. It is just dirt and these fixes I am doing now are temporary. I want to pour a new cement something there and make it right. It rained like a monsoon here this morning. It doesn't rain like that too often, but I want to be ready for when it does. I have a lot of plans for fixing things right but I need the time and money to do it. These pumps are just a quick fix to stop the water from coming inside.