![WAYNE - 1/2 HP Basement [Sump] [Pump] System with Integrated Vertical Float Switch and 12 Volt [Battery] Back Up Capability,](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81Vv0QgG2bL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
I recently purchased a 95% gut renovation in Chicago. The plumbing work that was done is phenomenal, so I was extremely surprised to find a 1/2 inch of water in half of my newly finished basement after our first flash flood rain of the summer last month. I pulled the sump basin lid off and sure enough, it completely full. I fished around in the water with my hand until I found float and wiggled it around a few times which finally triggered the pump to turn on. It drained the basin and drained the water that had backed in the inlet pipes, leaving me to push all of the standing water floor drain and spend a few days cleaning up the mess.
When it rained again that weekend, I immediately went down to the basement and sure enough, I watched the basin fill quickly, but the float didn't trigger pump again, so there I sat on the floor in the utility room, for 3 hours in the middle of the night, hitting the float with a piece of wood every 5 minutes to turn the pump on.
Once it stopped raining, I pulled the pump out, which is when I learned it was a Flotec FPZS33T model. I disassembled the float switch, cleaned all of the contacts, reassembled the switch, checked all of the seals, cleaned the intake, and put the pump back in the basin. I ran my garden hose into basin, and successfully triggered the float switch. I was feeling pretty satisfied with my handy work. Problem solved right?
Wrong. We got through two more decent rains without any problems. The pump seemed to be working well. On Wednesday night (two days ago), the entire Chicagoland area was under Flash Flood and Tornado warnings. When the rain started, I went down to the basement and everything seemed good. After about 20 minutes, I went back down to the basement and noticed that basin was 2/3 full, but the pump was still running full tilt because I could not only hear it, but I could hear the water moving through the discharge pipe. I sat there for the next 20 minutes and watched the basin slowly fill to capacity, backing up the inlet pipes yet again. Within an hour of the rain starting, I had water beginning to pool on the floor again, not as badly as the first time because the pump was actually on, but bad enough to really tick me off. This pump was less than a year old, and it already had a faulty switch and completely failed to keep pace with a regular summer thunder storm!
I ordered a Wayne CDU980E 3/4 horsepower sump pump on Amazon with overnight delivery. The pump came by noon yesterday. I had it installed in 15 minutes because the fittings and pipe lengths were a perfect match. I tested it and it ran great. Last night we had another torrential downpour and new pump worked like a champ! This thing didn't even break a sweat, and it is actually a bit quieter than the other pump to boot! I'm very satisfied. Great product and incredibly easy to install! The Wayne pump only cost $30 more than the Flotec pump and it is a much better design and WAY me powerful. I'll monitor the performance over the summer and post back if anything changes.
The good news for Flotec is that I might not throw their garbage pump away immediately. I'm thinking of making an outdoor basin that catches rainwater from my gutter downspout and then pump it into a larger catchment in my garden to use for watering my plants. So yeah, this pump will spend the remainder of its life in my garden, moving rainwater for my vegetables, but I will never allow it near my home ever again!
| Brand | Wayne |
|---|---|
| Color | Silver |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Style | 3/4 HP stainless steel sump pumps |
| Product Dimensions | 10.5"L x 9"W x 11"H |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Item Weight | 11 Pounds |
| Maximum Flow Rate | 77 Gallons Per Minute |
| Maximum Lifting Height | 32 Feet |
| Voltage | 100 Volts |
| Manufacturer | Wayne Water Systems |
| Part Number | 58321-WYN3 |
| Item Weight | 11 pounds |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 58321-WYN3 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | Large |
| Pattern | Sump Pump |
| Horsepower | 0.75 |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Easy to Install |
| Included Components | Pump |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 5 Year Manufacturer's Warranty |
