On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:36:20 -0400, mm
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:54:26 GMT, Ignoramus24108
wrote:

After I bought that 137 Zoeller sump pump, I decided to call Zoeller.

I asked them how long should they last before being serviced.

The rep's response surprised me, he said that they want them serviced
every 5-7 years.

Now, that does not sound like a long time to me!

Also, they said that the impeller is made of cast iron. Would not such
impellers rust?

Any thoughts?

They should be looked at periodically, a couple times a year, to see
that they are working. Lift up the float if you can and watch it pump
the water out. Everything ok?

I've had my house for 23 years, and it was 4 y.o. when I got it. I
don't think the pump was expensive. When I got it, iirc the old owner
had already done something so the long float rod would be held in
place at the bottom correctly. Or maybe not but if not I fixed it a
couple years later. it was held in place at the top by a hole in the
"micro"switch arm.) Not every pump uses a long vertical float rod but
this design did. The old thing, the lower support, rusted out and
something like a flat-lead tv antenna stand-off (for an antenna mast,
a couple dollars at Radio Shack) was used or I used to clamp to the
vertical sump pump pipe and the plastic end had a hole big enough for
the float rod to move freely.

After that, nothing went wwrong until it was about 14 years old. The
main pipe through which the water went rusted at the water line so it
was in two pieces. When I went to replace the pump, the similar pump
now had a plastic pipe. I doubt that part will fail again. And I
wouldn't be surprised if this pump last 30 years or more.

I don't think your impeller will rust out. It's probably below the
water line and it rusts a lot less there. My impeller had a bit of
rust, but 99.9% of the impeller was still there after 14 years.

My switch was fine too, but by putting the water level 2 inches higher
than it was, but still 6 inches below the floor, I arranged it to only
run on very wet days. I live in the East too, and right next to a
stream. For 18 years I never heard the sump pump when I was upstairs,
but something changed a couple years ago, and now at my desk, with the
tv on and the computer fan making noise, I hear when it goes on and 24
seconds later, I hear it go off. So I know it's working, at least
most of it.

One of my neighbors *thought* she had a problem. When I went over
there, the motor was humming constantly. Her pipe had rusted too and
the motor which is attached to it fell over and the pump couldn't
turn, so the motor was on continuously, doing nothing. I told her to
get a new sump pump. I don't see how anyone here could have the
original one anymore, but I doubt any replacements had the metal main
pipe.



i

Why did you replace the pump because the pipe was rusted? It's just a
piece of plumbing pipe screwed into the pump. Of course the threads
were likely rusted, but some rust buster or a torch will usually
remove them. Or you could have put a Fernco coupling on the stub pipe
and some new pipe.

While I hate plastic impellers, PVC pipe is the best. No more rusting
pipe. However, here is a tip. Never lift the pump out of the hole by
the PVC pipe. I did that once and the pipe snapped off at the threaded
adaptor on the end. Was not the biggest problem but it ****ed me off
for my own stupidity, and was a pain to get the broken pvc piece out
of the threads.

I will agree with the person that said to keep a spare switch for a
Zoeller. That seems to be their weakest part. A gasket is needed too
for the housing over it. A spare switch and gasket is a good idea to
keep on hand, although I have always preferred keeping a spare pump on
hand. I always keep an old beater pump (that works), and keep one of
those flexible sump pump hoses attached to it. If by chance my
regular pump dies and the basement starts to flood, I can just toss
that pipe out a window and plug it in without any wasted time
connecting stuff. I have used this pump for other uses too.