On Sat, 25 Nov 2006 16:53:58 -0500, "Jack" wrote:

Check valve in place. It seems like I have lots of groundwater. I was
thinking I either don't have enough holes drilled in the plastic basin, or

How can you not have enough holes if the basin fills in 45 to 60
seconds.

the ones I have are drilled too low. Not sure...

What difference does it make about the height? If the water level
outside the sump weren't higher than the holes you think you shouldn't
have drilled, the water in your sump would get no higher than the
holes you think you shouldn't have drilled, no matter where the holes
were. But the water in your sump gets high enough to turn the pump
on. So the water level outside is at least that high.

If you made all the holes 4 inches or less below the floor, then you
wouldn't get any water in the sump until the water level got that
high. But the idea of having a sump pump was to keep the water from
getting even that high.

What difference does the height of the holes make, when the weather is
as it is this week? Or ever?

"Berkshire Bill" wrote in message
. ..

"Jack" wrote in message
...
I have never had a sump pump before the awful flooding of last year in the
northeast. After getting some great advice from this group, I installed
one. I bought a basin and pump from HD. I mounted the pump on top of a
brick. I drilled holes in the plastic basin starting about the height of
the float up to the bottom of the floor.
.
Until the rains on Thanksgiving, I never had water in the basin. The
past couple of days, the basin is filling to level with the top of the
pump but no more. I am assuming this is the groundwater level. The pump
is a high-output Flotec. The pump kicks on and empties the basin
quickly. The basin then fills up, and the cycle continues. It seems
like the pump kicks on every 45-60 seconds.
.
I am not sure if I have the pump too low in the basin, or if I drilled my
holes too low, or if this is really a problem. It just bothers me to see
the water in the basin and the pump cycling so much.
.
Thank you for your time.

Do you have a check valve to keep the water from flowing back into the
basin from your discharge pipe/hose?

Bill