On Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 6:55:20 PM UTC-5, Arnie Goetchius wrote:
trader_4 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 6:30:24 PM UTC-5, Arnie Goetchius wrote:
I have a pedestal sump going on 14 years. I wonder how much longer it will run.
Typically, it runs 3-4 months a year between Dec and Apr. During heavy rain, it
will run about once every 2 minutes for about 10 seconds. It sits in a 5 gallon
can dug into the basement floor. There is also a battery operated pump in the
sump which will run if the the pedestal sump either fails or the electricity
quits. I figure after 14 years, it is getting near the end of life. Any thoughts?

One part of me says you're right, it's getting old. The other part
of me tells me that if you replace it, what you get today will probably
not last nearly as long and many new products today fail after just a
few years.

The battery operated pump (Watchdog) is only a year old and it is hooked up to 3
deep cycle marine batteries. If the pedestal failed, the battery pump would keep
me going through the wet season and I could replace the pedestal at my convenience.

If the battery pump can keep you safe long enough to get a new AC pump,
that would be good enough reason for me to keep doing what you're doing.
I'd have the battery pump set to come on at a higher level and also an
alarm set up to sound so that you know the primary pump has failed.
They have cheap $10 alarms for water heaters at HD and similar. May
be loud enough and work for your purpose.