Have a Hotpoint TCM570 here, and wondering about the operation of the
water pump, the pump at the back-bottom that pumps the condensate up
to the drawer.

When the machine is operating, is the water pump supposed to be on
continuously?

When I was stripping it down to fully clean it out (previous owner had
operated it with a ruptured filter, and fluff had gotten into the
system clogging it up), when I looked at the pump and associated bits,
I initially thought the float and switch might have been to trigger
the pump to come on to empty that sump, but since the pump is
continuously on, was then thinking the float and switch were to
trigger the red warning light at the front (to empty the drawer), and
turn off the heating coils, to prevent the water sump from
overfilling.

Anyone able to clarify this for me? Thanks.