Why a sump pump is normally a bad choice for a pond waterfall pump
I often see sump pumps being advertised and sold for use as pond
waterfall pumps and I cringe every time.
A sump pump is exactly that ... it is a pump generally used to empty
a basement or sump periodically (notice that many have a float switch
attached to them) and as such is specifically designed to run
intermittently rather than continuously. Bt we have already learned that
a pond pump must run 24/7/365. Sump pumps are often called basement
pumps.
The implication within the design of a sump pump is that after
running a period of time (about 10,000 hrs which is only a bit ore than
1 year) the water seal will generally collapse and allow water to leak
into the electrical area and the sump pump will stop operating ... how
do I know? Well used to sell them and lots too, but no more. There
are just too many better pond pump options and keeping customers happy
is vital.
Because a sump is needed to empty basements they generally need to
pump to a significant height (or head) like 12 or 15 feet and they are
sold on the premise of ... buy this big strong pump for a low price.
However big strong pumps need lots of electricity and as we have seen
the running cost of a pond pump normally exceeds the purchase price ...
see how to work out power cost for
pond pumps
 What does a sump pump look like?
Take a look at this picture which shows a very common shape for a
sump pump. Notice the suction is flush with the bottom of the pump. Now
this makes no sense in a pond at all since it would suck all the debris
that settles on the pond floor but it is a prime requirement for pumping
out a sump or basement.
Notice also the vertical nature of the design and the handle a the
top.
If you review the power consumption figure on the box you will see it
is high and about 250 watts up. On the other hand the price will seem
rather low for such a powerful pump.
The pump shown here consumes 300 watts of electricity and will
deliver 1300 gph at 9 feet head. This sump pump has a suggested retail
price of $162.99. It has a 1 year guarantee ONLY. The sump pump will
cost $262 per year to run in terms of electricity cost at 10 cents per
unit of electricity. After 3 years total cost amounts to $951.39 It is
a bad buy in my opinion for most backyard pond and waterfall pump
situations. Choose low cost reliable supplier on-line
I suggest you look a both suppliers and compare prices and shipping
costs ... take note that both suppliers offer specials at times and
these often appear in right hand border of this website.
These suppliers do sell other makes of pumps also of high quality and
performance which you might want to investigate and you can search the
websites for the model you want ...
Florida based
supplier specializing in very wide range of garden fish pond equipment
including pond pumps filters and UV lights ... just click the link
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