I got the Watch Dog form Home Depot about 4 years ago and it is still working great. It is a battery backup type. It was easy to plumb in and has an alarm that sounds if it runs, so you know something is wrong and can get it fixed. It runs $128 plus the battery. I would recommend it to anyone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Watch Dog @ Home Depot

The top of the line battery back up system is TrustyWarns ... pricey, but a good quality product and the company stands behind their product 100% ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Letter about Trusty Warns

I think ours cost about $500 installed by a plumber. I ran the extra power circuit myself. Ideally both pumps should run off separate breakers b/c if the main pump fails due to electrical short it can cutout the breaker and then your backup has no juice. Be sure the have the appropriate knowledge before installing it yourself - you need to have both plumbed so they don't just dump water into each other (use backflow preventers or separate exhaust lines).

Ours is a Murray and is good quality. But, one thing I don't like is that it runs only from the battery (a large marine battery). The 120v power only recharges the battery. My main pump failed while I was away and it was a wet spring. My backup pump can run a long time on battery but it ran so often it drained the battery. The 120v could not recharge it fast enough. I never lost power so I wish the pump could have been running on the 120v as well as the battery. I caught it just in time so no flooding resulted.

You need one if you are worried about failures from your main pump - either pump failure or power failure. If your basement doesn't have much of value in it, you could just learn to not worry.

You should manually run the main pump and backup pump every month or so. Otherwise floats and such can seize up - rendering them useless in time of need. You can do this just by lifting the mechanisms and filling the sump with water from a nearby faucet.

Water driven sump pumps require a lot of water to drive them, typically about 1/4 to 1/3 the volume that they will pump out. Operate one for any lenght of time and you may feel a bit of sticker shock when you get your water bill. Also keep in mind that if you are on a home well pump, when the power goes out your pump goes out too, so you would not have water pressure to drive the pump. Also keep in mind that when confronted by a severe storm there is a potential that a municipal water supply might be temporarily interrupted as well, leaving your pump without driving power.

Battery backup sump pumps work very well, in most cases they work equal to their commercial power driven counterparts. How long they will work is totally dependant upon the type and size of batteries you have. Most of them work off of rather heavy batteries that are similar to marine deep cycle batteries. The system should be set up with a commercial power trickle charger and relay system that will keep the batteries at full charge until the power goes out.

one advantage of using marine or automotive type batteries is that in a worst case scenario the battery can be taken outside, connect to your vehicle by jumper cables and recharged on site even when you dont have commercial power.

Has anyone seen any of these portable battery backups, and if so, how well do they work?

http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?sort=1&itemID=4601&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=battery+backup

Portable Power Pack
View Larger
Portable Power Pack
Backup power wherever you go

The Portable Powerpack  produces safe, silent household AC power (with DC port) to run a refrigerator or office equipment during short-term power emergencies, or run an outdoor TV or leaf blower.

* Built for rugged use
* Includes a rechargeable battery
* Smaller unit includes jumper cables, AM/FM radio, clock and air compressor
Portable Power Pack
$179.00 - $369.00
Item # 11868
15-1/2"W x 12"D x 14"H.
 Limited Stock!
 This item requires Truck Delivery.

Also - what about a solar backup? someone told me that it might be possible to put a solar panel on the roof and run a line all the way down to basement for backup.

Your best bet is the 12VDC back-up pump. Then you can back-up the 12 volt source with a lawn tractor, your car or other reliable source.

Pinoke

I have two sump pumps...in opposite corners of the basement that work on a french drain system. I did a lot of research on back-up pumps when I moved in. Went with battery back up systems that I got from Sears. Same systems as described above...work off a trickle charger and a deep cycle marine battery. In two years...they have never had to be used...but they provide a good level of comfort.

I purchased an extra marine battery as a precaution...to use if we lost power for a long time and if one of the batteries started to die. As other posted...it can be charged via your car using jumper cables. This third battery would be installed and the dead one charged via the car.

Hope this helps...

Has anyone used or heard of the plug and play backup sump pump kit. Unlike other pumps, this one is placed outside the sump pit. The concept seems to make a lot of sense to have it outside the pit to avoid continuous exposure to dirty water, debrs. etc. We have a french drain system in our basement and the current sump pump is over in one corner. This company offers a residential pump RH-1400 is powered by a heavy duty DC motor. The pump comes with a vertical float switch instead of a tethered float to eliminate the risk of a stuck float inside a pit. Each pump kit includes a high impact battery case to protect battery. The product is from a company called Radon Mitigation & waterporrfing concrete sealer co in Shelton, CT. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm tired of worrying every time we have a thunderstorm that the power will go out and we'll risk flooding again.

I have been shopping for the best sump protection for my newly finished basement. It is 2,800 square feet and was completed to an 'above average' finish with a bar, theater, my sports memorabilia collection, etc. I live in one of the older neighborhoods in Hinsdale, IL and we are very prone to power outages. My sump pump runs every 30 minutes when dry, every 4 minutes when raining hard. But the point is...I CAN NOT FLOOD.

I'm comparing several products: StormPro Platinum, PeakFlow Pumps ePump (model 5600). The StormPro product seems to simply be electric pumps powered by an inverter if the utility power fails. I'm enough of a hobbyist to know that inverted DC can't supply an AC draw very efficiently, therefore my running time would be severely limited. I also don't see ANY self testing or notification capabilities on that unit. (Incidentally, I also looked at a brand my plumber had called ProSeries, but quickly realized it was just a WatchDog (same manufacturer) like at Home Depot). I guess I'm leaning toward the PeakFlow ePump because of the twice a day testing, diagnostics and notification, performance capabilities, and comparable pricing.

But before I decide for sure to purchase that one, I have a few questions that I consider crucial regarding backup pumps in this purchase:

How often does the product self-test?
If it does not self test, how does it tell me it has broken several years from now (since all mechanical things eventually break)?
Is it able to pump over 60gpm at 10' high, run continuously for 14 hours, detect frozen or air locked pipes, diagnose bad pumps, batteries, power supplies, etc.
Can it call and email me 24/7/365 with important alerts within minutes of a suspected alert condition?
What redundancy is built in?
Is there any kind of online interface or controls for the system?
What is the warranty?

Please inform if you know of any product that has all the capabilities of the Peakflow Pumps brand unit described above. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Ben Runkle, Principal
Runkle, Caldwell, and Jordan, Ltd.
CPAs for the Players Sports Industry
benrunkle7@gmail.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Where they sell the SmartHome systems

benrunkle7,

is there a reason you don't like watch dog? I am just wondering because I see that product in ACE and HD. But thank you for listing the alternatives. let us know what you decide. I live on the other side of rt 83

I have a TrustyWarns and it is very well made. It is a bit pricey but cheaper than a flooded basement. They are about $1800-$2000. They have a web site, check it out. This was the best pump on the market that I could find. I picked it up at the company and everyone was very friendly and helpful (family owned).

I was saved once by my water powered back up pump. Got if from home depot for about $100. Did teh install myself except for the connection to the copper water supply pipe. I think a plumber charged me about $100 to do that. If I had a basement that absolutley, positively could not be allowed to flood ... I think I would have all three set up. 120V, battery powerd and water powered.