I have dummy questions about my sump pump...???

[MTG#10]

are you sure its a sump pump and not a bear?

[Swanman]

We have a watchdog system and it works fine. The backup sump saved our asses a few years ago when the main pump failed during a big storm. The smaller backup pump was able to keep up for enough time to get the main pump replaced. Another part of this is that it's a godsend if you can find a local plumber that you can trust to do good work. Luckily for us during that storm, we called our guy and he was out within 10 minutes.

[kccrow]

If you really need to worry about a sump pump failure, it might be worth making a real investment. For about $2000 you can back up all the main items in your home with a standby generator and automatic transfer switch.

Something like this: http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect....FQctaQodZtsBRA

I know Honda supports most transfer switches hooking to their auto start portables too, but you'll spend a hefty amount on a new Honda generator.


As for the battery backup idea, look at the watts your pump is drawing and what the battery will support.

Edit (Eplanation):

A 750 VA battery will yield about 60% in watts or 450 watts

A 4.9 Amp sump pump running at 120 V will yield 588 watts

That APC won't power your pump. You need at least 1000 VA in that case. I believe there are some UPS systems in the $150 range with 1000 VA.