Yoursump pumphelps protect your home by removing water from the lowest parts of your home. This stops water from pooling, damaging your home and possessions, and even causing mold to spread throughout your home.
It is usually connected to your mains electricity supply, and it's important that it's able to run continuously or your home is unprotected.
In this guide, we'll explain whether you can add a battery backup to an existing sump pump and what the key benefits are.
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Can You Add Battery Backups To An Existing Sump Pump?
Almost every single sump pump can have a battery backup added to it, even if it wasn’t designed with one already included.
In fact, many homeowners are choosing to add battery backups to their sump pump because of the benefits they offer:
Protection Against Power Outages
Power outageshappen more frequently than youthink,disrupting yoursump pumps operation. If your power goesout,then your battery backup will kick in and keep it running until you can get the power going again. This means there are no gaps in protection for your home.
Protection Against Tripped Circuit
Your circuit trips as a precaution againstunexpected surges. This helps to protect your home fromelectrical fires and prevent damage to your appliances.It can take you a while to notice it's happened, but your sump pump won't have access to any power at that time. A battery backup will provide protection to cover these periods until you can reset the breaker and get power flowing again.
Protection Against Sump Pump Failure
If your sump pump becomes clogged or starts tofail,then the power can cut out. A battery backup will give an alternative power source to get it running again so it can keep removing water from your home.
Extra Protection During Extreme Weather
Unfortunately, power outages can often happen during periods of extremeweather,and this is where you need your sump pump the most. A battery backup will keep your pump runningduring these extreme conditions and keep floodwater out of your home.
4 Factors To Consider When Installing A Battery Backup
There are many different battery backups to choose from, and it can be challenging to know where to start.These are the key factors to consider which may help you narrow down the choices:
1. Alarm System
Part of the reason battery backup systems are so important is because you don't always notice that the sump pump has stopped working. Backups with built-in alarm systems will notify you when they kick in. This will let you know something iswrongand you need to take action, so it's definitely a feature to look out for.
2. Pump Capacity
Your pump capacity is the amount of water it can pump from your home in a given period. This is generally measured in gallons per minute orgallons per hourand gives you an idea of how much they can handle. If your battery backup kicks in, then it needs tobe able to provide the same amount of power so that the pump can keep working at the same pace. Look for a pump that offers the same gallons per hourso it will run properly.
3. Self-Test Feature
Your sump pump needs to run pretty frequently to keep it in working order. Some battery backups come with an automatictest feature which means they'll periodically switch on to test themselves. This activates your sump pump and keeps it running as it should, so it's a useful feature for a backup to have.
4. Battery Capacity
You should consider how often your sump pump runs and how much power you might need. The battery capacity is how long it will be able to run, and you need to pick a battery with enough capacity, or your pump will cut out before you can get the primary power source back on.
Battery Type
There are a few different types of batterybackups,but you should always opt for amarine battery(sometimes called a deep-cyclelead-acid battery). The output from this type of backup is measured in amps per hour and will give you a clear rating of how long it will run.
How To AddABattery Backup To Existing Sump Pump(DIYInstall)
It’sreallyeasy to install a battery backup to your existing sump pump,and you don’t need much electrical experience. It’s really important that you turn off the power to the sump pumpcompletely to avoid any risk of injury, and if at any point you feel unsure, you should consult a professional.
Before starting, you should make sure you have your new battery backup pack and some wire cutters because you may need to trim back some wires to connect them to your pump.
1
Mount The Battery Pack
Your battery backup should come in a plastic box to protect it from any moisture. This box needs to be mounted on a wall less than 4 feet away from the pump and close enough to reach the sump pump electrical cable. You should be able to screwthe boxdirectly into the wall without much hassle.2
Make The Connections
This is the only slightly tricky part of the process, but even without electrical experience, you should be able to do it.Make sure the pump is turned off on the machine and at the circuit.Then, locateand take the red cable from the battery pack and connect it to the positive terminal on the sump pump.Next, take the black cable from the battery pack and connect it to the negative terminal.The location of thesump pump terminals and the color of the battery cables may vary. Make sure you check the user manual and specifications so you can connect everything up correctly.3
Test The Battery
Make sure your sump pump isplugged in, turned on, and running properly (there is usually an LED light to indicate it's turned on). Next, unplug the pump and watch to see if the LED light stays on. If it does, it means that the battery has kicked in and your backup power source is working. Once you're sure it's working, plug the sump pump back inso it can run from the mains. Your battery backup should now be in place.
What Is The Best Battery Backup For My Sump Pump? (+ Where To Buy Them)
You can buy sump pump battery backups fairly easily online, and there's plenty to choose from.You’ll typically pay$200-$600for a battery backup, but you can find somecheaper models if you have a tight budget.Amazon,Lowes,Menards, andHome Depotall offer some good quality backups and we'd encourage you to start looking there.Here are 3 of our top battery backups to get you started:
- The Basement Watchdog(Amazon)
This battery backupis great value and costs less than $200. Consideringitslow cost, it offers a good amount of power and can support pumping of over 1000 gallons per hour. We found itreally simple to install, and it can run for over a daycontinuously. This isn't the most impressive battery backup around, but it offers some outstanding value. - Zoeller Battery Backup(Lowes)
Zoeller is awell-knownbrand for sump pumps and manufactures some of the most popular models on the market.It can support pumping ofover 100gallons per minute andis well suited for powerful sump pumps that see a lot of use. This battery backupwill last for days and automatically charge when the pump is plugged into the mains.It’s one of the more expensive backups at$600 butshould give you absolute peace of mind that your pump will keep running. - FVP Volt Edge Backup(Menards)
Menards offers a cheaper alternative battery backupat under $250. It has enough power to pump 7500 gallons of water on a full charge, which is plenty for most homes and will support any small or medium-sized sump pumps.In addition, it's designed to have a long life and integrates easily with all major sump pumpbrands,so installation is simple.
FAQs
How long does a sump pump battery last?
Every sump pump isdifferent,but most will be able to power your sump pump running continuously for 5-7 hours. You will get some batteries that offer more power andlast longer.
How much does it cost to install a sump pump battery backup?
If you want to hire a professional to install your battery backup, it will probably cost $100-$200, depending on the area you live in and the type of sump pump you have.
What size battery backup do I need for a sump pump?
The battery needs to be able to power your sump pump, so make sure you have enough amps.As a rule, you should look for a sump pump battery backup with at least 75 amps.
How often should you replace a sump pump battery?
Your sump pump backup battery should be replaced every 5years butmay need to be replaced more frequently if it sees more use.
Conclusion
Your sump pump needs tobe able torunwhenever it’sneeded, andinstalling a battery backup to the device is a great way to ensure that happens.
Hopefully, this guide has helped explain the key benefits of a battery backup and how you can install one yourself without any professional help. Remember, electrics can be difficult anddangerous, so if you aren't sure, then you should consult a professional straight away.
