I am going to install an emergency sump and want to know the pros / cons of a water powered venturi type and a bettery powered. Is one type 'better' than the other, what should I look for when shopping, etc.
Sump to ceiling is 10'. I am on city water.
Do I need to include the horizontal distance when figuring out the run, or only vertical?
Thanks

I have installed 3 of the water powered pumps and they do work but the volume is much lower than a battery pump. However, they keep running as long as you have city water pressure. One brand, Home Guard, sells at Ace hardware for about $129. So far, none of these installation have reported to me that they failed to keep the pit from over flowing during a storm or power outage.

I'm not taking sides but what happens to water powered sump pumps in a home with a well system when the power goes off? Cheers, Tom

They become $129 door stops. Mykeytea said he was on city water as were my installations so they will work but well water is definitely not a good installation.

I know this is a three year old thread, but this type of system sounds appealing to me. My sump pump runs consistently during the wet spring months. I have a portable generator for emergencies, but I want a backup pump to kick in if the power goes out and I'm not home. My neighbors that have lived in my neighbor for 30+ years say that the power almost never goes out. So that's why I'm interested in the water powered system.

How much water from my pipes is used to pump out a gallon of water?

If you haveread the old posts you'll see that a water powered pump can't handle the volume that a battery powered one can. My bet goes with the battery powered pump. Good luck, Tom

I agree with Tom. Much lower volume of discharge on the water powered pump. And for every two gallons of ground water they pump out you are using another gallon of city water. For people who want the best in basement protection I recommend the Pro Series Pumps PS-C33 combination primary and backup. This is the only backup I know of that will run off AC as long as it is available and then switch to battery when it is not. All the others I know of will only run on battery. It tests itself weekly and you can set it up to call your cell phone if the backup pump kicks on letting you know there is a problem even if you are away from home.

Now I'm also wondering about initial cost vs. overall cost.

Battery Powered:

Initial Cost is approx. $400 :(
The pump can handle a decent amount of water. :)
Over time, the battery will have to be replaced... another $80 cost. :(
The battery will naturally lose charge when not in use and will need recharging and the battery may need other maintenance (e.g. refilling with water).


Water Powered:

Initial cost is between $150 and $250. :)
No maintenance! :)
This pump cannot handle as much water as the battery powered pump. When the pump does kick in I'm being charged for the water being used. This could rack up a pretty high water bill!:eek:

Hey Logan.
It's a trade off. You're trading performance for cost. Your choice.
Good luck, Tom