Sump Pumps

One sump pump wired to mains with 1 battery backup pump placed slightly higher in pit. I recommend a google search for quiet check valve. I recently purchased one and also installed 1 foot of radiator hose onto pvc outlet just above the check valve. This virtually removed all noise and vibration transferred to house framing through the pvc.

JB

The 4" is probably your connection to the muni storm water system. You don't need to have a pump with a 4" discharge, probably only 1-1/2". Get a check valve that diverts flow to your yard or driveway if your storm sewers back up and won't accept the flow from your sump pump.

For backup, if you live on a muni water supply, have a water powered sump pump with the float set a little higher and a diverter check valve as well. This way you have backup even if the power goes off.

For further peace of mind, you can have a high water alarm in your sump pit.

This is not speculation, rather lessons learned from sad experience.

I have 5 pumps operating in a pit and one of the pumps is below the others. Each pump is a 1/2 hp. with a 1.5 inch outflow. All 5 outflows go into a 4 inch pipe and then out to the back of my yard. The problem is that when the water is very low the pump goes on and off because I don't have a check valve. The low pump finally gave out because it started and stopped so many times. I now have to replace the pump. My thought is that a check valve would prevent this on and off process. I am also considering replacing it with a larger pump.

First make sure that the individual pumps are discharging into the top of your main drain. If not, then you are refilling your sump every time one your pumps runs. First, let mother nature work for you.

I can't imagine why you would need 5 pumps unless you have a spring in your basement!

The previous comments are all worth considering.

Zoeller has a complete line of sump pumps as well as many other types of pumps.

go to www.zoeller.com

I prefer a duplex system for redundancy if expensive stuff can get damaged. If flooding is just an inconvience then maybe a single pump.

Unless you have some system of control beyond a float switch your pump will turn on and off--Best case scenario is an efficient pump that moves water out at the same rate it comes in--or have a catch basin with a high and low level switches. You could design a reservoir to pump an economy of water in one setting and save some energy. In-rush currents to motors that start and stop frequently will cost unnecessary money in power consumption--I have that type of basement and I had to run, in addition to my 1/2 hp sump pump with a typical float switch, a 3/4 hp jet pump to keep the water at bay this, awful, winter.--We live near the nasty flood area of Western Washington. I have a high bank creek and would french drain things around the house to the creek if I had the money. In the meantime I have officially abandoned the basement for lack of sump pump faith.