I have a main Sump Pump (Zoeller, 0.3 HP from 1998) and a back up 12V sump pump. Both had a check valve and were connected by a Tee.

The main pump was pushing water up the pipe, and the water was flowing back into the 12V pump. The check valve was bad. I even got a plumber to come and give me an estimate and he complained how difficult it was do cut the PVC pipes so basically I told him to leave.

I bought 2 of these valves from Home Depot and I was about to start the replacement.

[www.homedepot.com];



but then I went to Lowes to buy some additional fittings and saw a "quiet" valve

[www.lowes.com]



I installed the quiet ($30) valve on the main pump since I thought this will run 99.9% of the time and the cheaper, non-quite valve on the 12V pump since this will rarely run and when power is out, the valve noise is the least of my concern.

I put everything together with PVC glue, hose clamps on these valves, and checked by dumping a few buckets of water and everything was fine. No leaks.

Yesterday is started raining and last night I checked the sump pump an all was fine.

This morning I hear leaking water. I go in the basement and I see water leaking from the 12V pump, just like before. What is happening here? How come in failed in just a few days, of which only one day was rainy?

is it a bad valve? a bad design? do I have debris in the water that hets stuck in the valve? I am tempted to replace it with the $30 model too, since at least I can see what's inside.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2021 08:56AM by space-time.

You of course won't know for sure how it failed until you take it apart and inspect it. The flapper may be stuck in the open position (too forceful pump, initial water blast forcing the valve into a narrow pipe?), or as you surmise, debris preventing the flapper from closing. Or the vertical pipe above the valve is more horizontal than vertical, so the backflowing water "seeps" around the valve and not allowing its weight to close the valve. Also, if the pump runs until there is no more water, air in the line may "belch" the valve open after the pump shuts down.

I wonder if there isn't some sort of suction or backflow issue. Being able to see inside the valve is a definite plus.

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C(-)ris
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Throwback Thursday Signature:

First you should see if there is an obstruction the discharge pipe. I think you are seeing the main sump pump pumping water sending water (at least some) back through the 12v unit because the discharge line is partially blocked. In fact, you just might disconnect the 12v unit and test the main unit.

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Ed (modelamac)

I think I will just put an OUT OF ORDER
sticker on my head and call it a day.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2021 11:43AM by modelamac.

Bad 12v pump? Too much back pressure? Too much debris?

I don’t know if this applies to your situation, but my sump discharge runs thru a PVC pipe to outside of the foundation where it then runs thru a hose to the front yard to get the water far enough away from the house. The hose has a flexible accordian-like structure. Last winter water froze in the hose and the pump couldn’t push the water thru.

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Where is there dignity unless there is also honesty? - Cicero

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. —Wendy Mass

the pipe is not clogged, it is a 1.5" pipe, and when the main pump runs, the flow outside is very strong. As I said, I tested it and it worked fine. The issue is that this new check valve started leaking again. Just like the old one.

I think these $10 check valves are junk and I plan to get a second $30 Zoeller quiet check valve, just so I can see what it is inside.

The good news is that instead of $4-500 that they plumber was estimating, I spent less that $100 in parts so far. And I learned a new skill: working with PVC pipes.

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Ammo
I don’t know if this applies to your situation, but my sump discharge runs thru a PVC pipe to outside of the foundation where it then runs thru a hose to the front yard to get the water far enough away from the house. The hose has a flexible accordian-like structure. Last winter water froze in the hose and the pump couldn’t push the water thru.

nope, the pike is clear.

Just curious (& assuming both pumps are in the same sump); if there is
AC power to the '98 Zoeller, is the 12vDC pump disabled by a controller?
Also, all the diagrams I've seen & my own sump pump have the discharge
pipe going above then sloping down to the outlet point to prevent backflow.

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39°36'17"N 75°44'43"W

DuckDuckGo
The search engine that doesn't track you.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2021 02:45PM by MrNoBody.

the 12V is not even plugged in yet. adjusting the level of the float switch for the 12V to kick in only when 120V pump fails (no power, or just failure) was my next step. I think the previous owner had it way too high IMHO.

And the 1.5" discharge pipe goes up, then horizontal to come out of the basement, then down about 12" along the side of the house and then about 8 feet away from the house.

As I said, the failure is clearly the cheap overbuilt valve in the 12V pump branch.

could it be that tightening the clamps on the fernco fittings is deforming the back flow valve?

....did you check your *************** pump.....???

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

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bruceko
could it be that tightening the clamps on the fernco fittings is deforming the back flow valve?

interesting theory. I can try to loosen or tighten some of those hose clamps.

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space-time
The good news is that instead of $4-500 that they plumber was estimating, I spent less that $100 in parts so far. And I learned a new skill: working with PVC pipes.

Win-win !

I honestly don’t understand a plumber who “won’t work with PVC pipe”. Dude is stuck in the 1960’s. “Cast iron and lead and oakum seals only !”

PVC is crazy easy. You just need a saw to cut it, a knife to debur the cut, a piece of sandpaper to scuff the joint lightly, and cement.

....so he should stick that in his pipe [ non PVC pipe ].....and smoke it........???

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

I honestly don’t understand a plumber who “won’t work with PVC pipe”.

No, he didn't say that. He complained that it's a lot of work to cut the pipes and replace that valve. I guess he didn't want to be on his knees working on that sump pump.

What I did instead was to cut the main pipe, take the entire assembly out and put it on a work bench, replaced the valves and some fittings, tighten everything properly and put it back into the well. Then reconnect with a PVC Compression Coupling so next time I need to take it out, no cutting/glueing needed.

Those $10 Home Depot-type check valves should work fine. They don't last forever, however, 2-3 years before they start to get "flappy" and/or leak.

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