How to figure out how much battery back-up protection you are buying
How to figure out how much battery back-up protection you are buying
A simple equation can tell you how many gallons your pump equipment can pump out of your basement when the power goes out.
Gallons out = Ampere-hour capacity of the batter / DC amps of the pump x Gallons per hour (gph) rating of the pump at 8 feet high.
In the case of Basement Systems Ultrasump:
Gal. out = Amp hour of battery / DC amps of pump x gph
Gal. out = 120 / 19.8 x 2010
Gal. out = 6.06 x 2010
Gal. out = 12,181
This calculation assumes you are pumping the water 8 feet high and that the battery is new. As batteries age, they lose some of their ampere hour capacity. Because of these and other factors, we usually understate the performance.
A special unit called an UltraSump Dual battery Switching Unit allows two batteries to be hooked up, doubling the number of gallons the back-up pump will pump out.
Everyone asks “How long will the pump last?” We can’t answer this question because it is the wrong question. How long your battery back-up pump will last in a power outage depends upon how hard it rains when the power is out and how much water is in the ground under your particular home. One thing is for sure, 12,181 gallons of water is a lot of water. It’s the average size of a basement, filled to the ceiling!
Is a generator an option?
A generator is a good idea if you have an automatic one permanently installed that senses when the power goes out and starts up automatically. It needs to be wired by an electrician. A typical generator can be hooked up to run your sump pump, a few lights, the furnace, and the fridge. This costs between $7,000 to $10,000 in most cases. If you go this route, be sure to install two AC primary pumps to cover you in case of pump failure, as a generator only eliminates the need for the DC back-up pump.
You can purchase a portable generator for $400 or so. However you have to be home (and awake) to notice when the power fails. Then you have to drag the generator outside, gas it up, start it up, and run an extension cord to your sump pump. Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work you shouldn’t want to or have to worry about!
