Sump float switch position

[Bammina]

Is there a recommended setting for my pedestal sump's float switch?

I seem to recall a while back someone posting that it didn't matter...

but a friend had mentioned setting it so that it is activated when the water level is just below where the drain tiles enter the crock, and off when it sinks to an inch or two on the bottom.

Someone else mentioned that it should switch on when the level is about 3/4 full and that it should go off when the level is water in the bottom of the tile, supposedly for "radon" reasons.

We live in a house with a full basement in a northern (freezing winters) climate.

Thanks.

 

[hj]

float

You can set the upper and lower limits wherever you desire. There is no advantage to having the upper one at the high limit, or the lower one at the bottom, other than that the pump will run longer each time. Just do not set the lower one so low that the pump sucks air before it turns off.

 

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[Doherty Plumbing]

You want to adjust the floats carefully and thoughtfully. You want your pump to run each time for as long as possible. This prevents short cycling which is the death of any pump. Also the motors are liquid cooled so they actually prefer to run for longer cycles.

As to weather you need to worry about freezing (which is what I think you're saying???) then that would be something you'd need to decide. Does the ground under the house get cold enough to freeze the tank's contents? If so then yeah you might wanna pump whatever is in there out quickly. However you'd probably freeze/split the pump too as atleast part of it is gonna have water in it at any given time.

 

[Bammina]

sump float position

Thanks to both of you.
I remember seeing that answer a while ago.

I guess the other thing was a coworker mentioned that keeping a little water in the bottom of the drain tile helped to reduce radon levels(?).

Not sure if that is true or not.