Sump Pump Malfunctioning

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JackoftheGreen

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I installed a sump and sump pump in my basement after some flooding two summers ago. It's just a seepage sump with no footers or inlets, and the pump discharges out to the gutter through a run of PVC some 60' long.
About a week ago we noticed it was no longer functioning how it used to. I don't remember the model number or brand, but it's one of the cheap(ish) sump pumps from Harbor Freight with a vertical-type float on a shaft. Previously, when the float reached its high point the pump would trigger and run for 5-8 seconds, which would drain the sump some 8 or 10 inches, and then shut off. During heavy rains this sort of interval would repeat every five minutes or so, maybe every two minutes during exceptionally wet weather.

Now, however, the "low shut off" or whatever it's called doesn't seem to be working. When it triggers, the pump runs for literally less than a second, and then immediately shuts off. The water level falls only enough to bring the float out of contact with the trigger, and doesn't allow the float to descend the shaft to whatever low point it's supposed to find/reach. Needless to say, this causes the pump to switch off and on in roughly ten-second intervals ALL. DAY. LONG. We're experiencing a sudden warming trend and more than two feet of snow has vanished from the lawn in less than a week, so the ground is completely saturated.

I can trigger the pump manually either by holding the float against it's stop, or plugging the pump directly into the wall (it's the sort where the float and pump are two different plugs, and the pump plugs into the float), and it will rapidly empty the sump as always with no problems. There's no obstruction in the discharge, the check-valve is working just as it's supposed to -- I'm clueless.

My gut tells me it's just reached its service life and I need to replace the pump, but before I take that step I wanted to see if I'm missing something. I can't find any sort of adjustment on the shaft, nothing seems loose or bent or otherwise out of whack, and it doesn't seem to have lost any power or have any hesitation when I trigger it manually.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

- Jack of the Green
 

VAWellDriller

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Seems clear that your pump is fine and all the problem is with the float switch mechanism. You can get a newfloat switch at most reputable plumbing supply stores that will have a piggyback plug.
 
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