Sump pumps are essential in a lot of homes for managing groundwater and keeping basements and crawlspaces dry. Often times when we see water levels rise it’s due to rain, sometimes in the form of powerful storms that can knock out power to your home for hours at a time. So in order to keep your basement from flooding during these outages, you need to have a good pump like a Zoeller battery backup sump pump, that doesn’t rely on your home’s power service.
You have options as to which type of backup pump you want to use. One type is a water-powered system like the Liberty SJ10. An advantage to the water-powered systems is that you don’t have to be concerned about how much battery power you have and how much longer the pump will work.
You can also opt for a battery-powered system. The only thing you’ll need to think about is making sure your battery power will last long enough during the outage. Some outages are brief, but in larger storms, and depending on your area, outages can last several hours or more.
I’ve lived in areas that were prone to long outages and in that situation I would keep an extra battery charged up and ready to go in the event of a long power outage. Also, make sure you go ahead and spend the necessary money to get a high-quality battery.
It’s just not worth it to get one of the cheap ones that you may see out there; yes, they can work fine for a while but the cheap ones are not known for longevity and reliability. And those are two things you want when it comes to keeping an emergency sump pump working. Also, I like to have an additional one on hand, like I said, because it really takes some of the stress factor out of some of these already-stressful situations.
But let’s get into talking about why this Zoeller unit is a good choice.
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Zoeller Battery Backup Sump Pump Review
Zoeller is one of the best names in sump pumps. The company is based in Louisville, KY and their products are made in the U.S.A.
Zoeller 508-0005 Aquanot 508 Battery Back-Up System
- 12 volt highly efficient noncorrosive pump construction
- Integrated check valve
- Quick disconnect discharge
- Aluminum seal pocket & cooling plate
- Hand built & 100% tested in USA
Last update on 2024-12-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This 12 V sump pump has an integrated check valve and a three-year warranty. Its design includes legs that allow for free-standing installation. It has an aluminum seal pocket and cooling plate, as well as quick-connect discharge.
The Aquanot 508 runs extremely quietly; as a matter of fact it’s so quiet that you probably won’t notice it when it starts up. Good thing there’s an alarm that will alert you when the pump starts running. This is important since you need to be aware of what’s happening with the backup for a couple of important reasons — if there’s an unknown water situation happening the alarm will get your attention; also, since we’re talking about battery power, you need to keep an eye on battery life.
The unit has a set of dry contacts that you can use to connect it to your home alarm system or an auto-dialer system.
As of this writing, this pump has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with 48 reviews. It’s worth noting that one bad review was from someone who purchased the pump as an open box special through Amazon’s Warehouse Deals program. The unit failed and the manufacturer would not honor the warranty due to the open-box purchase. Now, I’m a huge fan of the Warehouse Deals because you can find great markdowns all the time, and in my case I’ve never had an issue. But I thought I should pass along a warning regarding the warranty.
Flow Per Minute
39 gallons at 5 feet
30 gallons at 10 feet
20 gallons at 15 feet
6 gallons at 20 feet
Specs
Minimum pit size: 18 inches diameter x 22 inches deep
Minimum battery requirements: Deep cycle, size 27, with 175 minute reserve capacity
Battery life estimate: With pump operating continuously and battery fully charged, estimate is 5 1/2 hours
Unit weight: 16.3 pounds
Unit dimensions: 10 1/2 x 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches
Here’s a technical drawing of the unit and its components.
LCD Light Indicators
One of the things I like about the Aquanot 508 from Zoeller is the LCD light system. An indicator light will blink red so you know when the power’s gone out. A green light indicates that the battery has a full charge. A yellow light lets you know when the battery is charging. A red blinking light tells you when the battery is low. There is a yellow high water alert light to tell you when the float is activated. And finally, a yellow light lets you know when the alarm is silenced. These indicators make it super fast and easy to get all the pertinent info.
LED Screen
Gives you information about the system including the battery voltage.
Installation
I always like to include a link to the manufacturer’s installation instructions so you can start scoping it out in advance before the unit arrives. Here’s that link.
Here are some FAQs related to this Zoeller backup sump pump:
Can this be used by itself?
This is a backup sump pump and it is intended to be used for backup.
What kind of battery should I get?
Get a deep-cycle RV or marine battery that meets or exceeds the specs listed above. Get a good battery, the battery isn’t a place to cut corners.
Can this be used as a sewage pump?
No you cannot, it is not designed for that.
How long is the warranty good for?
This unit has a three-year warranty. Warranty is voided if the pump is used for anything other than its intended purpose as a backup or emergency dewatering system.
Final Thought on the Zoeller 508 Battery Backup Sump Pump
This is a unit with excellent reviews and one of the top brand names in the business. If you need a new battery backup sump pump, this Zoeller unit should be at the top of your list. A plumber I know (a good friend of mine) will only use two brands — Wayne or Zoeller. So to me that’s a good indicator.
Photo by tink tracy 