Review on Basement Watchdog BWC1 Switch Controller by John Bones

I used this system because one of the dual float switches on my battery backup pump failed and I couldn't find a factory replacement. My backup system is the watchdog of the big dog basement. I clipped a new controller; thrown away; and the new float switches are wired in parallel to the remaining function switches of my original system. It seems to work. The heavy insulation on the wire to the switches covers two insulated wires, #18 stranded copper, indicating that the two float switches are wired in parallel within the float assembly. The float switch voltage output from the controller is 15 VDC with a positive connection to the red wire. The float switch wires appear to be electrically "floating," meaning they are not directly connected to power lines or ground. There is transformer isolation for the float switch circuit in the controller and it appears that the AC hot line (black) is switched by a mechanical relay with a 12V DC coil. The controller is housed in a durable, tight-fitting plastic case. On the main pump, the two floats are a reasonable vertical distance apart, about 3 or 3 1/2 inches. However, this is a bit far for my purposes, which is one of the reasons I left the original float switch in the circuit. In fact, the bottom float should already be high enough for the backup pump, since it should be higher than the main pump's control level. I like a cage around the float switches. This not only prevents interference, but also greatly simplifies installation. Overall, this system appears to be a smart design. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I didn't rate it for its intended use.