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Bahamas, Nassau
1 Level
710 Review
53 Karma

Review on πŸ’¦ WaterBoss Universal Septic System, Sump Pump, Water Tank Float Switch - 10ft Cable, 5-Year Warranty by David Underberg

Revainrating 2 out of 5

functional but unwieldy size and movement (UPDATE 6/2018, switch defective)

UPDATE 6/2018: switch fails after less than two years of use, "hangs" coincidentally even in the 90 degree Angle. Sticking it could burn out my pump, but sticking it to "off" flooded my basement. I was very dissatisfied to see the submerged switch happily floating upright. A vigorous push brought it back to life, but later in the day it got stuck several times (while I was watching). A failed float switch is an unusable float switch. Lowering my rating from 3 to 2 stars as I've been expecting a sealed switch in this price range for over 2 years. the first place. This looks like my original float switch that lasted 17 years under the same operating conditions. Fingers crossed. (original review follows) ---------- This float switch replaced a failed old float switch in my house sump. The SumpAlarm mechanism works, but the design and size make it far less predictable/reliable than a vertical float switch. I had two problems with this design. First, the float takes up a lot of space. It's quite large, rectangular, with something of a protrusion on the outside. And it must have at least 2 inches of cord and be able to go from straight down (out) to almost straight up (in). It won't turn on after rotating 90 or even 120 degrees, and will fire anywhere from 150 to 180 degrees (mostly straight up). This requires a wide cesspool and the absence of obstacles. Mine is about 20 inches wide and the float can still get caught on the intake pipes. Consider a different float if your sump is less than 24 inches wide (inside). Second, the float doesn't fold straight up. and down. It's not designed to be buoyant up and down or to one side, so it'll bounce up at a curved angle without necessarily firing when you expect it (and that means it needs round headspace to function). rather than just enough room to move up and down). The large range of motion from top to bottom (and it can't rest on the bottom of the pit) means the drainage range isn't very precise; There is a minimum depth at which the switch will not operate, something on the order of a foot of water. In terms of design, a smaller float should work just as well and have a more precise range of motion. Remove the lip, make everything narrower, if not more angular. Round the edges so they don't snag on objects (like this float switch). Float a page to make it float predictably. Design blunders like this lead me to believe that nobody bothered to test the device in the field, let alone run it in some sort of simulation before sending it to the factory. nice gesture. However, unless you have a very large sump, get a traditional round float or float switch instead.

Pros
  • practical item
Cons
  • negative impression