NexPump sump pump system?

[Cableaddict]

I just had an interior French Drain installed, but no pumps yet.

I thought I had the pump & battery system all figured out, but I'm not crazy about the fact that you have to test & exercise the system at least once a month. Also, with the backup pump, even a $2500 Sumpro battery system has no diagnostics. Then I discovered the "NexPump" system website.

This system sounds great, as it tests itself, however I can find almost no user reports online, at all. I'm hoping someone my have some "real world" information on these. The concept is great, but the pumps themselves seem pretty iffy.

Anyone?
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I love the fact that the system checks everything- pumps, battery life, charger, switches, etc. The pumps get dry-tested 2X a day, etc.

OK, the electronics box could fail, but I am considering (literally) installing TWO of these double-pump systems, with one set raised up as a backup system. This would still be less expensive than the system I was about to order.

But I'm hung up on the fact that there is so little user info out there on these. I'm talking about systems that have been in place for 5+ years, and still work perfectly. Nada. No info at all.

I'm also concerned that these are 12v DC pumps, because AS A GENERAL RULE, 12v DC pumps are not as reliable, being designed primarily for short-term bilge operation. The Nexpump pumps are made by Bell & Gossett (ITT.) Is that good or bad?

Also, Nexpump test these pumps dry, and they stay dry in the pit. Can this possibly be OK?

[HayZee518]

From what I an figure out, a 12 vdc system is the most common available. The site installation instruction shows ac power to the unit. The ac powers an AC to DC convertor which will operate the pump(s) and trickle charge the standby battery. A marine battery is indicated because it is a deep cycle battery which will supply power constantly upon loss of AC. [that is until its threshold is reached] The phone connection means there is an internal modem and or dialer to notify you of problems. it will call a number to notify you of problems. An electronic self test circuit does monthly checks of the system even though the pumps are not physically running.

[HayZee518]

I read what you have in your original post and it's verbatum what is in the Woodnet forum. I found this when I googled - nexpump reviews. So its not really your opinions on the pump unless your username is "woody."
I worked at a massachusetts power company where all the control systems are direct current. backup motors are all 240 and 120 volt DC.
In the unlikely hood we ever had a loss of AC, the thrust bearing and lube oil pumps are DC. AND they work, all the time.
The forum mentions Zoeller pumps. They may be the "cats behind" but you'd need 10, 12 volt batteries in series to operate one pump. Use the nexpump system. 12 volt marine deep cycle batteries will work! and keep on working. Granted you just don't install them and forget them. You need to do some maintenance once in a while. You check water levels in the batteries cells, you got to clean the battery posts so you don't create the green deposits which make a high resistance connection to current flow. Do you check your car battery EVER? You depend on that battery to start your car, well, you'd do the same with your nexpump system if you want the reliability.
The pump(s) in the sump pit will normally have a little water in it because when the pump shuts down, that little bleeder hole will bleed back whatever water is in the vertical discharge line to keep the pump body wet and whatever sensors that depend on water to keep them flexible.

[Cableaddict]

Thanks, Hayzee, I do appreciate your thoughts, but do you have any direct experience with this system? It all sounds good in theory, but ....

As for the industrial DC thrust bearing and lube oil pumps you mentioned: Maybe they were dependable, but were they 12v? I doubt it. This is what I'm trying to find out. Is there a powerful, dependable 12v DC pump? Common sense says no, since there's no free lunch, but I'm still clinging to hope. You were an electrician, so do you have an opinion on this?

As for the water in the pit: No, the pumps will be bone dry most of the time. You'd only get some water from the bleeders, or residual water below the float level (and they're MECHANICAL floats, unfortunately) if there was a heavy rainstorm. You could go an entire year without this, and those pumps would be testing bone-dry 2X a day. And there would NEVER be enough water to keep the sensors flexible, though that probably doesn't matter.
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Why Nexpump didn't make their system with tried & true AC pumps is a mystery. They could have used the Sumpro battery system & had plenty of reserve power. Well ....

FWIW, even the one contractor I could find that install NexPump offers it as a backup system only, not a primary.
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I'm giving up by Monday. Going to order something else unless I can get some real feedback. . No way am I going to trust my place to something with a zero proven track record.

[Cableaddict]

Anyone else?

I'm hoping to hear from folks who have actually installed this system. - and hopefully for a number of years already.

[HayZee518]

in your browser window type in "nexpump reviews" now read some of the reviews. try to find out the users name and call them, talk to them. IMO nothing will replace AC for dependability BUT, in an emergency situation when AC power is not there, what do you turn to. Again IMO 12 v dc is the easiest to work with. In an industrial setting, rotary table indexing and motor speed control is all DC The manufacturer "BRONCO" makes a 12 volt DC variable speed control. And No, I have not experienced this kind of pump first hand.

[Cableaddict]

Thanks for the clarification. - Greatly appreciated.

I know what you mean about controlling DC motors. Lots of vari-speed machines use them for that reason, mills, lathes, etc. But again, they are beefy DC motors, not 12v bilge pumps.

So yeah, it's not looking good for NexPump, as a primary system. Clever idea, though.

[Redwood]

Call me unimpressed with the pump(s) and I would never consider them to be anything more than a glorified bilge pump... No matter how many useless bells and whistles you add to it....

Rule 4000 > ITT Flow Control - Engineered for life.



Their wimpy little pumps that when faced with realistic head pressures of about 10' can't come close to matching the main sump pump installed in most cases...

For me I'll take a Zoeller Aquanot II without the bells and whistles and just settle for having a back up pump system that works. Of course I'd also say that about every 4 years you are looking at battery replacement and if additional run time capacity is needed then additional batteries can be banked either as 6-volt in series or, 12-volt in parallel...

[Cableaddict]

Wow, Redwood, I think you are correct. That has to be the pump. (Definitely an ITT / Rule.) THANKS !

My big concern is not GPH @ 10', two of these should be enough for my basement (and I'd have another dual-pump system as the backup) My concern is:

1: Can these run continuous duty, and last?

2: Can these really run dry (testing 2x per day) for short amounts of time, without butning up?

3: Can these sit dry for a year, with no damage to the seals?

Any idea? I'd really LOVE to install a system that doesn't require PITA testing at a minimum of once a month, although it looks like that will probably be the case.

[Redwood]

I think you expect a lot from nothing....

1: Can these run continuous duty, and last?

Hopefully from the time the boat springs a leak until you get it out of the water. But if it doesn't boats have flotation built into them and there is always the Coast Guard, SeaTow, and insurance....

2: Can these really run dry (testing 2x per day) for short amounts of time, without butning up?

I test mine before I put the boat in the water every time....

3: Can these sit dry for a year, with no damage to the seals?

I usually get 3 - 5 years out of the bilge pump in my boat before replacing it...
They die sometimes....

The Zoeller sump pump in my basement is about 20 years old, The one in my mothers basement is 28 years old....

You are really over thinking this subject...

[Cableaddict]

I

Hopefully from the time the boat springs a leak until you get it out of the water. But if it doesn't boats have flotation built into them and there is always the Coast Guard, SeaTow, and insurance.... .

Once again, this is a basement sump pump system. It has nothing to do with boats other than that it uses marine bilge pumps. It's basically a backup system that self-tests, and tha CLAIMS to be able to also work as a main system.

Well, now that I know which pumps they are, (thanks again) I sent a query directly to Rule. Maybe they'll respond.

[Redwood]

Once again, this is a basement sump pump system. It has nothing to do with boats other than that it uses marine bilge pumps. It's basically a backup system that self-tests, and tha CLAIMS to be able to also work as a main system.

No! It is a bilge pump that is weak on capacity and service life, designed for temporary use in a leaking boat, to hopefully save the boat from swamping or, sinking.

The slick marketing experts at NexPump rather than design a backup sump pump system that is truly effective and has a long service life have taken the cheap easy way out and are selling a system that has marketing claims that are taller than what they deliver. While it may be nice to have a sump pump system that self tests the battery and pump, then e-mails you telling you that it is working properly and ready to go, these tests have no value other than looking good on a slick website and in their YouTube videos.

If you rely on this system I highly recommend that you have Flood Insurance Coverage and please realize that this coverage is separate from your homeowners insurance.

Now as to your stubbornness and persistance in tooting the value of this system, I personally believe that you are not a consumer interested in purchasing the system, but rather someone that has a vested interest in selling this system. Thanks for spamming this forum as part of your marketing effort!

[Redwood]

For those of you reading this thread that have 12-volt back up sump pumps that do not have the "Feel Good" self diagnostic e-mail ability, check this link on how to test a deep cycle battery. It is a simple test procedure that will give you an indication of the batteries ability to deliver its rated capacity and is not a "Feel Good Test."

DEEP CYCLE BATTERY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

[NexPumpowner]

I've had this system for 6 years. It has run with ZERO issues - except it told me to replace the batteries last year.

Some of you people have missed the boat literally.
So what do you do when the power goes out? or the pump or float packs it in?
Call your your insurance agent?

Me - I decided to avoid all those hassles completely.

If you are so concerned about the lifespan of Rule pumps, then install a $100 120 volt pump and set the NexPump up as a backup. The inventor shows how to do this on his site.

And I'd rather not have to go through the hassle of manually performing deep cycle battery testing. I've got better things to do with my life. NexPump checks it twice a day automatically.

[bpstars]

Experiance with Rule pumps

Wow, Redwood, I think you are correct. That has to be the pump. (Definitely an ITT / Rule.) THANKS !

My big concern is not GPH @ 10', two of these should be enough for my basement (and I'd have another dual-pump system as the backup) My concern is:

1: Can these run continuous duty, and last?

2: Can these really run dry (testing 2x per day) for short amounts of time, without butning up?

3: Can these sit dry for a year, with no damage to the seals?

Any idea? I'd really LOVE to install a system that doesn't require PITA testing at a minimum of once a month, although it looks like that will probably be the case.

I have been using the 120V rule sumps pumps for about 10 years now.
I do NOT have experiance with their 12V, but my experiance with both 120V and 12V motors in numerous other areas tells me that the 12V should work the same as the 120V assuming they are designed properly and Rule has been making these pumps, particularly the 12V pumps for a long time.
The Rule sump pumps I have used, test for the presence of water by turning on for only about 1-2 secs and determining the resistance to the impeller. If it is sufficient, it goes into pump mode and pumps out the pit.
If not, if tries it again about every 5 minutes, every hour of every day and my sump pump has been doing this "dry" for 8+ years.
So testing dry is not an issue, because you are not running dry, just testing for a few seconds and the seals and bearings are designed for it.
In fact, you can block an impeller and the unit just detects it and waits for
you to clear it.
As far as the system, I know nothing about it personally, but if it is using the Rule pumps, then everything else is just the electronics and the Rule pumps in my experiance have been extremely reliable and draw far less current for their pumping capacity than most other pumps.
I used the Rules, as when the AC went out, the pumps could run off a std high capacity UPS system.
Of course, all the rest of the electronics in the NEx system aren't there, and as mine is almost 10 years old now, I am actually looking at getting a Nex system as it is the closest to the system I now have than most.
I learned in the past the hard way, that even with a backup system, if the pumps are checked, when they suddenly have to work, they may be dead.

That happened to me so the idea the system checks the pumps and tells me "hopefully" long before that my system is failing, is important to me.

I have no connection with Nex or (as of yet) no experiance with their system, just the Rule pumps.

Hope this helps you out.

Bpstars