Zoeller 585-0005 Aquanot II Battery Backup Pedestal Sump Pump System with Electronic Charger

The sump pump we had, which was the same as this one, was over 15 years old and it finally went.What was nice is that we could install it ourselves. Very quiet.

This has replaced my original Zoeller unit due to charging unit went bad after over 10 years of service. Pump itself is still in great working order.

I WILL UPDATE REVIEW TO HIGHER RATING IF IT LASTS. MY LAST AQUANOT WAS MADE IN USA. THIS ONE IS MADE IN CHINA I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A WATER DRIVEN BACK UP IF I KNEW THIS WAS MADE IN CHINA. ALSO THE SUMP BASE THREADS ARE 2 INCH, OLD ONE WAS 1 1/2 INCH NO MENTION OF SIZE THREADS ANYWHERE IN INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS/SPECIFICATIONS. THE FLOAT SWITCH IS GREATLY IMPROVED FROM ORIGINAL SO I ADDED A 2ND STAR FOR THAT. MY 20 YEAR OLD AQUANOT STILL WORKS ONLY FLOAT SWITCH BROKE AND I COULDN'T FIND ONE BUT IF THE CHINA MOTOR BURNS OUT IN 3 YEARS I'M GOING TO SWAP SWITCHES AND RE-INSTALL, BY THE WAY ZOELLER, I WOULD HAVE PAID MORE TO GET IT MADE IN USA. MY LAST ONE COSTS 500 DOLLARS WITH MARINE BATTERY INCLUDED BUT I BOUGHT IT DIRECT FROM MANUFACTURER IN NORTH CHICAGO

This review is being written 11/28/2014 for the Zoeller 585-0005 Aquanot II Battery Backup Pedestal Sump Pump System with Electronic Charger, advertised and sold on the Amazon website.A big plus for this unit is that the pumping capacity is very close or equal to advertised capacity. This is unusual and speaks well for the integrity of the Zoeller corporation.Overall, I've had good experience with this pump. However, after 10+ years, including several heavy and extended usage periods, the motor did fail due to burn-out. This longevity may or may not be typical.The pump is much sturdier construction compared to the average plastic submersible backup sump pump. The pedestal design has some good and bad aspects. On the positive side, keeping the pump out of the water avoids any pump failures due to leakage of water into the pump itself due to seal failure. In addition, the mechanical float is easily adjustable both for the on and off set points, and is a vertical design that fits well in many sump situations. Since the pump sits out of the water, it's true that it does not receive any cooling from sump water as does a submersible pump.This pump does have a significant footprint in the base of the sumpThe controller/charger does not have advanced logic and does not periodically test the pump itself. So, I suggest periodically testing the pump yourself via lifting the float rod. The charger is strong enough to recharge a discharged battery such as after a power outage is restored. Some backup sump systems only have a battery maintainer, and you need to purchase a separate charger, disconnect the battery and re-charge it after the battery becomes discharged due to an extended run time without power.You will need to purchase, install, and maintain a battery which is sold separately. A specialized battery is recommended, and the manufacturer recommends replacing it every 3 years.Each time the pump is activated, an alarm will sound. This can be permanently turned off (such as during a power outage with frequent pump cycles) via a switch. You'll need to remember to turn the switch back on if you want to hear the alarm during future events.Tips:- To maximize flow and make servicing the main AC pump and this backup pump, I recommend using a separate exit pipe vs. connecting the exit pipes together. This does involve cutting another exit hole through the wall which complicates installation.- I recommend installing a full-flow check valve, not one of the other designs such as the cheaper partial-flow flap or spring-loaded "quiet" valves. One model I like is Zoeller 30-0181 Check Valve, 1-1/2 Inch- Use a sweep elbow (gradual turn) for the 90 degree turn in the PVC piping, not a tighter 90 degree elbow to maximize flow.