I have about 6 inches of water in my basement from Tropical Storm Ernesto. My sump pump kicks in about every 15 seconds and runs for a second or two, then stops. I think it's totally overwhelmed by all the water. Do you think the constant abrupt, repetetious draw on the outlet could cause a fire? I'm not to worried about the pump itself causing a fire, because it's covered wiht 6 inches of water !
2006-09-01 15:54:53 · 10 answers · asked by Schleppy 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Thanks for all the answers. Since the opinion was somewhat mixed, I decided to pull the plug for now just to be safe. The rain is pretty much over anyway, so the water shouldn't rise much higher than it is already.
2006-09-01 16:45:19 · update #1
no.... unless it is a faulty outlet..... the on/off will not cause it to burn.
if a motor "shorts out" the ground will indeed draw more power,,,, but that power should never reach the outlet,,,, it will trip the breaker well before it reaches it.
assuming you DO have breaker switches
2006-09-01 16:01:59 · answer #1 · answered by steelmadison 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sump pumps, if you have the immersion type, are made to be under water. That shouldn't be a problem. However, kicking on that often and only running a second or two is a sign that your sump pump isn't working right. A sump pump should allow the water to rise to a certain level, and then run until most of the water is pumped out of the sump. Some problems could be that the float on the pump, which is the on/off switch that tells the pump when there's enough water to kick on, is stuck or broke, or the piping the water is pumped out through could be clogged, many of them have a back-check valve in the line that might stick. Excessive water in your sump should cause your pump to run more often, but not the way you described.
Any overworked electrical system generates a lot of heat that can be a fire hazard. Until you find out why your pump is acting up, be sure that you have the proper size fuses in that line, for older homes. Proper fuses or circuit breakers are your best protection against electrical fires.
2006-09-01 16:14:59 · answer #2 · answered by dave 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sump Pump Overheating
2016-11-04 04:45:02 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sump pumps are designed to only pump so high, if they have to pump any further than the recommended pumping level then they will cease to work. Also if you have your pump on a long extension cord it could cause a problem, the greater the distance between power source and pump, the heavier the gauge of the wire the extension cord needs to be(ex. 14/3,12/3,10/3) 10/3 being heaviest. My suggestion is to shorten the length of the discharge hose, ang get a bigger (gauge wise) extension cord.
Check the directions that came with your pump, it should tell you what the maximum discharge head for your pump should be.
Also, check to see if you have a short in the pump, or if something is jammed up in the impeller.
And YES! you should be concerned with this being a fire hazard with all the symptoms you listed. Remember, water and electricity do not play well with each other.
2006-09-01 16:18:12 · answer #4 · answered by moonpie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the water is indeed coming into the bottom of the sump with that much force your basement must be into the water table pretty deep. Have you had lots of rain? If your pump is having to move that much water I would get a second pump and adjust the switch so that if the first one fails it will start working. To stop the water from spraying up from the cracks in the sump you could place some concrete pavers on the bottom to help divert the spray.
2016-03-17 01:19:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The short answer is yes...any electrical device can cause a fire.
But as I read it your concern is the constant on/off of the pump causing a fire in your elect system.
With out knowing the age of your home, wiring and service panel I really cant tell you one way or the other.
If your really concerned you might consider renting a pump and pump out your basement.
This will give your sump pump a rest.
2006-09-01 16:14:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well most sump pumps have a overheating switch that shut the pump off whenever it gets to hot the plug is fine as long as there isnt any shorts in the wiring of the pump or water around the plug
2006-09-01 16:02:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you have not had a problem with the pump before, it sounds like the outlet is clogged or the motor has finally given up the ghost , it is time for a new pump.
2006-09-01 22:39:51 · answer #8 · answered by merkin69@verizon.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the plug is three pronged and your fuse box is up to code,I wouln't worry about it. If your worried,call your local lowes,hardware store, or electrician for there opinion. Good luck with the water.
2006-09-01 15:59:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, any motor that shorts out can draw too much current and overheat the wiring causing a fire.
2006-09-01 16:01:12 · answer #10 · answered by dicky1243 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋