Battery Backup and Secondary Pumps
When the storm takes the power, a backup keeps the pit moving. We do this across Monmouth and Ocean County from Ocean Township. Call and we come look before we write the scope.
- 5.0 on Google
- Licensed #13VH09886800
- Phone answered 24/7
Battery Backup and Secondary Pumps, on one written scope.
When the storm takes the power, a backup keeps the pit moving.
What’s included on a battery backup and secondary pumps visit.
We inspect the cause, check what else it touched, and leave a written scope with materials and timing. The visit is free and there is no obligation to book the work.
What to know before the visit.
Have ready
Clear a spot near the pit for the battery box and the controller, and make sure a working outlet is within reach of the charger. Write down how often the pump runs during a wet week, because that drives the runtime estimate. Note the pit diameter and water depth if you can. The first three checks are the actual current draw of the primary pump, the pit volume and cycle frequency, and whether the existing circuit is a dedicated GFCI that a charger can share without tripping.
- Size the backup
- AGM battery
- Alternating controller
- Test under load
The visit
A battery backup and secondary pumps visit starts by naming the failure, not by selling the fix. We check what the problem touched, protect the floors and the rooms below, and leave a written scope. The work is done in one sequence by the same company, so the trade that caused the damage is the trade that closes it.
What fails first on the Shore is what we look at: salt-rotted fasteners, water finding the soft spot, and the 'quick fix' that never dealt with the cause. For battery backup and secondary pumps, the tell is usually visible on the first visit, and we say what it means in plain English.
Permit
Adding a battery backup to an existing sump pump is normally not permitted work in New Jersey, and no inspection is required for the battery, the charger, or the controller. A permit topic appears only if a new receptacle or circuit is added for the charger or the secondary pump, or if the discharge is changed. We will flag that at the estimate rather than after the fact, and pull what the town requires.
On the Shore
Heat and damp in a Shore basement shorten battery life, and salt air corrodes the terminals and the charger contacts. A flooded battery that needs watering will not survive here; sealed units hold up better. Power loss during a coastal storm is exactly when the primary pump quits, so the backup is sized to run through the outage, not just for a few minutes. In winter, ice in the pit can also jam a secondary float if it sits too low.
When we leave
We kill the primary circuit and let the backup carry the pit through several full cycles while watching the battery voltage under load. Then we restore power and confirm the controller alternates or resets correctly and that the alarm sounds when the water rises past the trigger point. The battery terminals get a protective coat and the charger is left plugged in. Care note: check the battery charge and terminals a few times a year and after any long outage.
Built with
Sealed absorbed glass mat batteries in the group size the controller needs, because they do not need watering and tolerate a damp basement. The charger is a float-type maintainer sized to the battery, and the controller is a solid-state transfer unit that alternates the two pumps. Terminals get stainless hardware and an anti-corrosion compound, and the wiring is sealed against moisture at every splice.
How soon can we book this?
Call and we usually get an on-site look scheduled within a day or two, sooner for anything active. Battery Backup and Secondary Pumps is booked from the same Ocean Township base.
Do you work weekends?
Yes. Saturday appointments are normal, and emergency repairs are answered 24/7.
Is this licensed work?
Licensed and insured, NJ HIC #13VH09886800. Where the town requires a permit, we pull it.
What if the job turns out bigger?
We stop and show you before we go any further, then quote the additional scope separately.
Will you clean up?
Floor protection, dust control, and haul-away are part of the visit, not an add-on.
How long will the backup actually run the pump?
It depends on the pit volume and how often the pump cycles, not on the battery label alone. A tight pit that fills fast will drain the battery sooner. We size it from the cycle rate we measure, not from a guess.
Can the backup use the same discharge pipe as the primary pump?
It can share the discharge if the pipe is sized for both and a check valve is set on each pump so neither pushes water into the other. Sometimes a separate line is cleaner. We decide that after looking at the pit and the routing.
Does the battery need maintenance?
Sealed batteries need almost none beyond keeping the terminals clean and the charger plugged in. They still age, and damp heat speeds that up. Expect to replace the battery eventually, and never leave the charger unplugged for months.
Will I know if the backup has failed?
Not from the pump, because it sits idle until the primary loses power. That is what the high-water alarm and a charge indicator are for. Test the alarm and check the battery reading a few times a year, especially before storm season.
Other sump pumps jobs we handle
French Drains
A trench that gives hillside and downspout water somewhere to go besides your basement.
Sump Pump Replacement
A primary pump swapped in a working pit, with the float, the check valve, and the discharge tested.
Pump Pit Installation and Repair
A new pit cut and lined, or a damaged one sealed to stop the gravel from entering.
Downspout and Grading
Downspouts ending at the corner of the house are a loop back into the basement.
Tell us what is wrong. We will tell you what it takes.
(732) 333-7800- Call24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Shop7 Brook Dr, Ocean Township, NJ 07712
- EmailInfo@wedoitallhandyman.com
- EstimateFree on-site look. Written scope before work starts.
Licensed & insured · NJ HIC # 13VH09886800
Free on-site look · No obligation