Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump Review: A Budget Sewage Pump For Under $150?

Mike and Mary

There are many things in life that are worth trying to get as cheaply as possible, but a sewage pump is not one of them. What might seem like a good deal at your local box store can turn into a messy, smelly, and expensive disaster if you’re unlucky. We like to play it safe when it comes to machines that carry human waste, and when it comes to sewage pumps, our main recommendation under $400 is the Zoeller M267. It’s one of the fastest sewage pumps on the market as well as one of the most reliable. But what do you do if $400 is simply out of budget and you don’t want to get burned (or flushed) by a budget box store sewage pump?

This is where a pump like the Wayne RPP50 Cast Iron Sewage Pump comes in. Clocking in at well under $200, it’s one of the cheapest sewage pumps on the market that isn’t a ticking fecal time bomb. But is it worth the money, or is it too good to be true? In our books, it’s worth considering if you’re on a tight budget, but it’s far from the best out there if you can spend more. Our full review is below, and you can buy it here.

Key Features of the Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Wayne RPP50 is an automatic submersible sewage pump (which can also be used as a sump pump). It features a 1/2 horsepower electric motor, a 5,700 gallon per hour maximum water flow rate, and a one year warranty. It is 14 inches tall, 9.5 inches wide, and 6 inches deep while weighing 26 pounds on our scale.

The RPP50 does not include a battery backup. The motor runs on 120V and draws 15 amps through a 9 foot power cord. The working temperature ranges from a minimum of 33F to a maximum of 133F. The pump is self-priming and housed in cast iron. It makes use of a tether float. It uses a 2 inch NPT discharge and can handle solids up to 2 inches in diameter. While it can pump up to 5,700 GPH at zero feet, this rate drops to 3,240 GPH at 10 feet, 900 GPH at 15 feet, and max height and shut-off occur at 18 feet. The RPP50 requires a minimum sump diameter of 18 inches.

How Does the Wayne RPP50 Compare to the Zoeller M267 Sump Pump?

While the RPP50 is a good basic sewage pump, a comparison to the M267 reveals how much it leaves on the table. The M267 is faster at pumping water (7,680 GPH vs 5,700 GPH), has a greater max head (21.5 feet vs 18 feet), and is significantly more reliable; we’ve come across a number of M267s that have been going for two decades or more, while we’ve had a much harder time coming across RPP50s that have survived 10 years of service. The M267’s 3 year warranty is also significantly stronger and more reassuring than the one year warranty that comes with the RPP50. And on top of all of this, the M267 will also fit into smaller sump basins with a minimal diameter requirement of 15 inches vs 18 inches.

That said, if you’re planning on using it as a sump pump instead of as a sewage pump, it’s one of the fastest ones you’re going to be able to pick up on the market for a very cheap price. It’ll also have the advantage of being able to grind through much more debris than virtually any pump designed as a sump pump from the ground up since it’s technically designed to work as a sewage and effluent pump. This is one of the primary reasons a number of business owners, plumbers, and homeowners install pumps like the Zoeller M267 in place of typical sump pumps; they’re almost guaranteed to never top working due to becoming clogged or having internal motor components break down due to being designed for much more contaminated water removal.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump

Installing the RPP50 is rather straightforward for a sewage pump, although you’ll either need significant plumbing or DIY experience or the help of a plumber to get in and out of the installation site. If you want to use it as a sump pump, of course, installation will be much simpler. Suffice it to say that you’ll want to spare at least a full day (preferably a weekend) if planning a typical sewage pump installation. Installing it as a sump pump, on the other hand, will be doable within a few hours. We’ve seen under-home installations, basement sink/shower/toilet to sewer line installations, and as septic tank installations where the pump has been used to send water out to drain fields, and it has performed admirably in a variety of situations.

Once installed, you should be able to get at least 5 years out of it, although if you’re lucky you might get up to a decade from it. However, there have also been a number of premature failures we’ve seen due to issues such as bad floats or seized impellers or bad internal circuitry. Unfortunately, the quality control for the RPP50 does not seem to be as strong as that in Wayne’s sump pump division, and you’ll want to hold on to your proof of purchase (or simply buy it via Amazon so your return information is permanently preserved in your account) just in case something goes wrong early.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Wayne RPP50 Working Sooner

If you plan to install it as a DIY sewage pump project, first of all, good luck to you. Secondly, keep in mind you’ll need a 2 inch-sized threaded adapter so you can connect the RPP50 to the 2 inch PVC pipe you need. You’d also do well to buy additional tubing and coupling adapters in case you break or strip something during the process; you won’t want to need to stop in the middle of the job. And of course, you’re also going to need lots of PVC cement.

Once you’ve got the float switch set up, make sure its entire range of motion is free from obstruction; the last thing you want is to have it get stuck open or shut once you’ve got everything covered up several hours later. More broadly, before you start caulking and bolting your entire installation, make sure both the pump and float switch are working properly. It might seem like a pain to start and stop your water and check for leaks and proper flow through whatever sinks, showers, or toilets you’re running through the pump, but if you don’t do this now, you might have an ugly surprise later on.

You’re going to need a check valve. We recommend the Campbell silent 2 inch check valve. If you buy it, make sure you measure its positioning a few times and fit it while dry. Since you’re using rubber and metal couplings and PVC cement, you’ll have a very small margin of error, and won’t be able to adjust anything you’ve done after 10 seconds without breaking it to pieces and having to start again (which will require another check valve, so you’ll probably want to buy a backup just in case).

It’s a good idea to have a good wet / dry vacuum close at hand, even if you’re only planning on doing something like switching out a check valve. More broadly, you’re going to spill some water and perhaps worse things during such an installation, even if you’ve done it dozens of times before, and the easier you make clean up, the less time you spend distracted from the actual work you need to be doing. Our wet / dry vac of choice is the Craftsman XSP; it offers enough reach to deal with most messes we make.

Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, we’re not going to tell you the Wayne RPP50 is the best sewage pump out there, because it’s not. The Zoeller M267 costs significantly more and delivers much more when it comes to speed, versatility, and most importantly, reliability. However, if you simply don’t have $300 to spend and are in desperate need of a sewage pump, for under $150 the Wayne RPP50 is hard to beat. It’ll certainly provide better performance than anything you’ll get out of a box store, and if that’s the bar you’re looking to clear, this will pass it with flying colors. Just don’t expect it to last as long as some of the best pumps on the market; realistic expectations are key. Personally, we’d recommend saving the extra $150 for the M267 and up to 20 years of additional maintenance-free peace of mind.

You can buy the Wayne RPP50 here on Amazon. You can buy the Zoeller M267 here. You can buy a good wet / dry vacuum here. You can buy a silent 2 inch check valve here.

If you find our work at PumpThatSump helpful, you can support our relentless reviewing of every sump pump on the market by shopping via our Amazon link for whatever you need to make your house a home. Despite being self-employed, we promise not to spend it all on health insurance.

Liberty Pumps 405 Commercial Drain Pump Review and 404 Comparison

Mike and Mary

When it comes to draining water from an appliance or sink in your commercial or industrial building against gravity, you’re going to need something besides a drain pipe. This is where a good drain pump comes in. Perhaps you’re dealing with a laundry tray in the basement. Maybe you’ve got a washing machine, dehumidifier, air conditioner, or water softener. Or maybe you’ve simply got a bar sink, mop sink, dishwasher, or garbage disposal you need to drain. Whatever you’re dealing with, you’re going to want a compact and low profile drain pump to get the job done–something you can fit beneath a sink or in a closet to simply get rid of that excess water. So what are your options?

When it comes to draining gray wastewater below a gravity line, we’re not going to tell you that you won’t be able to get by with a cheap drain pump from a box store. But as plumbing consultants, we’ve seen enough of these break down in a year, a few months, or–as is most often the case–just after the return period–to urge landlords, homeowners, and commercial property owners not to waste time with them. Time is money, and the less you spend making trips to the hardware store or knee deep in water leaks, the more money you save.This is true whether you’re in the home of your dreams or running a small business like a family restaurant.

Fortunately, a good drain pump doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Good examples we’ve reviewed recently include the Zoeller 105 and Laundry Pumps 404. Today we’re going to look at an upgraded version of the 404, the Laundry Pumps 405 Commercial 1/2 HP Drain Pump. Don’t let the name scare you; it works equally well on residential applications, but it has the power to drain large volumes of water quickly, quietly, and reliably. Our full review is below, and you can buy it here.

Key Features of the Liberty Pumps 405 Laundry Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Liberty Pumps 405 is a compact and fully automatic commercial and residential drain pump designed to drain gray wastewater water from appliances, commercial sinks, and tubs against gravity. The pump is powered by a 1/2 horsepower motor and features a 3 year warranty from Liberty Pumps. The motor runs on 115V at 60Hz AC while drawing up to 7.3 amps. The motor is oil-filled and includes thermal overload protection. It will clear water at up to 3,120 gallons per hour (52 gallons per minute) at zero feet. When pumping water at 77F, this rate drops to 2,640 GPH at 10 feet, 1,920 GPH at 20 feet, 720 GPH at 30 feet, and shutoff (max head) occurs at 34 feet. When clearing water at 180F, the maximum liquid temperature, shutoff occurs at 25 feet.

The Liberty Pumps 405 is 14-1/8 inches tall and 13-3/4 inches wide. It has a 5.5 gallon capacity and weighs 16 pounds. It includes a 2 inch inlet, a 2 inch discharge, and a 2 inch vent. It can handle solids up to 3/8 inch thick and fluids up to 180F. It includes a 10 foot grounded power plug. Liberty Pumps notes it is particularly well suited to commercial and industrial applications requiring a higher maximum head. The 405 also includes a larger basin capacity at 5.5 gallons vs 4.3, and is slightly taller, though not wider, as a result.

Liberty Pumps 405 Feature Comparison With the Liberty Pumps 404

Compared to the Liberty Pumps 404, the 405 is superior in nearly every respect. The maximum water ejection speed is roughly 50% higher at 3,120 GPH vs 2,100 GPH. They can both handle solids up to 3/8 inch in diameter, but the 405 can handle significantly hotter liquid temperatures at up to 180F vs 140F. The 405 also features a much greater max head at 34 feet vs 21 feet. The warranty length and coverage is the same between the two, as is the ease of installation. To accommodate the larger volume of water the 405 is capable of handling, it includes 2 inch-sized inlets, outlets, and vents, compared to the 1-1/2-sized connections in the 404.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Liberty Pumps 405

Installing the 405 is as easy as installing the 404, which is, as we noted in our 404 review, as easy as it gets for a drain pump, even without advanced plumbing and DIY experience. It includes detailed, clearly written, and easy to follow directions. The main steps are to connect the 405 to your drain line through PVC or similar tubing, connect your laundry sink or appliance to the inlet, vent the pump, install a check valve or two, plug it in, and let it get to work.

Once you’ve set it up and plugged it in, you’ll probably not hear the 405 very often. It’s a reliable machine and with few exceptions, we’ve come across nothing but good reviews for it from a variety of small business and home owners throughout the Chicago area. Operation is fully automatic and you can typically expect at least 10 years of continual use without problems.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Liberty Pumps 405 Working Sooner

It’s important to remember that while the 405 arrives fully assembled and is fully automatic once installed, you are going to need to have a few accessories on hand for a successful installation. At a minimum, you’ll need PVC or flexible tubing to connect to the outlet as well as to your appliance or sink. You’ll also need piping to vent the pump. When connecting your PVC, you’ll also need three threaded adapters or fittings. On top of this, you’ll need a check valve to keep water from flowing backwards into the pump and forcing it to run needlessly; this will need to be a 2 inch check valve. We’d recommend putting in a quiet check valve while you’re at it so you don’t hear slamming when the flapper closes; a good example is the Campbell check valve.

Contact Liberty Pumps if you ever need to replace the float switch; we’ve come across a few cases of intermittent operation, and if this is the case, they will send you a new float switch free of charge as long as you provide them with the information of your pump.

When installing the pump, if you turn off your electricity locally via your circuit breaker before the installation (always a good idea), don’t forget to turn it on afterward and before running water through the pump. We’ve come across a number of kitchen installations where mild flooding occurred due to DIYers who planned on draining dishwashers and sinks but forgot to power the pump after connecting it; this just results in water shooting out of your pump. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how easy it is for this to occur.

Liberty Pumps 405 Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, there isn’t a better drain pump on the market for less than $300 in our books. The Liberty Pumps 405 is fast, quiet, highly reliable, automatic, and easy to install with a minimal amount of time, effort, and experience. The best thing we can say about a drain pump is that it works so well we forget where, when, and how we installed it, and that’s something we can easily say about the 405. If you don’t need quite as much power as it offers or are on a smaller budget, it’s little sibling, the Liberty Pumps 404, will offer some of the same benefits for 2/3rds the price.

You can buy the Liberty Pumps 405 here on Amazon.You can buy the Liberty Pumps 404 here. You can buy a silent 2 inch check valve here. You can buy the Zoeller 105-0001 Laundry pump package here.