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Wayne CDU1000 1HP Submersible Sump Pump Review and Zoeller M63, M98, and M267 Comparison

We always recommend spending a bit more than the $100-$150 prices you’ll find for budget box store sump pumps if you can help it. We’ve seen too many of these pumps fail after the six month to one year window (typically just after the warranties expire), and you don’t want to spend any more time in a sump pit (or pay a plumber to do so) than necessary. Rather than throwing good money after bad, we’re of the mind that it’s better for your time, money, and sanity to just get things done correctly the first time; there are a lot of sump pumps on the market that will give you years of service while keeping your basement dry.

If you’re looking for a sump pump to last for as long as you own your house, we always first recommend the Zoeller M267. It pumps water faster than any other AC sump pump under around $500 and it’s also one of the most reliable (we’ve seen models with 20 years of daily service still working). However, if you can’t spend the $300 necessary to bring one home, we’d recommend pumps like the Zoeller M63 or Zoeller M57 first (we struggle to recommend the Zoeller M98 due to reliability issues). Another good option, however, especially if you need high flow rates, is the Wayne CDU1000 Submersible Sump Pump. It’s the fastest sump pump under $200 that runs on AC power. We like it; read on to find out why.

Key Features of the Wayne CDU1000 Sump Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Wayne CDU1000 sump pump is an automatic submersible sump pump. It is powered by a 1 HP motor and can pump up to 5,400 gallons per hour and features a 5 year limited warranty. It is 14 inches tall, 10 inches wide, and 14 inches deep. It can pump water at up to 22 feet vertically with switch-on/switch-off heights at 4 and 9 inches respectively. It features a vertical float switch and uses 9.8 amps and 120 volts; no battery backup is included. We weighed it at 22 pounds on our scale and it includes an 8 foot power cord. The max pump rate is 5,400 GPH at 0 feet but the discharge flow drops to 3,960 GPH at 10 feet, 2,940 GPH at 15 feet, and 1,560 GPH at 20 feet. It is designed to operate between 33 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, is self-priming, and is housed in stainless steel with a cast iron pump base. The sump pump outlet diameter is 1-1/2″ NPT discharge and is rated for installation in sump basins at least 11″ or larger.

How Does the Zoeller M63 Compare to the Zoeller M63, Zoeller M98, and Zoeller M267 Sump Pumps?

Compared to the Zoeller M98, the Wayne CDU1000 is by far the better pump simply because it’s far more reliable. Due to a batch of poorly designed M98s, there are a number of models that only last between 3 and 8 years; we’d expect the average CDU1000 to last between 5-9 years, and 5 of those years (unlike the 1 year warranty of the M98) are warrantied. The CDU1000 is additionally powered by a stronger motor (1HP vs 1/2HP) with a faster top flow rate (5,400 gallons per hour vs 4,320 gallons per hour).

Compared to the Zoeller M63, we’d recommend the M63 if reliability is a priority; we’d expect it to last between 10 and 17 years due to its more thorough construction (it’s fully housed in cast iron, including the impeller, and is capable of grinding through 1/2 inch solids). We’d recommend the CDU1000 if speed is a priority; the top flow rate is much faster at 5,400 GPH vs 2,580 GPH and the motor is far stronger at 1 HP vs .3 HP. However, given that the M63 is more likely to continue working through debris-filled or contaminated water, we’d urge caution in choosing speed over reliability.

Compared to the Zoeller M267, we’d pick the M267 every time. It’s far faster than the CDU1000 (7,680 GPH vs 5,400 GPH) and far more reliable due to, once again, higher tolerances for construction. The M267 is capable of processing up to 2 inch solids and we’d expect it to last for up to 20 years in the average single family home. If you’re looking for a sump pump you won’t need to replace once or twice during a lifetime of home ownership, the M267 is the pump you want.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Wayne CDU1000 Sump Pump

We found installation transparent and easy to complete, and would expect homeowners with limited experience to be able to successfully install it in an hour as long as the necessary connectors were present. As is typically the case with Wayne, the instruction manual was detailed but not necessarily tied to the CDU1000; you’ll want to use it as a reference more than as a word-for-word guide. We’d like the power cord to be a bit longer than 8 feet, but we were able to find outlets in most situations without resorting to extension cords.

We found noise levels quiet enough; once we were more than a few feet away from the CDU1000, it was essentially inaudible. We would still recommend installing a silent check valve (e.g., the  Brady check valve) over a regular one to get rid of the “thunk!” accompanying standard hammer check valves. Without a silent check valve, the action of the valve will be the most noticeable part of your sump pump’s on/off cycle, and if you have a high water table, you’ll get tired of hearing it start and shut off over and over again.

Our long term feedback for the CDU1000 has been largely positive; as noted, we’d expect up to 9 years of service from it. It’s not as long as what we’d expect from the M63 or M267, however, so if you’re looking for more than a decade of service, we’d suggest one of the former pumps.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Wayne CDU1000 Working Sooner

Once you’ve got your CDU1000 installed successfully, the first thing we recommend doing is installing a backup sump pump. It doesn’t matter if you use a water-based backup or a DC backup, but you want to have some method of forcing water out of your sump pit (and not allowing it to flood your basement) when you lose power during a period of heavy rain. If you’ve got a large budget, there isn’t a better DC backup sump pump than the Wayne WSM3300. However, if you’re on a smaller budget, the Wayne ESP25 is a fine alternative. You’ll also want a water alarm to go along with it (and to install it above the backup float switch, with the backup float switch installed above the AC float switch). We recommend the Basement Watchdog. Between a backup sump pump and a water alarm, the odds of ever having a flooded basement should be very low (especially if your backup sump pump is a smart one like the WSM3300 with the ability to call you when it activates or if it malfunctions).

Wayne CDU1000 Sump Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, we’d primarily recommend the CDU1000 for applications where you need to move a lot of water quickly for $200 or less. If reliability is a greater priority than speed, we’d suggest the Zoeller M63 instead, while if you’re looking for both reliability and power, the best AC sump pump under $500 we’ve yet come across is the Zoeller M267.

You can buy the Wayne CDU1000 here on Amazon. You can buy the Zoeller M63 here. You can buy the Zoeller M267 here. You can buy the Wayne ESP25 here or buy the Wayne WSM3300 here. You can buy a water alarm here. You can buy a silent check valve here.

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

Wayne ESP15 12 Volt Battery Back Up Sump Pump Review : A Good Budget Battery Backup System?

Whenever we’re asked by homeowners (usually in the middle of a sump pump installation) whether or not we recommend backup sump pumps, our answer is always the same: yes, and they’re far more affordable than cleaning up flooded basements.For only a few hundred dollars beyond the cost of an AC sump pump, you can buy a combination system where the DC pump kicks in when the AC pump stops working in a power outage. Our favorite combination systems for peace of mind include the Wayne WSSM40V (the best), the WSS30V (mid-range), and WSS20V (low-range). However, what do you do if you don’t need an AC sump pump and just need a bargain basement battery backup system?

This is where the Wayne ESP15 Battery Back-Up 12 Volt Sump Pump System. It’s the lower-end version of the ESP25, which we’ve reviewed and liked in the past. For around $150, or the cost of a decent primary sump pump like the CDU800, you can buy a battery-powered backup sump pump to keep your basement dry when your main AC sump pump stops in a power outage. But how does the ESP15 compare to its larger sibling the ESP25? We figured we’d take an in-depth look. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it or whether to spring for the ESP25, we’d recommend you spend the extra dollars and buy the ESP25 unless you were on a very tight budget, in which case, yes, we’d cautiously recommend the ESP15, which you can buy here.

Key Features of the Wayne ESP15 Sump Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Wayne ESP15 is a battery backup submersible sump pump system. The pump is DC-powered and features a 12 volt motor. It features a 1,750 gallon per hour maximum water flow rate and a 1 year limited warranty . It’s just under 11″ tall, 9.3″ wide, and 9.3″ deep with a maximum pumping height of 15 feet and a switch-on/switch-off height of 4″ and 9″ respectively. The aforementioned pump switch is vertical.

The ESP25 doesn’t use AC; it’s a DC battery backup, although the battery isn’t included; you’ll need a 12 volt deep cycle battery with either 40 amp hours or 75 amp hours. It weighs 9 pounds. Although the discharge flow can reach 1,750 gallons per hour at 0 feet, it drops to 720 gallons per hour at 10 feet, 300 gallons per hour at 15 feet, and is inoperative at 20 feet.

The working temperature spans 40-120 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s self-priming and housed in thermoplastic, and the sump pump outlet diameter is 1-1/2″ FPT. It’s designed to be used with sump pits (sump basins) at least 15 inches in diameter.

How Does the Wayne ESP15 Compare to the ESP25 Sump Pump?

The biggest differences between the ESP15 and the ESP25 have to do with power; to put it simply the ESP15 is a much weaker sump pump than the ESP25 at all ranges. At zero feet it pumps a max rate of 1,750 gallons per hour vs 3,300 in the ESP25; at 10 feet it’s 720 gph vs 2,300 gph; at 15 feet it’s 300 gph vs 1,500 gph. To put it simply, the ESP25 pumps more water close to its weakest point than the ESP15 does under ideal conditions. On top of this, it also comes with a warranty half as strong at 1 year instead of 2.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Wayne ESP15 Sump Pump

Installation was straightforward and took less than half an hour (keeping in mind we do this for a living). The included instruction manual wasn’t bad, but it was rather general and had a number of details that weren’t necessarily tied to the ESP15; we’d recommend using it as a reference and not worrying so much if certain facts differed.

Because it’s a backup pump, it’s ideally not one you’ll hear except for in emergencies (i.e., when your AC pump stops working due to a power outage and the rain won’t stop falling in sheets outdoors). However, we’re happy to note it’s a quiet little pump and isn’t likely to bother anyone while working, although it’s important to note that an alarm does sound whenever it’s functioning (which is good, since the battery won’t last forever). The primary flaw with the ESP15 is that it’s a rather weak pump, especially compared to the ESP25; we tested both pumps side by side by running a garden hose into the sump pump basin and disabling AC power to put the DC pumps to work. While both pumps were capable of keeping up with the water we ran, the ESP15 had to run for 2-3x as long each time in order to keep the water levels under control. This translates into 2-3x the battery drain in an emergency situation, and it made us wary of recommending the ESP15 over the ESP25 when the latter was so much more efficient while costing less than $100 more.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Wayne ESP15 Working Sooner

The main thing to note with the ESP15 is that you need a 12 volt deep cycle battery attached for it to work; even though it’s connected to AC power due to the need to charge said battery, it’s not going to work if you lose AC power if you don’t have the battery attached (and this is when you’ll need it to work the most). You’ll want to choose either a 40 or 75 amp battery; if you try to use a larger battery, you might not get it to fit in the battery box. You need a 27-frame sized battery.

We’d also recommend you skip a regular check valve for the ESP15 and invest in a silent check valve; even though the ESP15 is already a very quiet sump pump, the “thunk!” sound that accompanies traditional hammer check valves will still be audible, and a silent check valve is the easiest way to get rid of it. The Brady check valve is a cheap and highly effective model. And yes, it’s definitely a silent model.

Finally, it’s a good idea to have a separate water alarm installed. You don’t have to go out and buy the most fancy one; a basic model like the Basement Watchdog will do. What’s important is to install it in your sump pit a bit higher than the backup float switch; this will trigger it if your DC pump either doesn’t start, stops working, or can’t keep up with the water (a risk with the ESP15); if you hear the water alarm sensor, you’ll know you need to visit your basement.

Wayne ESP15 Sump Pump’s Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, we find it hard to recommend the ESP15 in a world where the ESP25 exists. For less than $100, it’s possible to get a pump that works at least 2-3x more efficiently than the ESP15, both increasing the odds that it will be able to keep up with heavy flooding (and keep such flooding outside your basement) while increasing the odds that your AC power will come back before your battery runs out. We’d only recommend the ESP15 if you absolutely couldn’t afford the ESP25; the latter will do a much better job and comes with literally twice the warranty coverage.

If you want the best DC backup sump pump on the market, we’d recommend going all the way to the WSM3300; it’s not only faster than the ESP25, it’ll also perform self-tests and has the capacity to call a range of numbers whenever it detects a problem. Alternatively, if you’d like an all-in-one system combining the ESP25 and a good AC sump pump (the CDU800), we’d recommend the WSS30V combination sump pump.

You can buy the Wayne ESP15 battery backup sump pump here on Amazon. You can buy the Wayne ESP25 backup here. You can buy the Wayne WSM3300 backup here. You can buy the Wayne WSS30V combination sump pump here. You can buy a 75Ah backup pump battery here. You can buy a water alarm here. You can buy a silent check valve here.

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