When it comes to home design and engineering, we’re believers in a few basic principles. First of all, if you have a basement, you should have a sump pump. Second, if you have a sump pump, it should have a battery backup. If not, you’re asking for a flooded basement (and all the problems that come with one) the first time you lose power during a rainstorm. This will, of course, happen while you’re out of town on business or vacation. And who wants to come home to that?
As a result, it’s no surprise that we think combination sump pumps are a good idea, and we frequently recommend them when installing pumps. We recently discussed the importance of including a battery backup in our review of the Wayne WSS30V combination sump, which we think is easily the best combination sump pump system under $400 you can buy today. However, if you’re on a slightly smaller budget, you might be interested in the Wayne WSS20V pre-assembled combination sump pump system. We took a look ait to figure out how it compared to the WSS30V. If you’re in a hurry, we recommend the WSS30V for most homeowners and the WSS20V only if you have minimal sump pump needs and simply want a bit of basement flood insurance.
Key Features of the Wayne WSS20V Sump Pump (60 Second Summary)
The Wayne WSS20V is a pre-assembled primary and battery backup combination submersible sump pump system. The main sump pump is AC-powered and is the CDU790; the backup is DC-powered and is the ESP15. The main pump features a 1/3 horsepower motor while the backup features a 12 volt motor. The primary pump features a 3,800 gallon per hour maximum water flow rate (1,750 GPH in the backup), and a 3 year limited warranty . It’s 11.5″ tall, 17″ wide, and just over 22″ deep with a maximum pumping height of 20 feet and a switch-on/switch-off height of 4″ and 9″ respectively. The aforementioned pump switch is vertical.
The WSS30V draws 9.5 amps and is equipped with a 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 27 pounds, and has a 8 foot-long power cord. Although the main discharge flow can reach 3,800 gallons per hour at 0 feet, it drops to 2,700 gallons per hour at 10 feet, 1,700 gallons per hour at 15 feet, and 100 gallons per hour at 20 feet. The backup discharge flow is 1,750 GPH at 0 feet, 720 GPH at 10 feet, 300 GPH at 15 feet, and is inoperational at 20 feet.
The working temperature spans 40-120 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s self-priming and housed in cast iron and stainless steel, 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 WSS20V Compare to the WSS30V Sump Pump?
As you can see, the main differences between the WSS20V and the WSS30V are that the WSS30V is a much more powerful and efficient machine. Specifically, the main sump pump is significantly stronger in the WSS30V at 1/2 horsepower over the 1/3rd horsepower motor in the WSS20V, and the flow rates are higher in both the main and backup pumps at every level we tested. Perhaps most significantly, the warranty is chopped nearly in half in the WSS20V at 3 years compared to a full 5 years in the WSS30V.
Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Wayne WSS20V Sump Pump
The WSS20V was as easy to install as the WSS30V, which was easier than nearly any other sump pump we’ve installed (keeping in mind, as always, that we do this hundreds of times a year). Wayne’s approach to combination pumps is to do most of the pre-installation work for you; you won’t need to buy or install additional check vales, for example, and you can almost literally drop it into the sump basin and plug it in. You’ll also need to attach a battery and a main discharge pipe. Keep in mind that the included manual, while written in English and reasonably accurate, is also exceptionally general, which means much of the information in it won’t specifically apply to the WSS20V.
Noise levels in the WSS20V were equivalent to those in the WSS30V, or in other words, nearly non-existent. We couldn’t hear it working from more than a few feet away unless we strained our ears, and reports from homes where we’ve installed it suggest it’ll effectively be inaudible for all but the most sensitive ears.
We’d rate the 1/3rd horsepower motor in the primary sump pump as strong enough to keep small basements (or those with low water tables and low levels of flooding) dry; however, we’d really prefer to see 1/2 horsepower main motors (such as that found in the WSS30V) these days given how much larger basements have become in the last few decades with ever-widening houses. That said, the design is a tested and proven one, and we would be surprised if most homeowners didn’t get at least a full decade of service out of the main or backup pump systems in this unit. Keep in mind that the battery will naturally need to be replaced before then due to the inevitable degrade in power (much as in a car battery, which, by the way, can also be used to power the backup pump).
Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Wayne WSS20V Working Sooner
Perhaps the most significant tip we provide families when installing the WSS20V is that you’re going to need to connect a 12 volt deep cycle battery to the unit. If you don’t, you’ll simply be working with the CDU790, and the CDU790, being an AC pump, will be completely useless if the power ever goes out. We suggest (as does Wayne) that you buy either a 40 or 75 amp battery; a larger battery might not fit in the battery box.
Another point to keep in mind is that the unit doesn’t come with battery terminals; if you’re interested in using either a car battery or a marine batter, you’ll want to buy a battery terminal set.
Wayne WSS20V Sump Pump’s Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison
In conclusion, we’re hard pressed to recommend the WSS20V when the WSS30V is only a few dollars more. If the price difference were in the hundreds, we could make a strong argument for the WSS20V. However, as Wayne has currently priced the two, there’s very little reason to choose the WSS20V over the WSS30V; the latter offers far more power, a far better warranty, and will fare far better at keeping your basement dry in the worst weather conditions. However, if you absolutely need to save those few dollars, the WSS20V is a more than acceptable combination sump pump system for the money; it only pales in comparison to its more equipped sibling.
You can buy the Wayne WSS30V combination sump pump here on Amazon. You can buy the Wayne WSS20V combination sump pump here. You can buy a 75Ah backup pump battery here. You can buy a battery terminal set 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.