I installed a new submersible Utilitech 1/3 HP Sewage sump pump on 9/30/2015 and it just stopped working. It apparently needed a piggyback float switch because the one on it wasn't going down far enough to cut the pump off, but I never got around to installing it. So we would just go in and plug and unplug the pump as needed to drain the sump. It has been working great until yesterday. After messing with it today and resetting the breaker, it decided to work once and the cut right back off and I haven't it got it to work since. I did some research online and in the house, it seems the outlet it is plugged into is incorrect because it is a duplex outlet and used to have a switch on it (like a light switch), also somehow our freezer outlet got hooked into the same circuit as the sump pump.

I was wondering if you all think my pump is still okay and if I replace the outlet and unplug the freezer, if it would work again. I was thinking it was electrical since it cut on once and acting like it's not getting power.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this is perplexing and I can't seem to find these answers anywhere.

 

Welcome to the forums.

Is this an open sump pit or an enclosed septic pit ?
A sump pit just handles water while a septic pit handles sewage.

Does your pump currently have a piggyback float ?
If yes.... try unplugging the pump from it and plugging it in directly to the receptacle.

If the freezer is working in the receptacle..... the pump should also.

 

It is an enclosed septic pit. It doesn't have the piggyback float because I never got around to installing it. The freezer is on a different receptacle that is on the same circuit breaker. I know that just the receptacle that the pump is on works because there is a small lamp that I can plug into and it always works. Would the lamp still work even if the receptacle is bad since the pump draws a lot more power?

 

If the light works.... the receptacle is ok.

There is some kind of float switch currently on your pump. That needs to be looked at. It could be physically stuck in the off position.

 

Try plugging your pump into a different circuit or just verify that your circuit is working. You can plug a light into the pumps outlet to see if it works. If the outlet is good it's possible you pump is bad. I have not had good luck with Utilitech products and especially bad with pumps so it is possible the pump is bad. You can unplug it and open the pump housing to make sure there is nothing jamming the impeller. Try turning the impeller and see if it turns freely.

 

Is it possible that the Pump overheated from running continuously and tripped a thermal cut-out ?

Is there a RESET button hiding there somewhere ?