Do we have any submersible pump experts out there?

[TrimTheKing]

Evening all

Where I live I'm off the drainage grid so have a variety of sumps and septic tanks to deal with all the waster and rainwater. My issue is that just over 2 years or so ago when we moved in one of the pumps was playing up so I got the first pump maintainer I could out to look and they gave everything a service.

Couple of months later I found that one pump wasn't working and it turned out to be the float switch had gone. Looked to me like a replaceable part but was assured not and forked out almost a grand for a new pump! :shock: Looking back I was stupid but it was 3 weeks before Christmas, wife was 1 week away from giving birth to our firstbown and we had just moved into a new house (henceforth known as 'The Money Pit'!) so fearing the house getting flooded, and not having the research time, I forked out.

Last week the same has happened to the other pump (I guess it must be an age thing as they would have been fitted at the same time) so I have been googling tonight and reckon this should be a spare part (see pics below): The two cables coming out of the shiny metal bit are to the float switch and the main power cable.

The power plug inside the connector looks like it is epoxied in so I would have thought the entire power cable/float switch/silver connector block assembly would be a replaceable part. Looking in the data sheet for the pump (model is a KSB AMA Porter502SE (UK)) it definitely looks like you can buy the float switch as a secondary item, but the plug/connector looks different, though it's a fuzzy photo and hard to tell.

I have been onto KSB's website and contacted them through their 'contact form' but thought I would try the collective power of the forums to see if anyone had any thoughts and/or experience, or ideas of where to go with this?

Cheers

Mark

 

[hanser]

I don't know anything about the subject but if I was trying to get to grips with this I'd speak to an outfit like this http://www.allpumpsdirect.co.uk/ to see if they could source the part for you. Failing that they do seem to have a comprehensive range of pumps that would help with the do I replace the part/or the pump question that you might be heading to.

Good luck.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Thanks hanser

I'll give them a shout later and see what they think.

Cheers

Mark

 

[TrimTheKing]

Well just to round this one off, I checked in with the guys at the link hanser mentioned above but they couldn't help, so a bit of googling later and I found a few companies who confirmed that the whole cable/connector gubbins is indeed a spare and got quotes, first one by phone and others by email.

Called the original quoter back later in the day to check whether his price of £115 was Inc VAT and he asked what the best price was I had had back. £109 ex VAT, I told him truthfully and to my surprise he says "No worries, I will do them for £100 apiece if you take two" which I was planning on doing anyway.

Bingo! They arrive tomorrow. Bit more expensive than I had hoped but much better than £400 plus for a whole new pump!

Cheers

Mark

 

[slimshady]

That's a good result.

Even better if you spend that "difference" money on shiny, shiny tools.

Alex.

 

[hanser]

Mark

Great result and you've got a spare for back up

 

[Digit]

I designed 'em! Not that one BTW!
PM me Mark.

Roy.