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Liberty Pumps 287 1/2 HP 280-Series Sump Pump Review: Fast, Reliable, Compact, and a VFM Switch for $200

When it comes to sump pumps, we’ve reviewed enough to agree with the maxim that you generally get what you pay for. For example, a Zoeller M267 isn’t cheap, but it’ll give you faster water removal and longer service than virtually any other AC pump on the market. However, there’s a bit more to think about if you’re on a tighter budget. What’s going to power your sump pump? How reliable does it need to be? And of course, how much can you spend?

If you’re looking for a reliable sump pump, the first decision you’ll need to make will be whether to go with an AC-powered or water-powered pump. If you want a water-powered pump due to living in an area with frequent power outages, the best on the market is the Basepump CB1500.  If you want a an AC-powered pump, there’s nothing faster or more reliable than the Zoeller M267. However, if you’re on a smaller budget, such as around the $200 mark, you’ll probably be looking more at pumps along the line of the Zoeller M63, Zoeller M57, or Wayne CDU1000. Today we’ll take a look at another $200-class backup sump pump that potentially offers decades of value: the Liberty Pumps 287 Automatic Submersible Sump Pump with VMF Switch. It’s not the fastest AC-powered pump in its price range, but it’s probably going to be the most reliable, which counts for something. We think it’s a great deal; read on for details, and you can buy it here.

Key Features of the Liberty Pumps 287 Sump Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Liberty Pumps 287 sump pump is an automatic submersible sump and effluent pump. It’s driven by a 1/2 horsepower thermally protected electric motor and can pump up to 4,020 gallons per hour; it comes with a 3 year warranty. It is 10 inches in diameter and 14 inches tall; it is housed in cast iron and weighs 19.5 pounds on our scale.

No battery backup is included with the Liberty Pumps 287. It is capable of handling up to 3/4″ solids and can handle liquids at up to 140F. The thermal overload temperature of the motor is 221F. The motor runs on 115 volts and 8 amps at full load. It includes a quick-connect 10 foot power cord. The float switch is a vertical magnetic float (VMF); it is non-adjustable and turns on at 9-1/2 inches and shuts off at 4 inches. The discharge is a 1-1/2 inch NPT and the sump pump is rated for installations in sump pits down to 10 inches in diameter.

Water removal peaks at 4,020 GPH at 0 feet, dropping to 3,360 GPH at 10 feet, 2,520 GPH at 20 feet, 1,350 GPH at 30 feet, and with shut-off and max-head occurring at 37 feet.

How Does the Liberty Pumps 287 Compare to the Zoeller M98, Zoeller M63, and Wayne CDU1000 Sump Pumps?

Perhaps the most unique element of the Liberty Pumps 287 is the magnetically-operated vertical float VMF switch. Unlike the typical mechanical float switch found in Zoeller and Wayne designs (e.g., a switch set into motion by a float, rod, and arm assembly), the Liberty 2xx series typically makes use of a magnetic/reed switch set into motion through a motor rod and float assembly. In plain English, this means the magnetic/reed design is less prone to failure than the mechanical design since the reed switch in the switch housing doesn’t need a rubber gasket installed to keep the switch arm sealed. Getting rid of the need for the rubber seal means the switch can’t fail due to water intrusion or this particular kind of mechanical failure. To put it more simply, there’s a good chance you’ll get at least as much life–if not more–out of this Liberty Pump as you would from any Zoeller or Wayne sump pump.

Aside from the difference in float switch design, the Liberty Pumps 287 is simply faster than most pumps on the market while offering a greater maximum pumping height than almost any other sump pump available. The Zoeller M57 tops out at 2,580 GPH and shuts off at 19 feet. The Zoeller M63 increases the shut-off height to 20 feet but is no faster than the M57. The Zoeller M98 tops out at 4,320 GPH and shuts off at 23 feet, but has reliability issues. The Wayne CDU1000  tops out at 5,400 GPH but shuts off at 22 feet. Even the mighty Zoeller M267, which can pump up to 7,680 gallons per hour, shuts off at 21 feet. If you need to move water a great distance vertically, the only pumps we’ve found under $500 capable of moving water higher are the Tsurumi LSC, which shuts off at 40 feet, and the Liberty Pumps 297, which shuts off at 48 feet. However, unlike the Liberty Pumps 287 or 297, the Tsurumi isn’t automatic.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Liberty Pumps 287 Sump Pump

Installation is straightforward; you essentially drop the pump in the pit, connect it to the discharge pipe, set the float, and plug it in. The main thing to remember is that you don’t want to let the pump run dry; even though a thermal overload is included to protect the motor, it’s not something you want to test any more than necessary.

Once installed, you can expect more than a decade of trouble-free use from the 287 as long as you remember to check the float switch from time to time. That said, it’s always a good idea to have a backup pump set up whenever you’re depending on a sump pump to protect something you value (e.g., a dry basement). In day to day operation, it’s a very quiet sump pump and a rather attractive one. We’re also happy to note it’s capable of grinding solids in the pit, making it a good choice for locations with contaminants in groundwater.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Liberty Pumps 287 Working Sooner

No matter how reliable an AC sump pump may be (and the Liberty Pumps 287 is one of the best), we’d never recommend having just one sump pump installed in a home; redundancy is key. It doesn’t matter whether you choose a water-based backup pump like the Liberty Pumps SJ10 or a DC backup like the Wayne WSM3300 (or a budget backup like the Wayne ESP25), you’ll want something to help you if you suffer a power outage during a flood or thunderstorm.

Of course, whatever you get, make sure you install the float switch on the backup above that of the 287 so the 287 activates first while the backup only activates if the 287 doesn’t (or can’t keep up with the water rise). And as with any main sump pump, we also recommend installing a water alarm alongside it. This should be installed above your backup float switch (if you have one) in order to alert you if every water-draining recourse is failing to keep up with rising waters. We recommend the Basement Watchdog. If you’ve got a main pump, a backup pump, and a water alarm, you should have very low odds of ever needing to deal with a basement that floods when it rains.

Liberty Pumps 287 Sump Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, the Liberty Pumps 287 is quite possibly the best combination of speed, reliability, and portability you’re going to find in an AC-powered sump pump at the $200 mark. If you’re looking for a compact, cast-iron sump pump with an incredible max height that pumps at a good speed while offering superior reliability without costing as much as a mortgage payment, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything better than the Liberty Pumps 287. It’s not the fastest pump on the market, but with the advantages it offers, it certainly doesn’t need to be, and it’s more than fast enough to meet most homeowners’ and landlords’ needs.

You can buy the Liberty Pumps 287 here on Amazon. You can buy the Zoeller M267 here. You can buy the Liberty Pumps SJ10 here. You can buy the Wayne WSM3300 here or buy the Wayne ESP25 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 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.