Tag Archives: sewage pump

Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump Review: A Budget Sewage Pump For Under $150?

There are many things in life that are worth trying to get as cheaply as possible, but a sewage pump is not one of them. What might seem like a good deal at your local box store can turn into a messy, smelly, and expensive disaster if you’re unlucky. We like to play it safe when it comes to machines that carry human waste, and when it comes to sewage pumps, our main recommendation under $400 is the Zoeller M267. It’s one of the fastest sewage pumps on the market as well as one of the most reliable. But what do you do if $400 is simply out of budget and you don’t want to get burned (or flushed) by a budget box store sewage pump?

This is where a pump like the Wayne RPP50 Cast Iron Sewage Pump comes in. Clocking in at well under $200, it’s one of the cheapest sewage pumps on the market that isn’t a ticking fecal time bomb. But is it worth the money, or is it too good to be true? In our books, it’s worth considering if you’re on a tight budget, but it’s far from the best out there if you can spend more. Our full review is below, and you can buy it here.

Key Features of the Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Wayne RPP50 is an automatic submersible sewage pump (which can also be used as a sump pump). It features a 1/2 horsepower electric motor, a 5,700 gallon per hour maximum water flow rate, and a one year warranty. It is 14 inches tall, 9.5 inches wide, and 6 inches deep while weighing 26 pounds on our scale.

The RPP50 does not include a battery backup. The motor runs on 120V and draws 15 amps through a 9 foot power cord. The working temperature ranges from a minimum of 33F to a maximum of 133F. The pump is self-priming and housed in cast iron. It makes use of a tether float. It uses a 2 inch NPT discharge and can handle solids up to 2 inches in diameter. While it can pump up to 5,700 GPH at zero feet, this rate drops to 3,240 GPH at 10 feet, 900 GPH at 15 feet, and max height and shut-off occur at 18 feet. The RPP50 requires a minimum sump diameter of 18 inches.

How Does the Wayne RPP50 Compare to the Zoeller M267 Sump Pump?

While the RPP50 is a good basic sewage pump, a comparison to the M267 reveals how much it leaves on the table. The M267 is faster at pumping water (7,680 GPH vs 5,700 GPH), has a greater max head (21.5 feet vs 18 feet), and is significantly more reliable; we’ve come across a number of M267s that have been going for two decades or more, while we’ve had a much harder time coming across RPP50s that have survived 10 years of service. The M267’s 3 year warranty is also significantly stronger and more reassuring than the one year warranty that comes with the RPP50. And on top of all of this, the M267 will also fit into smaller sump basins with a minimal diameter requirement of 15 inches vs 18 inches.

That said, if you’re planning on using it as a sump pump instead of as a sewage pump, it’s one of the fastest ones you’re going to be able to pick up on the market for a very cheap price. It’ll also have the advantage of being able to grind through much more debris than virtually any pump designed as a sump pump from the ground up since it’s technically designed to work as a sewage and effluent pump. This is one of the primary reasons a number of business owners, plumbers, and homeowners install pumps like the Zoeller M267 in place of typical sump pumps; they’re almost guaranteed to never top working due to becoming clogged or having internal motor components break down due to being designed for much more contaminated water removal.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Wayne RPP50 Sewage Pump

Installing the RPP50 is rather straightforward for a sewage pump, although you’ll either need significant plumbing or DIY experience or the help of a plumber to get in and out of the installation site. If you want to use it as a sump pump, of course, installation will be much simpler. Suffice it to say that you’ll want to spare at least a full day (preferably a weekend) if planning a typical sewage pump installation. Installing it as a sump pump, on the other hand, will be doable within a few hours. We’ve seen under-home installations, basement sink/shower/toilet to sewer line installations, and as septic tank installations where the pump has been used to send water out to drain fields, and it has performed admirably in a variety of situations.

Once installed, you should be able to get at least 5 years out of it, although if you’re lucky you might get up to a decade from it. However, there have also been a number of premature failures we’ve seen due to issues such as bad floats or seized impellers or bad internal circuitry. Unfortunately, the quality control for the RPP50 does not seem to be as strong as that in Wayne’s sump pump division, and you’ll want to hold on to your proof of purchase (or simply buy it via Amazon so your return information is permanently preserved in your account) just in case something goes wrong early.

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Wayne RPP50 Working Sooner

If you plan to install it as a DIY sewage pump project, first of all, good luck to you. Secondly, keep in mind you’ll need a 2 inch-sized threaded adapter so you can connect the RPP50 to the 2 inch PVC pipe you need. You’d also do well to buy additional tubing and coupling adapters in case you break or strip something during the process; you won’t want to need to stop in the middle of the job. And of course, you’re also going to need lots of PVC cement.

Once you’ve got the float switch set up, make sure its entire range of motion is free from obstruction; the last thing you want is to have it get stuck open or shut once you’ve got everything covered up several hours later. More broadly, before you start caulking and bolting your entire installation, make sure both the pump and float switch are working properly. It might seem like a pain to start and stop your water and check for leaks and proper flow through whatever sinks, showers, or toilets you’re running through the pump, but if you don’t do this now, you might have an ugly surprise later on.

You’re going to need a check valve. We recommend the Campbell silent 2 inch check valve. If you buy it, make sure you measure its positioning a few times and fit it while dry. Since you’re using rubber and metal couplings and PVC cement, you’ll have a very small margin of error, and won’t be able to adjust anything you’ve done after 10 seconds without breaking it to pieces and having to start again (which will require another check valve, so you’ll probably want to buy a backup just in case).

It’s a good idea to have a good wet / dry vacuum close at hand, even if you’re only planning on doing something like switching out a check valve. More broadly, you’re going to spill some water and perhaps worse things during such an installation, even if you’ve done it dozens of times before, and the easier you make clean up, the less time you spend distracted from the actual work you need to be doing. Our wet / dry vac of choice is the Craftsman XSP; it offers enough reach to deal with most messes we make.

Wayne RPP50  Sewage Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

In conclusion, we’re not going to tell you the Wayne RPP50 is the best sewage pump out there, because it’s not. The Zoeller M267 costs significantly more and delivers much more when it comes to speed, versatility, and most importantly, reliability. However, if you simply don’t have $300 to spend and are in desperate need of a sewage pump, for under $150 the Wayne RPP50 is hard to beat. It’ll certainly provide better performance than anything you’ll get out of a box store, and if that’s the bar you’re looking to clear, this will pass it with flying colors. Just don’t expect it to last as long as some of the best pumps on the market; realistic expectations are key. Personally, we’d recommend saving the extra $150 for the M267 and up to 20 years of additional maintenance-free peace of mind.

You can buy the Wayne RPP50 here on Amazon. You can buy the Zoeller M267 here. You can buy a good wet / dry vacuum here. You can buy a silent 2 inch check valve here.

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

Zoeller M267 Waste-Mate Sewage / Sump Pump Review: 1/2 HP, The Best AC Sump Pump Under $400?

When it comes to choosing a reliable, buy-it-for-life type sewage or sump pump, one of our primary recommendations is to choose a model primarily, if not fully, based on a cast iron housing. In fact, we prefer a full cast iron pump housing, switch case, and base if possible. Thermoplastic is cheaper to source and easier to shape, which is why you’ll see it all over budget sump pumps (e.g., the Wayne CDU980E). But if you want a sump pump that you can throw in a sump pit and forget about for the next 10 years or more, you don’t want plastic; you want iron. On top of that, there are a special class of submersible pumps that do everything sump pumps can do and more; they just aren’t marketed as sump pumps.

One of the best kept sump pump secrets involves choosing sewage, effluent, and dewatering pumps for high-end sump pump service instead of regular sump pumps. The reason behind this is simple: a sewage pump is designed to handle much rougher conditions (i.e., solid wastes) than a regular sump pump, while the reverse isn’t true. In particular, sewage pumps capable of grinding solids are pretty much guaranteed to keep your sump pump working through any debris or naturally-occurring contaminants in your groundwater. Today we’re going to take a look at one of the best sump pumps (if not the best) under $400: the Zoeller M267 Waste-Mate Sewage Pump, 1/2 Horsepower, 115V. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the money, it absolutely is, and you can buy it here.

Key Features of the Zoeller M267 Sewage Pump (60 Second Summary)

The Zoeller M267 sewage pump is a submersible pump with a 1/2 horsepower motor, a 7,680 gallon per hour maximum water flow rate, and a 3 year warranty that begins with the date of manufacture. It’s 16 inches tall, 13.7 inches wide, and 10.8 inches deep with a maximum pumping height of 21.5 feet and a switch-on/switch-off height of 4 inches and 12 inches respectively. The aforementioned pump switch is vertical. It draws between 1.5 and 10.4 amps and runs on 115-460 volts. It doesn’t come with a battery backup, it weighs 35.8 pounds on our scale, and has a 10-foot long power cord. The working temperature spans 40-130 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s self-priming and housed in cast iron and stainless steel, and the discharge size is 2″ female or 3″ male NPT. It’s designed to be used with sump pits (sump basins) at least 15 inches in diameter.

How Does the Zoeller M267 Compare to the Wayne CDU980E Sump Pump?

Compared to the Wayne CDU980E, the Zoeller M267 is a huge step forward. The CDU980E is a good pump for its price range, but the construction on the M267 is far superior, both in terms of the materials used and in the integrity of the connections. We’d estimate the typical M267 to have a 10-20 year lifespan, while we’d expect 5-7 years from the typical CDU980E. The maximum water pumping rate is close to 2x as fast in the M267 as that in the CDU980E, and it’s capable of grinding up to 2″ solids, which puts it in a different universe compared to the CDU980E in terms of its ability to resist slowdown or stoppage from debris in the sump pit. To put it simply, the CDU980E is a good budget pump, while the M267 might be the last sump pump you buy for your house.

Our Short and Long Term Experiences Installing and Using the Zoeller M267 Sewage Pump

You shouldn’t expect much trouble installing the Zoeller M267 as a sump pump; you basically connect it to your discharge pipe, plug it in, and lower it into the pit. From that point on, you might as well forget you’ve got a sump pump, because you’re virtually never going to need to look after it. The included instructions are thorough and written in clear English; even if you have limited plumbing experience, you should be able to follow them with a little help from a more experienced friend.

In terms of noise levels, it’s not the quietest sump pump on the market, but it runs so quickly that you barely have time to hear it. We found it significantly quieter than the Liberty pumps we frequently recommend replacing with the M267.

Regarding longevity, we can only give it the highest praise. We’ve never seen anyone replace an M267 after installing it. We believe the quality of the construction of these pumps has everything to do with their longevity. The oldest Waste-Mate we’re aware of has been running in a friend’s house for 24 years. It’s still running. We know several others that have lasted past 20 years with no signs of stopping.

Above all, we were impressed by the engineering and thoughtful design that went into the creation of the M267. It’s heavy, solid, and has the feel of a sump pump that’s not going to need its warranty. We liked the copious use of cast iron and stainless steel; we absolutely loved the fact that it was capable of grinding solids as a fail-safe for taking care of anything imaginable entering your sump pit (or up to 2″ spherical solids if you use it as a sewage pump).

Troubleshooting and Installation Tips to Get Your Zoeller M267 Working Sooner

There are very few things to keep in mind with the Zoeller M267 to ensure a long life. One that comes to mind is the junction body; you want to make sure that isn’t submerged in the sump, or that will allow water to get into the pump via the inside of the cord; once that happens, it’s no longer watertight, and you’ll destroy both the motor and the switches.

Check the float switch action every now and then, especially if you don’t have much water in your sump pit very often. Over time the float switch can become dry and sticky and become harder to move on its own. If this occurs, it might not activate when there’s actually water.

Make sure you run a discharge line at least 2″ in diameter; this pump is designed to move a lot of water, and a 1.5″ line won’t cut it. Don’t be afraid to run a 3″ line if necessary; that’s also within specifications.

When you buy a check valve for the M267, we’d recommend spending a few dollars more on a silent check valve. Even though the M267 is a quiet pump for how powerful it is, if you use a traditional hammer check valve, you’re still going to hear a “thunk!” every now and then when it kicks off. Buying a silent check valve like the Brady check valve will get rid of that sound for good. Similarly, we’d also recommend a separate water alarm; something cheap like the Basement Watchdog will give you an audible warning if water levels rise above the M267’s float switch.  However, a better redundant solution for any AC sump pump than a simple water alarm is a full on backup pump.

As great as the M267 is, we always recommend buying a DC backup pump (or a water-based backup pump) to support it, or any AC-based sump pump. You’ll realize why the first time you have a power outage during a rainstorm. Before then, we suggest the Wayne WSM3300 if you’re looking for the best DC-based backup pump money can buy; it’ll test itself frequently for functionality and it’ll literally call you whenever it needs to activate during a power outage. If you’re on a smaller budget,the Wayne ESP25 is a good basic alternative. What’s important is that you have some system to keep your sump pit from overflowing if a storm takes out your electricity.

Zoeller M267 Sewage Pump Pros, Cons, and Value Comparison

Whether you’re buying the M267 as a sewage pump or as a sump pump, you won’t be disappointed. The fact that we know several owners who’ve put 20+ years of continuous service on these pumps speaks volumes. If you don’t want to find yourself either back in your sump pit (or worse, knee-deep in sewage) in a month or a year or 5 because your budget bargain box store pump stopped working, we’d strongly recommend just buying this pump and calling it a day. We’ve seen it installed in finished basements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (property in Chicago can get pricey), and we’ve heard nothing but praise from homeowners, renters, and landlords alike. Buy it and buy peace of mind.

You can buy the Zoeller M267 sewage pump here on Amazon. You can buy the Wayne WSM3300 here on Amazon. 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.