As well as the more common pressure pumps you will frequently see submersible pumps at your local supplier . . . . . So what’s the difference?
Characteristics of Submersible Pumps:
Most domestic submersible pumps come with an attached float switch which switches the pump on when the water level rises, and off before it runs dry.
- They’re Quiet The surrounding water absorbs any noise.
- Don’t Need Priming As the pump sits under the water it doesn’t need to be primed, which also improves efficiency.
- Rarely Block These are centrifugal pumps, which can pass reasonably large solid particles.
- Pump From Bottom of Tank/Well Useful for emptying things, but bad if you need the best water quality (The worst water is typically at the bottom of a tank see: Understanding Tank Water Quality)
Uses
Best for transferring water in constant flow rate applications such as:
- Emptying tanks
- In a sump to keep basements dry
- Pumping Storm Water
- Pumping Grey Water
- Irrigation systems (make sure there is a filter smaller than any nozzles)
Make sure you get the correct size pump, see: Pump Size
