Sump Pump, GFCI - Would you?

[Monster5601]

We recently had our crawl space encapsulated which included a sump with dual independent pumps. Our local code requires dedicated 20 amp circuits for each pump but it leaves GFCI up to us. I Googled this topic and was presented with "yes you should" and "no you don't". What do you all do? For those that have your pumps on a GFIC, are there issues of the GFIC interrupting for no apparent reason?

 

[RNeumann]

If you do a GFI buy a breaker so you aren’t having to crawl under the place to reset it.
Some pumps will trip the GFI so the code leaves it up to the installer. What did the contractor recommend- they do this all the time.

If it was my place, I did the install and it was a dedicated circuit I’d skip the GFI.

 

[Looking4new]

My sump pump is NOT on a GFCI outlet. In 25 years I have not had a problem.

 

[Deere Dude]

I installed two sump pumps with dedicated breakers, circuits and GFCI outlets. They kept on tripping so out they came. Never found out why. Never had a problem since then.

If it was difficult to get at or catastrophic if they fail, I would skip them.

 

[Fallon]

A GFCI on a sump pump means you find out it tripped when things start flooding. Similar issue for a garage fridge or freezer.

 

[KennyG]

No GFCI on sump pumps. At least that's what I've always been told.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Back iin the 80's, I had this issue. I happened across an article in Popular Mechanics I think it was that suggested using a hospital grade GFCI. I cannot find that article or remember the specifics but that is what I did. My friend who owned a hardware store felt that he was taking my money but ordered one in. I installed it and it worked.

Most of the articles that I came up with while digging into this before I posted go back and forth on code but mainly the suggestion is to use a dedicated circuit with a regular outlet.

Pricey but there is a wi-fi outlet that will notify you of a pump issue. Not sure how well these work?

 

[oldnslo]

GFCI's do not like inductive loads like electric motors. Like QRTRHRS states some hospital grade GFCI have a HP rating. My two cents I would not put a sump pump on a GFCI circuit.

 

[mbohuntr]

We discovered the previous owner put our pump on a GFCI circuit after we found 4' of water in the basement.. lost the pump, furnace, and hot water tank.. IMHO, your money would be better spent on a disconnect for the pump in case of a flood, and a water level alarm.. water and electricity don't mix well.

The disconnect will keep you safe if you have to wade in there.. don't count on the breaker tripping.. I have worked on circuits that were open under water that didn't trip the breaker.. voltage at the fixture, but won't work.. the feed had burned open, but the water had enough resistance not to trip the breaker..

 

[Industrial Toys]

No, water nor earth is conductive enough to trip a breaker. Actually, water isn't apparently conductive at all. Just the minerals in it.

I would use a portable cord ended GFI if working on a sump pump, but not when in service.