STAK Enterprises' HydroCheck Model HC7000 Utility Pump Switches are "electronic float" switches that are specially designed to work with utility pumps in ponding, or puddling, types of applications. In these applications the water isn't collected in a pit, but gathers in a low spot in the basement usually from seepage or backed up sewers during heavy rains . The pump is then placed on the floor where the water is deepest and run until the area is dry. The HydroCheck Utility Pump Switch automates the on/off control of the pump, and allows the pump to pump down to its lowest possible level. The Utility Pump Switch is designed to work with utility pumps from all the major pump manufacturers such as Flotec, Simer, Wayne, Ace-in-the-Hole, Rigid, etc.

Simple Installation
The HydroCheck Model HC7000 Electronic Utility Pump Switch has a single sensor and a control module. A low level sensor isn't required for the HC7000 switch to do its job. Installation is simple and won't require any special plumbing or wiring to complete. The control module is plugged into a 120 VAC outlet and the pump gets plugged directly into the control module. The sensor is then strapped to the side of the pump at the level where you want the pump to turn on, keeping in mind that most utility pumps need a minimum depth of water (normally 1/2" to 2") before they should be turned on. The sensor will work at any level you set it at. View the Installation Instructions for more information.

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How the Sensor Works
The sensor is shaped roughly like a fork, and senses water by measuring the resistance between the two prongs. When the water is below the sensor the resistance is very high (Figure 1), but when water bridges the two prongs the resistance is relatively low (Figure 2).

When the sensor detects the low resistance from the water, it triggers the control module to turn the pump on. From this point until the next cycle, the sensor has no affect on the control of the pump.

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What the Control Module Does
Once the sensor triggers the pump to turn on on, the control module will run the pump until it loses suction. It knows when this happens by monitoring the motor current and looking for the current level to drop when the pump transitions from pumping water to pumping air. To be able to do this reliably every time it turns on, the Utility Pump Switch needs a minimum runtime of 5 seconds. In other words, once the pump turns on, there should be enough water there so that it will take at least five seconds to pump it all out.

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Alarms and Indicators
The Model HC7000 Electronic Utility Pump Switch has a number of built in alarms that warn of problems with the pump or discharge plumbing. The available alarms are described in the table below.

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