STAK Enterprises' HydroCheck Model HC7000 Utility Pump Switches are "electronic float" switches that are specially designed to automate the on/off control of a Utility Pump. Typically, Utility Pumps are strictly manual: plug them in to have them pump, unplug them when the water's been pumped out. And, because the pump will burn out if it is allowed to run dry for too long, that can mean a lot of babysitting at all hours during heavy rains.

With the HC7000 there is no babysitting - it will automatically turn the pump on when there's water, and turn it off when the water is gone. It has a built-in anti-airlock feature that will make 5 attempts to clear an airlock by shutting the pump off briefly if the sensor is still detecting water after the pump has run for 90 seconds. And the HC7000 works with utility pumps from all the major manufactures such as Flotec, Simer, Wayne, Ace-in-the-Hole, Rigid, etc. Use the HC7000 in any of the following applications:

• Window wells
• Patios
• Driveways
• Crawl spaces
• Underground telecommunications vaults
• Boat bilges
• French drains

$79.99    

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, and check out our video on .

Note: For proper operation, the discharge hose should be of good quality, non-kinking, with a minimum I.D. of 5/8" and should be kept as short as possible.

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How the Sensor Works
The sensor is shaped roughly like a pen, and senses water by measuring the resistance between the tip of the probe and ground. When the water is touching the sensor, the resistance is relatively low (Figure 1). when the water drops below the sensor tip, the resistance is very high (Figure 2).

When the sensor detects the low resistance from the water, it triggers the control module to turn the pump on. Once the water drops below the sensor, it 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. Note that the alarms can be disabled by following the steps below:

1. Unplug pump from control module.
2. Lift sensor out of water.
3. Unplug control module from 120 VAC outlet. Wait 10 seconds.
4. Plug control module back into outlet. Wait 10 seconds.
5. Unplug control module from 120 VAC outlet. Wait 10 seconds.
6. Plug control module back into outlet. Wait 10 seconds.
7. Plug pump back into control module
8. Place sensor back into water

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