Perform the “5-Gallon Bucket Test” to find out.
To figure out which Basepump model you can use, grab a 5 gallon bucket and stopwatch, go to your house’s outdoor hose spigot, and remove the hose. With the bucket directly under the spigot, turn the water on full-blast. Time how long it takes to fill the bucket to its 5 gallon mark. Keep in mind that the 5 gallon mark is often an inch or 2 from the top of the bucket.
Perform this test a couple times to be sure of the result you got. Then, use the chart below to determine which Basepump model you can use in your home, based on the amount of time it took to fill that 5 gallon bucket with water.
| RB750, RB750-AVB, RB750-EZ | HB1000, HB1000-AVB, HB1000-PRO | CB1500, CB1500-AVB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fill a 5 gallon bucket in: | under 40 seconds | under 30 seconds | under 20 seconds |
Some Important Points to Note
- You must use your hose spigot. Do not perform this test at your bathtub, laundry tub, or kitchen sink, as these faucets will likely have different flow rates than your hose spigot.
- Of course, you can use a less-powerful pump than the maximum that your home’s water system can handle, but you cannot use one that is too powerful for your home’s water system.
- If the water supply line to your hose spigot runs through a water filter or water softener, these devices will restrict water flow much more than the spigot alone would have, which would invalidate this test. In this case, you must find out your incoming water pressure, using a water pressure gauge. A plumber can help you with this if necessary. To use all Basepump models, you need incoming water pressure at the Basepump Ejector to be between a minimum of 40 PSI and maximum of 90 PSI. Be sure to read the Basepump installation instructions entirely before installing your pump.
- Frost-free or frost-proof hose spigots typically reduce the water volume that comes through them by approximately 25%, compared to a normal hose spigot. So, if your water spigot is one of these types, shorten your time result by 25%, since your bucket would have filled 25% faster if you were using a normal spigot. For example, if it took 40 seconds to fill your bucket, reduce that by 25% to 30 seconds. Below is an example of what a frost-proof spigot looks like.
Frost-Proof Spigot Example
Image source: trekkyandy
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This article is intended for informational purposes. Before beginning any construction project at your home, please ensure that you take necessary safety precautions and consult construction professionals whenever necessary.