Most houses have water basins in the basement. You need to remove the stuck water often. Here comes the sump pump that will extract the water from the basin, and it will require some extra electric power.
You cannot treat the sump pump like other electric pumps or appliances. It is entirely different and needs to be repaired when damaged or fails to remove the water from the basin.
Does sump pump need a dedicated circuit?
The sump pump needs a dedicated circuit due to its high-power requirements. You cannot use the shared circuit since it will fail to back up the sump pump. You also need to have a ground fault circuit to prevent electric shock. It’s a powerful electric pump that requires a dedicated circuit.
The breaker tripping is the primary concern why the sump pump requires a dedicated circuit.
Suppose you use the shared circuit or the same circuit for different devices, including the sump pump. Also, you cannot use all the dedicated circuit breakers for your sump pump.
It needs something that will be compatible with the pump’s electric power. Considering all the factors, you may use the GFCI Outlet or a GFCI circuit breaker for the sump pump. They both are compatible with your sump pump.
You will find some other circuit breakers compatible with the sump pump requirements. But you should avoid using the third party circuit breaker because of the security issues. These circuit breakers are mainly for small electric devices and will be suitable for them.
You should always try to go to the GFCI outlet. It has dedicated circuit breakers; mainly, it has a built-in breaker which will be a perfect solution for your sump pump, and you can safely use it for a long time.
You should never avoid it if your budget permits you to buy the GFCI outlets and circuit breakers.
However, the sump pump is not a regular electric appliance that you can use with other devices or use the same outlet for all the devices.
When you plug in the sump pump, you should avoid connecting to other devices. It will be a significant threat and might damage the devices permanently.
Does a sump pump need a dedicated circuit in Ontario?
A sump pump does not need a dedicated circuit in Ontario. When it comes to sump pumps, the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) does not specify that they must be connected to a dedicated receptacle or branch circuit.
No special tank or bypass circuit is required for a sump pump to function correctly. In addition, the exception for 120-volt non-GFCI receptacles in dedicated spaces such as garages and unfinished basements has been eliminated from the statute.
Once again, it just states that a dedicated circuit in Ontario is not required. Therefore, it is acceptable for the sump pump, which you can use if that is what you prefer.
3 reasons why a sump pump should have a dedicated circuit
You will mostly find three basic reasons why the sump pump should have a dedicated circuit. These are more than enough to answer why you should use a separate or dedicated circuit breaker for your sump pump.
Let’s explain these reasons and get rid of the confusion.
Avoid Damages:
If you use the same circuit breakers for several devices and pumps, it will fail to backup them.
As a result, your sump pump might get unintentional damage. If you look at the online portal, people ask why their sump pump failed to remove the water, although they use different appliances on the same outlets.
If you go deep into the reason, you will find that the culprit is the same outlets and the same circuit breakers. So, you cannot use the same circuit breaker for sump pumps and other electric appliances.
High-Voltage:
Typically, the sump pump comes with 110 volts higher than regular electric appliances.
Therefore, the regular or shared circuit breaker will fail to cope with this high voltage sump pump which might cost you extra burdens and frequently damage sump pumps.
For that reason, you must use the dedicated circuit breaker for your sump pump.
Overloaded Circuit Breaker:
It will be overloaded if you use the shared circuit breaker for different electric appliances.
It is advised and suggested to use the dedicated breakers for high-voltage sump pumps or other high-power devices. If you use the same circuit, it will be overloaded and might damage the sump pump entirely.
How many amps does a sump pump use?
A sump pump uses 9.8 amps on average. This could vary depending on the power of your sump pump. You need to have at least 125 percent power for one motor, like the sump pump. Then, the following standard breaker.
A 1 HP submersible pump motor can draw 3.2 amp if it is single phase and the voltage is 230 also 1.7 amp in three-phase, the motor will draw 1.7 amperes.
Sump pumps that are less than 3/4 horsepower draw about 12 amps. The minimum circuit size for a 3/4 horsepower sump pump is 14, and the fuse should be at 15 to protect it. A 1/3 hp motor running at 120 volts should draw about 6 amps.
Should the sump pump have a ground fault circuit interrupter?
The sump pump should have a ground fault circuit interrupter. The minimum thing you can do to keep your home safe is to put in a GFCI.
To ensure that the sump pump gets the power it needs, it needs to have its outlet and a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter on it. The Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is important to keep people from getting electric shock.
It’s essential to connect sump pumps to GFCI outlets to stop people from getting electrocuted. GFCI is a device that goes off when there is not enough electricity.
If something goes wrong and the electricity doesn’t go where it should, the GFCI will protect the consumer from electrocution by turning off the power in the receptacle.
Should a sump pump be on a 20 amp breaker?
A sump pump can be on a 20-amp breaker, but it is not recommended. We would recommend a dedicated 15A outlet for this purpose.
If you are running a new wire, you will require building a 20A circuit on 12 AWG just in case the additional capacity is needed in the future.
Again, if you want to run the 20-amp sump pump circuit with 12-gauge wire, you need GFCI outlets, or GFCI circuit breakers should be used to protect the sump pump from electricity surges and shorts.
And, you must consider the voltage power before choosing the 20-amps circuit breaker. Since most sump pumps will come up with 110 volts, using the 15A circuit breaker should be fine, but it needs to be dedicated.
What are the sump pump circuit requirements?
The sump pump has some unique requirements that are also considered safety requirements. You will mainly find four different requirements that you must maintain while installing the sump pump.
They will protect your sump pump from electric risks and increase the lifetime. Moreover, the manufacturer will also add these requirements to the user manual; you should read them carefully and maintain them carefully.
Dedicated Circuit:
The first requirement of your sump pump is the dedicated circuit; you cannot use the shared circuit to run the sump pump.
It will be a life threat for the pump since it may damage your pump motor permanently. So, be sure that you use a 20-amp circuit breaker.
Voltage Requirements:
Since the sump pump comes with high voltage, you must be sure that your circuit breaker is compatible.
Typically, the sump pump comes with a 110-125 voltage current. And, you cannot expect to use the regular circuit breaker to run the sump pump smoothly.
Switch Position:
The sump pump switch must be above the pump. It is mandatory to place the switch 4-feet above.
It will help to operate the pump safely. If you use the switch near the pump, and the switch gets overpowered, it will directly damage the sump pump, or there is a chance of getting an electric shock.
Grounded Plug:
You need to maintain some safety requirements when installing your sump pump. It will help you to avoid any electrical risks. Electric shock will be a significant concern if you don’t use the grounded plug.
So, you will find the plug along with your sump pump, and you must place it in a secure place to avoid any electric risks.
Final Thoughts
Your sump pump must need a dedicated circuit along with a separate outlet. Also, you need to use the grounded plug to make it safe and use it for a long time. If you use the same circuit breaker for different electric appliances, it might get overloaded and damage the sump pump.