Little Giant 554421 VCMA-20UL 115-volt Condensate Pump, 1-Pack

This Little Giant condensate pump does as good a job as one could ask for. It is being used as a replacement for the MARS brand pump that my downstairs heating and air conditioning unit came with, due to the fact that the MARS pump's motor was remaining in the "ON" position indefinitely and I knew its end was coming. After doing a bit of research I settled on this brand/model and could not have made a better choice. The unit was simple to install, runs very quiet (especially in comparison to the jet-engine-like MARS pump), and pumps efficiently. That last part seems like it would not be a big deal but the way my unit is set up it is required to pump vertically from the floor up an eight foot wall and then horizontally across that wall about fifteen feet to where it enters the waste pipe...this unit is certainly up to the challenge. The price was excellent in comparison to other pumps sold locally at the hardware stores and plumbing supply stores.One minor nitpick, and for me this was not a significant shortcoming as it sits on my basement floor - this pump has no overflow cutoff wires coming off of it and hence does not offer that feature that some condensate pump models do.HINT: During my research I learned to put a teaspoon of household bleach into the tank of the pump every few months (mixed into the water awaiting pumping) to keep algae from growing in the water standing in the pump's tank. It will cut down on any standing water odors in your house and prolong the lifespan of your pump.Good luck.

I just bought an exact replacement as I'm going on 78 and I want my wife or sons to have it easy to replace the pump should I go to Valhalla before the present pump quits. The reason is the pump is hard piped with PVC tubing so to avoid cutting away the existing tubes and replumbing at least one pipe. The new one can be easily installed. Even the mounting holes should align.Just a little warning. These things should be cleaned whenever the furnace filter is changed. I didn't know that and aprevious pump plugged up causing water to build up in the exhaust fan pan inside the furnace housing. (Check that too with each filter change) The water caused the plastic blades on the fan to break. It could have been fixed but newer most energy efficient models were available. So the furnace was replaced with a 95% efficient furnace which has a metal impelled fan.The furnace is in the basement so this pump pushes the condenser water up 6-1/2ft, then horizontal 17 ft, then down to the laundry tub. I catch most of the water in a bucket and use it to wash clothes.This is Michigan. High efficiency furnaces suck outside air in and exhaust air out thru PVC pipes. In the winter, that works fine as the humidity inside the house helps keep us warm. In the summer with AC running, humidity builds up in the basement requiring a de-humidifier.So what I will do as soon as the weather changes a bit warmer will be to cut the intake elbow out and install a swimming pool diverted valve.So when the AC is on, the intake air will be pulled from inside the basement and condensed to be pumped out for the laundry.I won't need the de-humidifier. Ta-Dah.Only one problem is in Michigan, we can go from heating to AC twice in a day.

*EDIT* Pump is still working great but the check-valve is of a horrible design. Check valve has never worked properly; had to reroute the tubing to prevent backflow.Go with the higher HP, always. If you get a good one (let's face it...everything like this has a certain percentage of duds in the QC realm of things...everything, which seems to make up most of the one-star reviews), it works just fine. I had one on sitting on backup for about two years. When my old one that was installed with my 93% furnace went out (different brand etc with lower reviews, Diversitech) I had this on hand as a backup. It is simple, quiet, and seems to have plenty of pumping power. I wish it had a button like my old one to manually engage the pump, but it is easy enough to just pour liquid into it through one of the three holes to check it (keep the caps on the holes you are not using.) Actually, I retract that statement. In fact, I like it better without the button because that is one less thing to fail. Do you really need an electric button interface on something like this?Anyway, over the last month it got noticeably louder. A LOT louder. There are plenty of videos online showing how to clean it. I have attached a pic of mine after 10 months of it pumping furnace and A/C. Look at the pic. No wonder it was loud. All that crap was covering the intakes for the pump.I cleaned the basin with some dishsoap and used a toothbrush and running water on the gunk that formed on the inlet vents. I took out the check valve (many complaints about the check valve) and the bead was shaking freely (as you want it to) and cleaned the check valve with Q-Tips. To my surprise there was not even residual gunk in it. Nothing. Completely clean.Put the unit back in place after literally a 10-minute cleaning job and it is quiet and powerful as ever.If you get one as a a backup, check it when it arrives, so IF you get a dud, you don't find out until it is too late.This unit is pumping up 9', horizontal for 15' and then down 5'.