WAYNE CDU980E ¾ HP Submersible Sump Pump Review
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So, you are thinking about buying the WAYNE CDU980E ¾ HP Submersible Sump Pump. Your friend recommended it or maybe you came upon it yourself, either way, it’s best to have some knowledge about what you are buying.
The CDU980E ¾ HP Cast Iron and Stainless-Steel Submersible Sump Pump is one of the most popular WAYNE products. It has a ¾ horsepower motor, working on 115 volts. Its highest performance is 4600 gallons per hour; 3500 gallons per hour at 10 feet and 2400 at 20 feet.
The sump pump comes with a 5-year warranty, and it’s best used with a basin that has a diameter of 11 inches. It is 14 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. Its power cord is water-resistant and 8 feet long.
As you can see from the product’s name, this sump pump has stainless steel housing and a cast iron pump base. It is fully submersible and is designed with a top suction pump that prevents clogging from debris. Also, it has a handle on the top for easier removal.
In addition, this sump pump is automatically activated by a vertical float switch, which is made from the thermoplastic polymer called Polypropylene. The turn-on level is 9 inches and the turn-off level is 4 inches. Also, the switch has a Float Guard that prevents it from being blocked.
For reliability, this submersible sump pump has an abrasion-resistant glass-reinforced impeller. This impeller will not fall off that quickly if debris gets in. This WAYNE model uses a discharge pipe that is 1/1.2 inches in diameter. The inlet line is made smaller, so it can’t suck dirt in.
This may not be important to someone, but the sump pump has a maximum working temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and a minimum working temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
These were the specifications of the WAYNE CDU980E ¾ HP Submersible Sump Pump. It’s time for our review.
What’s good about the CDU980E?
When evaluating if a product is good enough, we must take into account its price. We compare the benefits with the price and see if it’s worth buying.
The first thing we must commend is the pump’s protection against debris. Many products on the market are powerful and effective but are often met with clogging issues. It appears that this sump pump is immune to this problem.
The stainless-steel housing and the cast iron pump base make it impossible for debris to get into the sump pump. In addition, the top suction design makes it even harder for dirt to get in. This is what you want in a sump pump.
The inlet line is another soldier in line, preventing debris from getting in. It is placed above the cast iron pump base, as mentioned before the cast iron pump base protects the sump pump from debris. Plus, the inlet line is smaller than usual, this is done intentionally in order to stop stones from getting in.
Preventing the clogging is not the only use of the stainless-steel housing. It also protects the sump pump from decay. Submersible pumps are not famous for their long lifetime, but this one has an advantage here. It has great protection from the damage that the water can cause.
Another good thing about this WAYNE model is its motor. Usually, sump pumps that are for home usage are weaker, they use a ¼ or a ½ horsepower motor. However, this sump pump is much stronger than the usual model.
With the 980E you get a ¾ horsepower motor and 4600 gallons per hour flow rate at 0 inches. This is a significant improvement for homes that have water in the sump pits regularly. For a relatively cheap price, you get a really good motor.
Another reason why this pump is good is that its motor is reasonably quiet. Some home-owners don’t like loud sump pumps. If you like quiet sump pumps, the 980E is a good choice.
The impeller is nothing special, the housing and the cast iron already make it hard enough for dirt to get through. However, it’s good to know that the impeller will be safe and sound if dirt gets in somehow.
It gets another point for reliability. Usually, water and time wear out the average sump pump, but with the stainless-steel housing and the cast iron steel, this one can last longer than the average sump pump.
Lastly, what I like most about this sump pump is that it’s so simple. It’s easy to install and easy to maintain in good shape. You don’t have to exhaust yourself when installing the sump pump, and it is easy to remove it with the handle on the top.
I can say that the 980E did pretty good on this one, let’s see where it can fail.
Room for improvement
Apparently, buyers were not satisfied with the vertical float switch. It came in a poor condition from the start. The vertical float switch is not that stable and can malfunction.
The float switch can get stuck even if nothing is blocking it. It fails to automatically start the sump pump and stop it. A simple test with a bucket of water will show you that the float switch is not that great compared to everything else in the sump pump.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that the float switch is made from bad material. Usually, this is a manufacturing problem. The float switch does not break over a certain time but is not effective from the start.
Another thing that we may complain about is the 8 feet cord. The cord’s quality is fine, but its length is not ideal. You can solve this with an extendable cable, however, some homeowners like a longer cord.
It looks like nitpicking, but the 8 feet cord plays a big part. This Wayne model is famous for being easy to install and easy to use. Extending the cord complicates the installment.
This isn’t a problem, but we should mention it. If you used a weaker sump pump and decide to buy the 980E, keep in mind that it can send water back in other pipes that use the same system. This only happens, if you have pipes for a weaker sump pump, and if you have other drains connected to the sump pump line.
That’s all about the cons, let’s reach a conclusion.
Our verdict
This sump pump is not perfect, but well above average. For a relatively cheap price, you get a motor that is stronger than the usual models and a reliable sump pump that will last.
The float switch can be problematic, but that doesn’t change much. We can compare the pros and cons, and see that the pros outweigh the cons by a long shot.
This sump pump is ideal for homeowners. It’s easy to install, easy to maintain in good shape, and doesn’t cost a lot. This is what we look for in a sump pump, a powerful and reliable sump pump.
However, if money is not a problem for you, there are better options. I recommend buying this sump pump if you want to save money and still get something extra.
All in all, this is a good sump pump. You can find a better, but not for the same amount of money.
Specifications
| Name | WAYNE CDU980E |
|---|---|
| H/P | 3/4 |
| Dimensions in inches, X x Y x Z | 10.5 x 9 x 11 |
| Maximum gallons per hour | 5490 |
| Solids handling, diameter (inches) | 0 |
| GPH 0 | 5490 |
| GPH 5 | 5245 |
| GPH 10 | 4743 |
| GPH 15 | 4240 |
| GPH 20 | 3571 |
| GPH 25 | 2760 |
| Battery included | No |
| Battery required to run | No |
| Housing material | Stainless Steel |
| Base material | Cast Iron |
| Impeller material | Thermoplastic |
| Switch Type | Vertical Float |
| Warranty yes/no | Yes |
| Warranty years | 5 |
| Link to warranty | Link |
| Link to manual | Link |
| Voltage | 120 |
| Weight in pounds | 22 |
| Weight in Kg | |
| First year of production | 2002 |
| Is discontinued? | No |
| Running Amps | 10 |
| Starting Amps | |
| Cord Length (feet) | 8 |
| SJTW cord? | |
| Discharge size (inches) | 1-1/2 |
| Discharge type | Side |
| No-clog design | Yes |
| Switch On Point (inches) | 9 |
| Switch Off Point (inches) | 4 |
| Pumps Down To (Ft) | 20 |
| Liquid Temperature Minumum | 40 |
| Liquid Temperature Maximum (F) | 120 |
| Motor: Continuous duty | No |
| Motor thermally protected? | Yes |
| Capacitor start motor | Yes |
| Requires check valve? | Yes |
| Check valve included? | No |
| Sump Pit diameter required (inches) | 11 |
| Circuit requirement (Ampere) | 15 |
