Wayne VIP50 - 41 GPM (1 1/4") Submersible Non-Clogging Vortex Utility Pump

I just got this and haven't done major long term tests (and will update if I can), but tried it out filling a 5 gallon bucket and pumping into another. I ran it till I heard it losing prime and instantly pulled the plug. After lifting the pump out (with a bit of water draining out of the pump) I did have 0.25 inch of water left in the bucket, but that tells me it does take the level down very low compared to many pumps which is probably it’s biggest selling point (and why I got it). I am installing it in a sump to get rid of water under the house with a float switch added (when it rains more than 1 inch in a day, I have water building up).

There is a loose rubber plug in the conical section of the pump where some air bubbles out of that as you first submerge it (and a "Do not remove" is cast in the pump near it). Seeing that made me wonder if that would let the pump lose prime as the water level dropped, but it didn't (it acts as a check valve letting air out, but not in). They do say in the manual "starting water level 2.5 inch min" then "Pumps down to level under 0.25 inch" which makes sense to me (they are insuring enough water for priming).
If you're wanting high flow for draining a pool or such, get plumbing for it over 1 inch versus using a garden hose with the connector they include. FYI a 0.625 inch hose is considered too-small even for high pressure hydraulics at 15gpm (or 900gph), so expecting higher flows thru such a hose from a pump like this is crazy. It took about 25 seconds to do my test emptying a 5 gallon bucket with short garden hose connected, so that's 12gpm (720gph) rate and doesn't seem "super slow" to me for those conditions.

One thing I'm not impressed with is a 1 inch hole for the suction on the bottom. On 99% of pumps they have a size bigger suction hole versus outlet with it always being harder for pumps to draw in fluids than push it out, yet this has a bigger outlet (1.25 inch). Maybe they are trying to make it seem bigger by over-sizing the outlet port to advertise bigger numbers, but if they really want 40 gpm or 2400gph to go thru it a 1.5 inch suction opening would be much better. Some may ask “What about it only having 0.125 inch gap for drawing in water, isn’t that pretty small?” It is, but they have that gap out at a 4 inch diameter section, so it still has 1.5 sq inch area around that perimeter for water to flow (if it doesn’t clog etc), the 1 inch hole is only .75 sq inch area making it be the "choke" point.

Some other warnings I'll pass along, since this comes with no float switch you need to carefully watch it when nearing the bottom of the water and pull the plug instantly if the pump starts sucking air to avoid damage. Also to give you some hints on performance for pumping out basements etc, they show on the box in a bar graph these numbers for this pump: at 0 vertical lift you get 2400gph, at 5 foot lift 2000gph, at 10 foot lift 1400gph, and 15 foot lift 900gph. I didn't see that info in the ads, so I hope that helps you realize just as many cars are advertised as having "400 horse power engine" which is a peak performance number in ideal conditions (not a "continuous duty" number), so is the "2500 gph" on this.

I just got this and haven't done major long term tests (and will update if I can), but tried it out filling a 5 gallon bucket and pumping into another. I ran it till I heard it losing prime and instantly pulled the plug. After lifting the pump out (with a bit of water draining out of the pump) I did have 0.25 inch of water left in the bucket, but that tells me it does take the level down very low compared to many pumps which is probably it’s biggest selling point (and why I got it). I am installing it in a sump to get rid of water under the house with a float switch added (when it rains mor... more