Installation Considerations

Municipal Water Supply

Water Commander™ operates by utilizing your household water pressure as its energy source. Model MG 22 requires a minimum ¾” water supply, which the majority of homes have. If you have a 1” or larger water supply, model MG 36 can be installed in your home. You should not install Water Commander™ if you have a residential well as your water source, as the pressure will not be present during a power outage.

Is a separate discharge pipe required?

We recommend that Water Commander™ be installed with an independent discharge pipe (the pipe that leaves the house). While the Water Commander™ will operate equally well if its discharge pipe is is tied into your existing electric pump discharge, a completely separate backup system is always preferable to a backup pump sharing a discharge pipe. Sometimes an older discharge is tied into a storm sewer or retention pond area, both of which can overflow during a bad storm, thus preventing your Water Commander™ from pumping adequate volume.

Can the suction and discharge pipes have 90 or 45 degree turns?

Yes. Both pipes can be turned multiple times if needed to adapt the Water Commander™ to the space available. Four 90 degree fittings are supplied with each pump. While the suction pipe can be either straight or turned, the discharge pipe must have two or more 90 degree fittings, as shown in the photo below.



water-powered backup sump pump installation



Pump Position and Orientation

We are occasionally asked if the pump need be installed in the horizontal position at ceiling height rather than closer to the floor or in a vertical orientation. Water Commander™ has a very powerful suction and can operate equally well in any position or orientation.





water-powered backup sump pump configurations