Modern sump pump components in the United States are standardized. They consist of::
- A plastic or metal canister forming a sump liner, approximately 2 feet (0.6 m) across and 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 1 m) deep, 15 to 25 US gallons (60 to 100 L);
- A sump pump, either 1/3 or 1/2 horsepower (200 or 400 W), either battery or electrically powered (or both);
- A set of pipes, typically 1.5 inches (38 mm) PVC, that is routed from the pump, through a check valve, and out of the house;
- A check valve that allows water to flow up and out through the pipes, so when the pump turns off the water in the pipes doesn’t flow backward back into the sump;
- A sump cover so that mice, cats, etc., don’t fall into the sump and drown;
Optionally, some homes (especially ones with finished basements) have a secondary battery-powered sump pump in case the first pump fails. Setting up a battery backed-up secondary pump involves purchasing and installing the following components in parallel with the above others:
- A battery-driven 12 V sump pump with its own water level sensor, piping, and check valve (since check valves fail)(the pipes usually join after the check valves);
- A typical lead-acid car battery (may alternatively be a marine deep cycle battery but these are more expensive);
- A typical trickle-charge car battery charger is available at an automobile parts store.
Source: Wikipedia