Best adjustable switch in sump pumps
A 1/2 HP pump with a caged dual reed float on a piggyback plug, so you set the on point yourself and can test or swap the float without changing the pump.
Our score: 7.6/10 out of 10Researched, not lab-tested
- Motor
- 0.5 HP
- Flow at 10 ft
- 2,770 gal/h
- Switch
- Dual float switch
- Maximum lift
- 31 ft
Is it right for you?
Pros
- 2,770 GPH at 10 ft of lift; maximum head 31 ft
- Caged dual reed float on a piggyback plug: adjustable on point
- Water-cooled PSC motor with sealed ball bearings and triple seals
- CSA-certified pump; cUL float switch and controller
Cons
- No built-in anti-airlock vent: you drill the 3/16 in bleed hole
- Aluminium body with a cast-iron volute, not all cast iron
- Pump cord length not stated by the maker
- Must stay at least three-quarters submerged for continuous duty
- Best for
- Owners who want to choose where the pump turns on and replace the float without pulling the pump.
- Not for
- Anyone who wants an all-cast-iron pump with a fixed built-in float and nothing to set up.
Our verdict
The BWT050 is for owners who want control over the switch. Instead of a float built into the pump, Basement Watchdog uses two reed floats in a protective cage, wired to a controller with a piggyback plug. You choose where the pump turns on, test it by lifting the float, and replace the switch without replacing the pump.
Glentronics, which makes Basement Watchdog, lists 4,100 gallons an hour at 0 ft and 2,770 at 10 ft, with a 31 ft maximum head, the highest of our primary sump pumps. The motor is a water-cooled permanent split capacitor type; the body is aluminium with a cast-iron volute, lighter than all-cast-iron pumps. The pump is CSA certified and the float and controller cUL listed, with a three-year warranty.
Installing it
The BWT050 has no built-in vent, so with a check valve you drill a 3/16 in air-bleed hole in the pipe above the pump, angled down into the pit, above the water line and below the check valve. Slope the discharge pipe down so it drains and can’t freeze in the line. Keep the float controller off the floor, and plug into a grounded outlet with no extension cord. For continuous duty the pump must stay at least three-quarters submerged.
Safety: Unplug the pump before you work in the pit. If the basement is already flooded, stay out of the water while anything electrical could be live and ask your electric utility to cut the power; our guide to the first hours after a basement floods goes step by step.
Specs
Basement Watchdog BWT050 1/2 HP Sump Pump with Dual Float
Pump
| Motor | 0.5 HP |
|---|---|
| Flow at 10 ft | 2,770 gal/h |
| Maximum lift | 31 ft |
| Switch | Dual float switch |
| Housing | Cast iron and aluminium |
| Discharge | 1-1/2 in NPT |
Other details
| Warranty | 3 years |
|---|---|
| Works in an outage | No |
| Alarm | No |
| Safety listing | CSA (pump); cUL (float switch and controller) |
Maker’s figures, checked 4 Nov 2026.
Basement Watchdog BWT050 questions
Can I adjust when the BWT050 turns on?
Yes. The caged dual float is separate from the pump and wired to a piggyback controller, so its position in the pit sets the on point.
Do I need to drill a hole in the discharge pipe?
Yes, if you fit a check valve. The manual asks for a 3/16 in air-bleed hole above the pump, angled down into the pit, above the water line and below the check valve, because the pump has no built-in vent.
Is the BWT050 approved for Canada?
Basement Watchdog lists CSA certification for the pump and cUL for the float switch and controller.
