Basement Watchdog SPD-BDKIT Ratings
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Features  4/5
Quality  3/5 Performance  4/5 Value  3/5
Features (2) High Quality (1) Easy To Use (1) Reliable (1)
Expensive (1) Durability (1) Unreliable (1) Low Quality (1)
50% of respondents would recommend this product to a friend
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Brad Wallar Zeeland, MI |

So Far.....i Am Very Impressed With This Backup Pump Kit
I installed the Basement Watchdog Big Dog Backup Pump about 5 weeks ago. It was relatively easy to do, the diagrams in the instructions were easy to understand.
After installing the pump and battery, I tested it and it worked great. I have since tested the pump a few times and everything seems to be fine.
I especially like the light on the control box that tells me if the backup pump was engaged. Having the backup pump on my system gives me a lot more peace of mind now.
I would definitely recommend this setup to anyone wanting a backup sump pump. I installed the Basement Watchdog Big Dog Backup Pump about 5 weeks ago. It was relatively easy to do, the diagrams in the instructions were easy to understand.
After installing the pump and battery, I tested it and it worked great. I have since tested the pump a few times and everything seems to be fine.
I especially like the light on the control box that tells me if the backup pump was engaged. Having the backup pump on my system gives me a lot more peace of mind now.
I... more
 Brand Rep Brad, We would like to thank you for your recommendations of our company and products. We appreciate the nice pictures of your set up. Looks like a really neat and organized installation. more Was this review helpful? 5 1 |
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Edward Ambler, PA |

Had It For 6 Years
I installed my Basement Watchdog in 2005 after determining I needed a serious backup for my existing sump. I installed the Dog on separate piping to the backyard since my initial problem was the street main backing up during a hurricane. My existing tiny sump had no place to pump the water. Now I have two very large sumps that operate independently. The Watchdog is definitely the back up since I have set the float sensor two inches higher than the main pump (both in the same sump)
The Watchdog has performed magnificently. Not a drop of water in the basement in 6 years. It gave me enough confidence to finish the basement two years ago. It does get called to service maybe half dozen times a year in torrential downpours. Never a failure. I really like all the controls and warning lights. I have topped off the fluid twice in 5.5 years (the computer light told me to do it). Alas, I'm now getting a signal that the battery has problems, and I'm not upset at all. It has served well and for a modest price (relative to the glorious Man Cave it protects), I'm going out to pop for a new watchdog battery and acid. Well done Watchdog! I installed my Basement Watchdog in 2005 after determining I needed a serious backup for my existing sump. I installed the Dog on separate piping to the backyard since my initial problem was the street main backing up during a hurricane. My existing tiny sump had no place to pump the water. Now I have two very large sumps that operate independently. The Watchdog is definitely the back up since I have set the float sensor two inches higher than the main pump (both in the same sump)
The... more
 Brand Rep Edward, Thank you for your review. Also we would like to mention that for preventative maintenance our customers check the battery fluid levels every 4-6 months. We appreciate your feedback. more Was this review helpful? 7 4 |
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Curt Chicago, IL |
Plumber For 25 Years
I have been servicing these pumps since they 1st came out. They have been nothing but trouble for almost all our customers. Alarm, after alarm, after alarm, after alarm. We stopped selling them because of all the complaints.
 Brand Rep Curt, We are sorry that you are not satisfied with this system. This is usually not the case with this model. All of our back ups are designed to alert our customers when something they should know about is occurring; such as the power being out, the pump failing, etc. We do find that most customers are satisfied with this detailed design. We do stand behind our product 100% and are always willing and ready to help our customers whenever needed. Please contact us directly for further assistance at 800-991-0466 Ext.3 for technical support more Was this review helpful? 15 1 |
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Scott Carmel, IN |

Unreliable Electronics
I had my system for about 4 or 5 years when a board in the controller box went bad - fuse blows when plugged in. I called they company and they said I had to remove the systems from my sump and sent it back in for repair. After going through all of that and getting the unit repaired for about $200 I re-installed it and it worked for about another year before the same thing happened again. Needless to say I find that the electronics are unreliable and I am replacing the system with something that I can depend on. I had my system for about 4 or 5 years when a board in the controller box went bad - fuse blows when plugged in. I called they company and they said I had to remove the systems from my sump and sent it back in for repair. After going through all of that and getting the unit repaired for about $200 I re-installed it and it worked for about another year before the same thing happened again. Needless to say I find that the electronics are unreliable and I am replacing the system with something... more
 Brand Rep Scott, We are sorry that you were not pleased with this system. We would like to clarify that if the controller is out of warranty we do offer a repair service for about $100-$120 that includes a 1 year warranty on this repair. In your case, it sounds like the repair of your controller may have been covered under warranty. Remember we are always willing and ready to help our customers and if you need assistance please call us directly at 800-991-0466 Ext. 3 for technical support. more Was this review helpful? 9 0 |
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Carol Galena, OH  2 Reviews  10 Helpful Votes |
Battery Issues
An alarm went off indicating a battery problem. After further investigation it turns out that the battery water level was low (no cell was dry). I topped off each cell with water and reset the alarm. The next day the alarm sounded again indicating a battery problem. This went on for weeks until it just stopped sounding.
The response from tech support was slow (took days) and useless. DO NOT buy this system, more trouble than it's worth.
 Brand Rep Carol, Carol we are sorry that you were disappointed with your system. We do stand behind our product and are always willing to help our customers. I will assure you that one of our tech support assistants not contacting you right away is out of the ordinary. We are consistently prized with our high standards in customer service and get back to everyone of our customers. more Was this review helpful? 8 0 |
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Dave Lockport, IL |
Couldn't Keep Up
The rating on the backup system is the same as my Zoeller primary pump, however when the power failed the Watchdog battery backup system was overwhelmed and could not keep up and flooded my basement. This system looks great on paper but was really unimpressed with the quality....
 Brand Rep Dave, We are sorry that you are not satisfied with the Bigdog. This system is plenty strong to withdraw 2200 GPH at a 10'f Lift. Please take into consideration that if the lift is higher than this, it will decrease pumping capacity. Feel free to contact us directly if you are in need of further assistance. more Was this review helpful? 7 0 |
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Dirk R. Elmhurst, IL  3 Reviews  21 Helpful Votes |
Unreliable Controller
I have owned two of these units. The controller on the first unit failed twice. I bought the second as a replacement for the first. The distributor assured me the manufacturer had updated the controller and solved the issue of reliability. Unfortunately, the new unit's controller also failed in the same manner. I have since upgraded to a more expensive system with no problems.
Pros: Features Cons: Low Quality, Unreliable, Durability Dirk Does Not Recommend This Product Brand Rep Dirk, We are sorry that you have had a unsatisfying experience with the BigDog. This unit is our more popular unit and this is usually not the case. Please give us a call directly to discuss the issues you have been having at 800-991-0466 Ext.3 for technical support. more Was this review helpful? 5 0 |
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Louis  3 Reviews |

Stood Up To Hurricane Sandy
I have a summer home at the NJ shore outside of Atlantic City. It is a 95 year old perfectly restored property that is 1 1/2 blocks from the beach. Last year I decided to install 3 of the Basement Watchdog Big Combo units to replace three standard pumps in my 1500 sq. ft. basement.
We have just experienced the devastation of Hurricane Sandy while physically being in Florida for the season. We lost power in the first day of the storm, most likely sometime Monday; and just had the power restored this afternoon (Thursday). We had serious concerns first for our entire property and secondarily for the basement.
Yesterday we discovered that our house has no damage whatsoever, and the basement had a couple inches of water. Today someone physically entered the house and reported that the pumps were back up and running. The batteries were recharged and the basement was already clear of most of the water with only wet spots.
I suspect the three units handled the surge of the storm and lasted until the batteries ran out. Since the specifications are for 7.5 hrs of continuous running, there is no exact way to tell how long they lasted with some intermittent cycling after the storm and high tides passed, but considering this once in a lifetime storm I cannot say enough great things about these units.
For anyone wondering why they should spend more money for these units than ones that cost a lot less- read this again. I have a summer home at the NJ shore outside of Atlantic City. It is a 95 year old perfectly restored property that is 1 1/2 blocks from the beach. Last year I decided to install 3 of the Basement Watchdog Big Combo units to replace three standard pumps in my 1500 sq. ft. basement.
We have just experienced the devastation of Hurricane Sandy while physically being in Florida for the season. We lost power in the first day of the storm, most likely sometime Monday; and just had the power... more
 Brand Rep Louis, Thank you very much for your recommendation of our combination pumps. We really appreciate your feedback and trust in our company. We are also extremely happy that our combos were able to assist you in such a difficult time when many people flooded and went without livable homes after such a disaster. more Was this review helpful? 3 0 |
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John Bolton, MA |
Don't Waste Your Money!
Bought the basement watchdog as a backup for .5 HP sump pump that has occasional use. The low capacity pumping capability of the watchdog pump is totally inadequate to serve my needs. I can't imagine where it would be useful since it pumps maybe 20% of what is produced from my small 110V sump pump. I would be glad to ship it back for some refund. Suggest that the company provide more accurate info on pumping capacity in order to better inform the buyers.
 Brand Rep John, We are sorry that you are not satisfied with this system. Please keep in mind that this is a battery backup sump pump system and is not intended to be the only pump in the pit. This system is useful to many customers since it is rated to pump 2,200 GPH at a 10 foot Lift. If you are in need of further assistance you can contact us directly at 800-991-0466 Ext.3 for technical support. more Was this review helpful? 2 0 |
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John |

Big Dog Works Well
I wonder if these reviews are all for the same product? I have owned the "Big Dog" pump for 5 years. It is the top of the line Emergency Watchdog pump that is 1/2 hp. Emergency Watchdog makes smaller cheaper pumps. Some of these reviews must be intended for those. The big dog pump has performed very well for me. I have had no reliability issues. It pumped for 14 hours through Hurricane Sandy and handled the load fine. You do get alarms whenever power is cut off or the pump activates for some reason, but that is good. You can shut off the alarm with a press of a button. You can even set it so that the alarm doesn't go off. I highly recommend this pump. I wonder if these reviews are all for the same product? I have owned the "Big Dog" pump for 5 years. It is the top of the line Emergency Watchdog pump that is 1/2 hp. Emergency Watchdog makes smaller cheaper pumps. Some of these reviews must be intended for those. The big dog pump has performed very well for me. I have had no reliability issues. It pumped for 14 hours through Hurricane Sandy and handled the load fine. You do get alarms whenever power is cut off or the pump... more
Pros: Features, Easy To Use, Reliable, High Quality Cons: Expensive John Recommends This Basement Watchdog Product Product Expert John, Just for clarification, Basement Watchdog is the name of the brand. Big Dog, Special and Emergency are their three different options of backup pumps. If you purchased a combo "Big Dog" combo system, that included a 1/2 HP primary pump. I would not consider the DC backup pump on the Big Dog system to be 1/2 HP. more  Brand Rep John, Thank you for your review. We are extremely elated that many people we are able to find refuge in our products through Hurricane Sandy. It is an honor to be able to help our customers. Thank you for recommending Basement Watchdog Products! more Was this review helpful? 1 0 |
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Paul Hazleton, PA |

Battery Back Up Product
I had a service person hook it up and looks great but really hasn't been used as we have not lost electricity. Nice lights and seems like there isn't any need to do anything at this time. It looks and seems totally automatic and I really hope that's as far as it goes.
This is just in case we were to lose electricity as our lower level is finished. (Your cast iron sump 3/4 pump is awesome as that has functioned well during heavy rains we received this summer). Back to the back up it's only precautionary in case of lost electricity. I had a service person hook it up and looks great but really hasn't been used as we have not lost electricity. Nice lights and seems like there isn't any need to do anything at this time. It looks and seems totally automatic and I really hope that's as far as it goes.
This is just in case we were to lose electricity as our lower level is finished. (Your cast iron sump 3/4 pump is awesome as that has functioned well during heavy rains we received this summer). Back to the back up it's... more
 Brand Rep Paul, Thank you for the review and your trust in our company. We know that you will not regret the decision to chose the Basement Watchdog. more Was this review helpful? 0 0 |
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Pat Morristown, NJ |
Great Pump
Just had an October snowstorm which for NJ is almost unheard of. Lost power for days. This pump cycled on maybe 4 times per hour and battery lasted for days. Saved me a whole lot of problems. Get one before the flood happens!
 Brand Rep Pat, Thank you for your recommendations and loyalty to our pumps. We really appreciate your trust in our company. more Was this review helpful? 1 1 |
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Jeff York, PA |
Wow!
What to say, great price and super fast delivery. Works great.
 Brand Rep Jeff, Thank you for you review. We appreciate your feedback. more Was this review helpful? 0 0 |
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Dann Amherst, OH |

Peace Of Mind
I purchased the Basement Watchdog after many weeks of research both in the stores and on the internet. The price was one of the lowest I saw and the free shipping sold it for me.
The pump came only a few days after placing the order. I had a plumber put it in because I wanted a separate pipe ran out of the house into the yard in-case I had a street back up.
The manual was very easy to understand and I hope I will never have to use it, but I'm glad to know it is working in the back round. I would definitely purchase other items from Sump pumps direct again if i should need anything. I purchased the Basement Watchdog after many weeks of research both in the stores and on the internet. The price was one of the lowest I saw and the free shipping sold it for me.
The pump came only a few days after placing the order. I had a plumber put it in because I wanted a separate pipe ran out of the house into the yard in-case I had a street back up.
The manual was very easy to understand and I hope I will never have to use it, but I'm glad to know it is working in the... more
 Brand Rep Dann, Thank you for your consideration of our products. We are happy that you are satisfied. more Was this review helpful? 0 0 |
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Madhumita Deb |
Glad We Had This Product!
The pump saved us during the flood.
 Brand Rep Madhumita, We are glad you had us too. Thank you for choosing the Basement Watchdog. We appreciate your review. more Was this review helpful? 0 0 |
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