Wayne Pool Cover Pump Review: WAPC250 Dirt & Ice Protection

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I read the reviews and questions of more than 4,000 customers. They rely upon the Wayne pool cover pump WAPC250 to drain and protect their pool cover from excess water weight.

Where I live, winter blows in quickly and I need a pump that won’t burn itself out due to ice or even dirt.

However, that doesn’t mean that the cover pump should be left outside all winter. Although a number of customers do leave the Wayne WAPC250 pool cover pump all winter. Let’s talk about this a bit more latter in this article.

Note: This pump is also known as the Wayne 57729-WYNP Pool Cover Pump.

This is our Best Choice pool cover pump recommendation. Get it now!

Table of Contents

What Happens When the Water Freezes?

In the worst-case various parts of the pump will be broken because water expands as it freezes. Having said that, several customers do leave their Wayne cover pump all winter. In which case it would be best to drain water out of the pump and drain hose.

In the best case the impeller can’t move because of the ice blocking it. The same thing happens if the impeller is stopped by clogged dirt or leaves.

The manufacturer recommends not using the cover pump when the outside temperature is below 40 degrees. That is because the pump will stop working at that temperature. So, even if there is no ice the iSwitch® Sensing Technology tells the pump not to run. There is more to this situation, so keep reading.

iSwitch® Sensing Technology Prevents Ice and Dirt Damage

When the impeller is blocked from moving by ice, leaves or dirt the iSwitch® Sensing Technology prevents motor operation. This prevents the motor from overheating and burning out.

When the motor impeller is blocked from spinning by ice the iSwitch® will periodically check to see if the problem has been solved. Eventually the iSwitch® will only check every 12 hours. Once the ice has melted or the dirt has been removed the Wayne WAPC250 will automatically restart again.

Don’t want to wait 12 hours to check the pump’s operation? Just unplug the pump for a minute or so to reset the iSwitch®.

Sale

Wayne 57729-WYNP WAPC250 Pool Cover Pump, Blue

Pool Cover Maintenance – The WAYNE 1/4 HP Reinforced Thermoplastic Pool Cover Pump is a great addition to your pool maintenance. WAYNE model WAPC250 has iSwitch technology, which activates the pump once the water level is at, or above 2 1/8”. Auto Off deactivates the pump when water is at or below 3/4″
Automatic Pumping – Water level must be at least 2-1/8” for the pump to turn on, prime, and operate. Water levels less than 2-1/8” won’t activate the iSwitch to start the pump, so manual activation will be needed
Efficient Design – Energy efficient, high flow, oil-free pump. Easy on/off allows you to plug in and leave the pump unattended for worry-free water removal all winter long. Automatic freeze protection within the iSwitch technology helps prevent pump damage
Additional Features – The strainer base filters out debris to minimize clogging and keeps the pump from tipping over. 25-foot power cord and 25-foot “pull-to-shore” rope included to help position the pump on the pool cover. Includes a 3/4″ garden hose adapter and check valve to reduce repetitive cycling
Quality You Deserve – Proudly assembled in the USA for quality you can trust. Warrantied for 3 years for dependable, efficient, performance. This Auto Off pump will NOT run dry
Auto On activates when water at, or above 2 1/8 in. has been detected. Auto Off activates when water at, or below 3/4 in. has been detected.

Features and Benefits of the Wayne WAPC250 Pool Cover Pump

Pumps Up To 3000 GPH which means that it can keep up with a heavy rainstorm. That way the pool cover isn’t damaged by excess water weight.
Plug and Play: Once set up this pump works automatically day and night while you are doing more important things.
Built-In ice and dirt overload protection. This pump knows when the impeller is frozen or blocked from spinning by dirt. So, the motor won’t burn itself out like many other pumps would.
iSwitch® Sensing Technology uses a microprocessor to sense and control pump operations. Not only operating efficiently but also diagnosing and preventing potential damage to the pump.
25 ft. “Pull to Shore” rope permits easy and precise positioning of the pump. Also, this rope enables removal of the pump without damage to the pump or garden hose.
25 ft. Power Cord to reach all the way to the electrical outlet. Or if an extension cord is needed, the connection is far from the pool water for better safety.
Energy Efficient 1/4 HP Motor rated at just 2.5 Amps saves money by using less electricity.

Oil-Free Motor won’t leak oil into the pool water or need to be replaced.
Sealed Thermoplastic Construction means that the pump can be completely submerged under water.
Check Valve prevents water from flowing back into the pump which prevents short-cycling. Short-cycling wastes electricity and wears out the pump prematurely.
Garden Hose Adapter lets homeowners use their garden hose instead of buying an additional hose.
Blue Strainer Base filters out leaves and other debris to greatly reduce clogging of the pump.
The pump starts pumping when the water depth is 2-1/8 inches. This keeps excess water off the pool cover and prevents the pump from short-cycling. That extends the life of the cover pump.
Pump shuts off when the water level reaches 3/4 inch.

Can I Drain the Entire Pool with The Wayne WAPC250?

Yes and no. Let me explain.

Yes, you sure can, but it will take much longer than with a larger horsepower pump. However, the larger pump might leave more water in the bottom of the pool. Which would still require the Wayne pool cover pump to get all of the water out.

No, you can’t. The manufacturer says that the pump may be damaged by pool chemicals. So, you are taking your chances. Also, don’t expect any warranty repairs or replacement.

Can the Wayne WAPC250 Be Fully Submerged to Drain a Pool?

Yes and no. The pump can be fully submerged in water. However, the manufacturer said that pool chemicals will ruin the pump and void the warranty.

Some customers have said that they are placing the Wayne cover pump on a pool step in order to keep the pool from overflowing.

Do I Need to Remove Leaves from The Pool Cover?

It would be a good idea but it isn’t required. The Wayne pool cover pump comes with the blue colored strainer that will block the leaves. However, small bits of leaves might plug up the pump. If that happens, pull off the blue strainer and flush the dirt out.

Also, clean out the priming hole that is in the baseplate. See the next section for more about that.

After the water has been removed from the cover the leaves will dry out and blow away.

By the way, the strainer is almost 11 inches in diameter.

Warning, Keep the Priming Hole Clean!

The priming hole is hidden by the baseplate screen and impeller of the motor. It is quite small (1/8^th inch) and is easily plugged up with dirt. Clean those parts as you remove them. Then use a pin or paperclip to clean the priming hole. At least one customer used a tooth pick to clean the priming hole.

One customer bought a Coleman mosquito net and wrapped the pump in it. That stopped the customer from having to clean the priming hole.

Wayne WAPC250 pool cover pump parts diagram. Image credit Wayne Water Systems — Image credit: Wayne Water Systems

Does The Pump Keep Clicking on and off?

That is a sure sign that the priming hole is the problem. There are two ways to fix this:

Fix #1: Remove the garden hose and the adapter. Place the pump back into the water. The pump should start up. Then pull the pump out and reattach the adapter and garden hose. Everything should be working. If not, continue with fix #2 below.

Fix #2: The priming hole needs to be cleaned out. The priming hole is also the air escape channel or weep hole. See the “Warning, Keep the Priming Hole Clean!” section above for more details.

Does This Work with A Garden Hose?

Yes, but you may want a larger diameter discharge hose. The Wayne WAPC250 comes with an adapter to use a 3/4 inch garden hose. Which is what most people use.

One customer stated that they used a 5/8th inch garden hose.

However, if you use a 1 1/4 inch diameter hose the pump will be able to increase the flow of water and move it farther away from the pool. The pump comes with a 1-1/4 in. NPT discharge connection where you can push on any flexible hose of the same size.

Aquagarden Flexible Reinforced Pond Tubing, 20ft x 1 1/4” Internal Diameter, Smooth-bore PVC Pond Tubing, Includes 2 stainless steel Hose Clamps, Corrugated, Tough and Strong Tubing,

POND SYSTEM READY – Our flexible pond tubing can be used with a wide variety of pond fountain and filtration equipment. It is also ideal for use with hydroponic and aquaponic systems, water butts, sump pumps and garden water features.
HIGH QUALITY PVC – The flexible pond tubing is made of an extremely durable PVC material. This prevents kinks and splits and ensures the tubing is suitable for use.
SIMPLE TO USE – Our flexible pond tubing is corrugated for added strength, allowing it to bend around tight corners without the fear of leaks.
2 x HOSE CLAMPS – Comes with 2 stainless steel hose clamps for secure connections.
20ft in length and 1 ¼ inch internal diameter.

Who Makes the Wayne WAPC250 Pool Cover Pump?

The Wayne company was started and is owned by the Scott Fetzer Company. The pumps are assembled at the Harrison, OH factory. Wayne Water Systems is located at 101 Production Dr, Harrison, OH 45030.

Pros:

Fast and easy placement of the pump on the pool cover by using the 25 ft. “Pull to Shore” rope. Removing the pump is just as easy with the rope.
Easy to use because of the iSwitch® Sensing Technology that works automatically.
Durable. Will withstand freezing temperatures.
Fairly easy to clean when needed.
Blue colored plastic leaf guard and strainer is easy to remove and clean.
Pumps a maximum of 3,000 gallons of water per hour using a 1.25-inch discharge hose.
3-year limited warranty from an established American manufacturer.
Comes with a one-way check valve that prevents short-cycling of the motor.
Adaptor to permit using a garden hose for discharge water.

Cons:

The 1/8^th inch priming and weep hole may get plugged and the motor won’t run. Just use a paperclip to clean out the weep hole. Better yet, buy some mosquito screen and wrap it around the cover pump. That will prevent having to remove and clean the strainer, impeller, and priming hole.

Should I Buy The Wayne Pool Cover Pump WAPC250?

I rate this as a best buy product. It isn’t perfect but it out performs the competitors and at a reasonable price.