Can a Float Valve Relay prevent Utility Sink Overflow?

Question

A Samsung washing machine will empty into a utility sink that is outfitted with a drain pump. The purpose of the drain pump is to elevate the waste water into an existing drain pipe in the ceiling. Said drain pipe is 20 feet from the washing machine. There is no drain in the room.

• Link to Washer User Manual

• Link to Washer Install Manual

The drain pump will be attached to a utility sink.

The Goal:

Prevent washing machine discharge water from flooding the room in the event of a pump failure.

Float valves in toilets turn the water off to prevent overflow. Is there a device (float valve) that can be installed in the sink to perform a similar function? The float valve would depower the relay that powers the washing machine.

Bonus Round:

Any concrete examples are always appreciated.

Answer 1

No. That is way too "Rube Goldberg". Think in passive systems.

In my youth, we had a washing machine that discharged into a large double utility sink or "slop sink". These are enormous to begin with, and this one was a double. When the washer overwhelmed the drain, the OTHER sink would start to fill. Because the 2 sink drains are connected internally.

Because of this interconnection, it is feasible to have a sink large enough to catch your washer's entire output. They make double or triple utility sinks, even. Ours could easily catch 1 cycle of our old top loader, however you have a front loader which requires much less water.

But who needs a sink? You could add tank capacity in a variety of ways. For instance you could acquire an open-top, 55-gallon drum and use that as the sump. All drains are plumbed into that 55-gallon drum. Place it so the top of the drum is above the top of the sink. Now, the shared volume has considerable capacity - no question it can hold a full washer run, even of a top-loader.

Further, the 55-gallon drum makes the pump a much simpler setup. You can use any "run of the mill" sump pump in a standard installation, instead of that exotic thing you linked there. That means when/if it fails, no anxious fretting over the arrival of the Amazon truck - just run down to Home Depot and have another one in an hour.

Any concrete examples are always appreciated.

Sure. Here's one. That's what we had. They're heavy as beans, though.

Answer 2

I highly recommend you do not do that. What happens to the warranty when you do this? Looking at the directions it states when stopped to press the start button. The first thing I would try is to unplug it when it is filling/draining, pause a moment then plug it back in and see if it starts at the same spot in the cycle or if you have to press start. If this is true your control system will get very complicated. Second unplug it when if full spin, wait a few moments then plug it back in, try this two may three times during the cycle. I think this will put a strain on the system that it was not designed for. How many times and how fast it will cycle with the float can be problematic. It appears it has an electronic control system and when you unplug it you will be causing the motor to generate a back EMF pulse into the electronics, I have no idea how much of this the electronics will tolerate. My suggestion is to add a surge tank, even an old 55 gal barrel for the extra water would work. You might even get a bigger sink.