Little Giant APCP-1700 Pool Cover Pump vs. M53 Sump Pump: A Spec-Level Comparison

If you've ever stared at a pool cover after heavy rain and thought, "this is a sump pump problem," I don't blame you. It looks exactly like one: water sitting where it shouldn't be, and a pump that can move water out. But this is one of those cases where the surface similarity hides two completely different jobs.

I'm a quality and brand compliance manager for a pump company. I check spec sheets, first-article samples, and warranty returns before they go to customers—roughly 40 product types per quarter. And in Q1 2025 I rejected a handful of submissions over small spec mismatches: an out-of-date model label, a float switch that didn't match the drawing, that kind of thing. So when people ask which pump they should buy, I tend to answer with a comparison instead of a guess.

The two pumps people actually compare at 2 a.m.

The two that keep ending up on the same shopping list are the Little Giant pool cover pump APCP-1700 and an M53-class submersible sump pump. If you just searched for "M53 sump pump specs," you're likely comparing one of those classic 1/3-hp automatic pumps against the Little Giant model you saw in a pool supply catalog.

They look similar, and both are technically submersible. But they are engineered around different questions:

• Where is the water being pumped to, and how high does it have to travel?
• How does the pump decide to start and stop when the water is only a few inches deep?
• What does the pump sit on while it runs?
• What happens when you need a replacement part or a warranty claim?

Let's go through each one, because the answers are not what most people expect.

Dimension 1: Flow rating at low head vs. flow rating against head

People assume a 1/3-hp sump pump is automatically "more pump" than a smaller pool cover pump. That assumption is exactly where the mistake starts.

A sump pump is built to push water up. Basement pits are below grade, so the discharge line has to climb six, eight, sometimes twelve feet before it can drain outside. The M53-style pump specs you'll see reflect that: higher shut-off head, more pressure, and a float switch designed for a deep basin.

A pool cover pump is the opposite. It is a high-volume, low-lift pump. The Little Giant APCP-1700 is designed for water that sits almost flat, and the discharge hose usually only has to go over the edge of the cover and across the yard. The "1700" in the model number tells you the story: this is about moving a large volume of water when the pump only needs to lift it a few feet.

So the actual question is not "which pump has more power?" It's "where does the water have to go when it leaves the pump?"

If your pool cover drain line only has two to four feet of actual vertical lift, a high-head sump pump is not an upgrade. It's just a pump with a different performance curve doing a job that doesn't need that curve.

Dimension 2: Float travel—or the lack of it

This is the dimension most people skip, and it's usually the one that kills the project.

An M53-style sump pump uses a vertical or tethered float switch designed for a basin. It expects water to rise several inches before it turns on, and it expects the water level to drop several inches before it turns off. In a sump pit, that works perfectly. On a pool cover, it's a problem.

Rainwater on a pool cover does not behave like water in a basin. It spreads out thin, it pools in low spots, and the cover fabric flexes as the pump runs. A float switch with a wide on/off differential will leave standing water behind, cycle awkwardly, or sit inactive while the cover sags under the weight.

The Little Giant pool cover pump APCP-1700 is designed for shallow water. It sits flat on the cover, starts when water reaches the intake area, and shuts off once it has pulled the puddle down to a thin layer. That low-profile behavior is not a weakness. It's the entire point.

Put a standard sump pump on a flat pool cover and you're asking a float switch designed for a three-foot-deep basin to make decisions about a quarter-inch of water. It's the wrong tool for the job, no matter how good the pump is in its proper application.

Dimension 3: What the pump is designed to sit on

This one feels almost too obvious, but the weight and base design matter more than people think.

A lot of M53-class sump pumps have a cast-iron volute and a heavy motor end. That's great when the pump is sitting on the bottom of a concrete or plastic basin. The weight keeps it stable, and the iron handles the environment of a pit.

A pool cover is not a concrete basin. It's a reinforced vinyl or fabric membrane suspended over a pool. A heavy cast-iron pump sitting on that surface adds unnecessary strain, and if the cover has any sag, the pump can tilt and leave even more water behind.

The Little Giant APCP-1700 is built differently on purpose: lighter, flatter, with a base that works on a flexible cover surface. From the outside, it can look cheaper than a cast-iron sump pump. In reality, the materials are chosen for the surface it has to rest on.

Neither design is bad. They're just not interchangeable.

Dimension 4: Where the total cost of ownership hides

I review warranty returns, so I get to see what fails after the sale, not just at the factory.

One of the most overlooked factors in any pump purchase is whether replacement parts exist and whether the company treats a small order like it matters. When I was starting out in this industry, I was the person placing the small orders. The vendors who took my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still call when I'm responsible for $20,000 orders.

That's part of why Little Giant's approach stands out to me. The product range covers condensate pumps, sump pumps, submersible pumps, sewage pumps, pond pumps, utility pumps, and pump parts and accessories. If a float fails or an impeller wears out, you don't necessarily have to buy a whole new pump. You can get the replacement part and keep the unit in service.

From a quality standpoint, that matters more than the difference between a pool cover pump and a sump pump. A company that publishes specs, supplies replacement parts, and stands behind the warranty is giving you a much lower total cost of ownership than a cheap pump with no support and no future.

Small doesn't mean unimportant. It means potential. And in the pump world, it usually means the customer is paying attention to details.

So which one should you buy?

Here are the realistic scenarios I see when I talk to customers:

• Flat pool cover, seasonal rain, discharge line at or just above ground level: Choose the Little Giant APCP-1700 pool cover pump. It's designed for exactly this duty.
• Basement sump pit or crawlspace, water needs to be lifted several feet to an exterior drain: Use a proper M53-class sump pump or similar. It belongs in the pit.
• You need one pump for multiple jobs: Read the specs before assuming. A pool cover pump will not make a great basement sump pump, and a basement sump pump will not make a great pool cover pump.

The pattern is simple: match the pump to the head, the switch behavior, and the surface it sits on. Don't buy the "stronger" pump if the application is wrong.

A quick note on tools and installation

While I'm in quality mode, one more thing: most pump failures I see are install damage, not manufacturing defects. When you're connecting or removing a discharge hose, use a proper pair of pliers instead of a random adjustable wrench. A lot of service techs carry the Knipex Cobra water pump pliers XS 87 00 100 for this exact reason—it grips the hose fitting without crushing it.

And if you're working on a buried basin cover, don't improvise your lifting setup. If you use a jack, know how to work a hydraulic jack before you're in a wet, awkward situation: set it on solid level ground, keep hands clear of the load, and lower it slowly by opening the release valve a small amount at a time.

That advice won't show up on a spec sheet. It's the kind of thing quality people nag about because we've seen what happens when it's skipped.

The bottom line

There is no single "best" pump between these two. There is only the best match for your installation.

As of early 2025, the Little Giant pool pump line is worth checking if your job is pool covers, low-head water removal, or any of the other light-duty jobs those models were designed for. Just don't buy the M53 sump pump because it has a bigger motor, and don't buy the Little Giant APCP-1700 expecting it to perform like a basement sump pump. Read the curve, check the float behavior, and count the cost of support. That's the whole secret.