This Automatic Sump and Utility Pumps turns on and checks for water approximately every 2-1/2 minutes. During this "check", the pump runs for about one second and checks for resistance or drag against the impeller. If resistance (water) is found, it will run for as long as water is present. When all the water is pumped out, the pump shuts off and returns to its 2-1/2 minute test cycle. The pump can be started at any time by disconnecting it from the power source, waiting for 5 seconds and reconnecting to the power source A break-in period of 10 hours is required to achieve maximum pumping capacity.