Not sure how helpful but back in my pub days the sensors seemed to last about 5 mins before not working, so always have turned it on at the wall. The rates in which they pump water was hardly impressive so suspect you could get away with just using a bucket. The detritus and muck that a pub cellar creates would quite often block the pump if left to solidify/pump not used for while, if its on and nothing is coming out turn it off before motor burns out!
Not sure how helpful but back in my pub days the sensors seemed to last about 5 mins before not working, so always have turned it on at the wall. The rates in which they pump water was hardly impressive so suspect you could get away with just using a bucket. The detritus and muck that a pub cellar creates would quite often block the pump if left to solidify/pump not used for while, if its on and nothing is coming out turn it off before motor burns out!