Manual and automatic are the two main ways to describe how a submersible pump will operate. Manual means that the operator manually turns the pump on and off when required, turning the pump off and avoiding any possible damage from dry running is solely the liability of the operator. Automatic means that the pump will turn on and off automatically via a float switch or float switches. A float switch is connected to the motor that detects the fluid level in the sump, the pump is turned on when the level is high enough, and the pump is turned off when the fluid drops to an acceptable level.