condensate pump in hot attic - sweating?

JUGHNE

I usually use clear vinyl tubing coming out of the evp coil.
I cut a 3/4" sch 80 PVC nipple in half, chamfer the OD of it and ream the ID of the vinyl. The tubing size fits tightly over the PVC. Use maybe a foot or less of the vinyl and connect to 3/4" pvc for the rest of the run. Use SS clamps even though it is a very tight fit.

You can see the condensate thru the vinyl, see how dirty things get and it is easy to cut off of the PVC. This serves as my union and gives me an immediate slope down as some coil threads are sloped the wrong way for hard pipe. Gives flexibility to the drain line.

I have even formed a P trap with the vinyl tubing when practical.
Looks a little redneckie but is very functional and makes the trap dirt visible. Plus a vinyl trap may take a minor freeze with out bursting.

You're pretty young to be so happy about passing a small amount of liquid, supposed to happen much later in life.

ratio

Not sure you want to drain right on to the pad that the condenser sets on. That may keep the bottom of the unit wet... But good job with the drain. Also, aren't those Panduit strappies useful?

ChrisJ

ratio said:

Not sure you want to drain right on to the pad that the condenser sets on. That may keep the bottom of the unit wet... But good job with the drain. Also, aren't those Panduit strappies useful?

Yeah,
That's temporary because I didn't want the lineset hanging on the evap while I worked on it.

The condenser is sitting on 1/2" anti-vibration pads, up off of the pad. The pad is pitched away from the house so it seemed like an easy way to get condensate away.

Boon

@ChrisJ I went looking for a roof leak in my attic and found my 3/4" PVC condensate line was sweating. Did/does yours sweat? Did you insulate it?

jumper

Boon said:

@ChrisJ I went looking for a roof leak in my attic and found my 3/4" PVC condensate line was sweating. Did/does yours sweat? Did you insulate it?

Yikes! Maybe garden hose is needed?

ChrisJ

Boon said:

@ChrisJ I went looking for a roof leak in my attic and found my 3/4" PVC condensate line was sweating. Did/does yours sweat? Did you insulate it?

Nope, ended up not insulating it.
I did have to wrap some foam around the trap though, that sweats a little, but not enough to really matter. Wrapping it stopped it. I've yet to see the rest of it sweat.

ratio

It shouldn't be sweating unless it's full of water cold enough to bring the surface of the PVC below the dew point. The trap is usually the only place that fits that description. @Boon, are you making that much condensate?

Boon

Ok so maybe I jumped to conclusions and just the trap + a little length is sweating. The pipe ran under some duct work and I couldn't see, reached below, and it was still wet but it makes sense that the water just followed the slope a bit farther along.

Btw, finding the sweat was gravy as it turns out the sweating wasn't the source of my leak; I assumed a roof leak because we had crazy rains but the leak also coincided with the first use of a new bathroom shower and the plumber didn't secure the tub overflow properly.

ratio

Lucky find, that!

ChrisJ

So, after the drain clogging 3 times last year I'm running out between the joists and out the soffit. Had enough of that fun

The pipe is pitched poorly in one spot so it holds water and apparently the warm attic encourages growth.

Also considering draining the secondary pan outside depending on how bad this job ends up next weekend. Just not sure how to keep wasps etc from climbing into the secondary pan drain?

Also cracked the drain connection on the pan so I'm going to try and sneak the old pan out and a new one in.