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Drain Hose question, Lenox condensing furnace

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mixe1
mixe1 Member Posts: 6
edited October 2020 in THE MAIN WALL
Lenox ML193

The black drain hoses from the boot/flue collar to the collector box. They dont have clamps on the connections. They look as if they pull over a hump/barb or maybe heat is applied to make a seal.

Do those hoses just pull off if I want to flush them?

Im in a pinch and need to clean them but I dont want to damage them or pull them off and find out they wont seal again.

Below is not my furnace but shows the hoses im talking about.


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  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
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    They should just pull off. May have to twist them a bit. Make sure the ports where the hose connects are clear as well.
  • mixe1
    mixe1 Member Posts: 6
    edited October 2020
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    They did just pull off like you said.

    On the connections at the collector box, there were little screen/filter type inserts. Both were mucked up and had some bits of PVC shavings in it. I cleared those.

    Hopefully there isnt PVC shavings in the flue collar or somewhere else where I cant get at them.

    Have anyone ever seen these pvc shavings and filters I am talking about?
  • unclejohn
    unclejohn Member Posts: 1,833
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    The other place things collect is at the air inlet screen. Mostly leaves and such. Visible in the picture at the tippy top right above the ground wire. Hopefully the pipe is not glued and you can just pull it up.
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,166
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    I've seen PVC shavings on most of the condensing furnaces that I service for the first time.  Sloppy/careless installers are the cause of it, they dont clean all the shavings off the pipe after cutting it with a sawzall. This can clog the drain lines or the ports of the collector. 
  • mixe1
    mixe1 Member Posts: 6
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    The hoses connect at the collector box... there are nipples on the collector box that have tiny holes. I had to remove them and manually clean the shavings and mold from them.

    The inlet to nipple and collector box are quite small, , it wouldnt take much to restrict them.

    Does anyone know of the purpose of these nipples?
  • motoguy128
    motoguy128 Member Posts: 393
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    Might be extra ports for alternate pressure switch tubing locations when furnace is installed horizontal or down flow configurations. Check the install manual where it shows conversions for different orientations. Upflow is default and most common. Horizontal right is next preferred. Everything else is usually a PITA to work on and install.
    unclejohn
  • mixe1
    mixe1 Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2020
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    The manual doesnt address them.

    If there was a restriction in that flue collar boot, is the only way to truly clean it out would be to cut the vent and vacuum it out and reattach vent with a coupling?

    When i removed the hoses i made sure the outlets at that vent collar were clean and poked thru them with a wire. I figured that was the best i could do without cutting it.... i didnt want to put air or a vacuum on it in fear of damaging the pressure switch or something.

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