Air Conditioning condensate

Mad Dog

put out condensate that would be corrosive. As many of you know, I don't care for pvc pipe too much. I want a pvc-free house. The ac company that did my house used pvc on the condensate drips. I'd like to do them over in copper. Any objections, guys? Mad Dog

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Kevinj

We have ran copper in most commercial jobs for years and have no problems. After all the coils are copper......

Mad Dog

Thanks Kev, I was gonna try it anyway

That's what I figured. Thank you....copper it will be md

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

I see lots of copper A/C condensate lines around here and they last decades without noticeable corrosion. BUT they are often run with 1/2" tube (bad) and 3/8" tube (terrible) and tend to gunk up with whatever it is that grows in A/C condensate. Once there it's difficult to kill and even harder to remove and the clogs become more and more frequent.

I see the same problems with rigid PVC of similar size so the tube material doesn't seem to be a factor. It's probably my soupy climate speaking more than anything, but 3/4" seems the smallest that's truly practical with 1" even better. The absolute worst (but quite common) material seems to be clear flex tubing.

A nice brass angle flare fitting seems the best way to attach copper tube by the way.

Art Pittaway

It depends.......

do you like to eat a lot of beans, spicy food and beer? Mixed with the return air it could be dangerous..;)

Mad Dog

Thanks Mike That's what I had in mind

because in plumbing a safe minimum size drip of any kind must be 1". I was going to use 1" with cleanouts and as you said a type of union so that it can be disassembled easily. Thanks fellas. MD

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Mad Dog

You have the same sick, gutter-type, low brow humor that I do

Art. My mother and wife say I'm still in the potty stage...I love all that stuff...white castle burgers too. Md

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BillW@honeywell

Pipe it to a condensate pump..

and then outside, or into a sink or drain. Don't let it drip into the floating slab gap in the basement. Too many AC guys do that...bad IAQ problems can result. Great restoration job...love those door & that staircase!

Mike T., Swampeast MO

One other thing...

...most new air handlers come with TWO rather large connection points for drain lines--one either side of the coil. Set-up manuals will show BOTH run INDEPENDENTLY to a trapped and vented "drip" drain with air gap.

You do though still have to trap the line leading to the drip to prevent return air from sucking the condensate out of the line. This amounts to a "double trap" prohibited by NPC but "approved" by local inspectors.

Mad Dog

Could you scetch that for me babe?

not sure what ya mean...mad dog

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Mad Dog

I'm fortunate that both units can be drained via gravity

don't need a pump thanks for the kind words Bill md

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Bill_14

Heads Up

If your furnace is a high-efficient direct-vent condensing gas furnace (such as a Carrier 58MXA series), you will need to use PVC to drain the moisture that collects in the furnace from burned gases.

If this PVC condensate drain line ties into your coil condensate drain, then everything downstream from that tie-in should be PVC. The moisture that collects from the burned gases in corrosive and will negatively affect copper pipe over time.

Bill

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Here ya go. Sorry it's so crude. Finally had to turn on the lawn irrigation and neighborhood boys have done their usual off-season mischief...

Some mfgr illustrations will show both connections used, some only one. Some will not show the "air trap" as I labeled it but it's my experience that (particularly if the unit is well sealed) it will REFUSE to drain without it/them. If you don't prime the "air trap" it won't drain either.

If you're lucky enough to have a well-functioning French drain (dry well) it's great to drain A/C condensate into them. Around here we get so much condensate that if you drain to driveway/sidewalk you wind up with a slick patch of fetid algae; if to soil near foundation a mosquito-breeding "hole". Most commonly I seem them draining into a basement floor drain.

p.s. I make them from 1" pvc and usually construct the "air trap" with four 90s with inlet at same height as outlet. Know that's not an "approved" way to make a sanitary trap, but that's not the purpose and it works fine and gives enough area to prevent evaporation during the off season.

MikeB34

If its only...

I f your only concerend with the A/C unit, its pure water. No acidity. Ifit is common drained with say a condensing heating unit, then it will be slightly acidic and PVC or CPVC is required. Also check local codes, because many places are requiring the use of a condensate neutralizer, before entering the public waste system...
Good luck. Mike

Mad Dog

excellent Mkie

that's what I was thinking. ActuaLLY, the attic unit will be wasted into the sanitary in to a trap like you showed, with the overflow piped to the soffit, so I can see if the pan is flooded. The basement unit can be wasted to the basenent slop sink - I know I'm lucky. I know what ya mean about those slimy patches. Thanks guys Mad Dog

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

For that overflow pan...

...when I see that "visible drain" actually "working" the pan and the unit are generally so filled with dirt/crud that they back up themselves and drain VERY slowly with the pan STILL overflowing. Best to install a condensing unit float-type kill switch in the pan set to activate at a VERY low level.

With a DPDT relay you can even make yourself a dual-purpose nightlight/pan status monitor.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Some humor for ya' Mad Dog

What's the first thing a plumber should learn?

Not to chew his nails.

David_5

drain

When you run copper be sure to insulate it because it will sweat where PVC won't. Do not run drain into sewer because in the winter the trap may dry out and allow unpleasnt odors into the house. A better way to handle the secondary drain pan is to put a float switch in it to shut off the a/c in the event of an overflow.

David

tombig

Condensate

Hi guys, it's been a while. Evap. condensate is darn near distilled considering it was condensed from a gaseous state. If it's draining into the house plumbing it MUST 'DRIP' into an 'open site' drain. This includes floor drains, sinks, laundry standpipes, etc. Never piped solid into drain piping. I've seen enough attic installs drilled into a 3" vent stack that happened to be nearby!
I used to drain my overflow pans as pictured but have changed my way of thinking. If the primary drain clogs or coil icing occurs the water will hit the pan, go down the drain, and the HO will think all is hunky dory. Meanwhile the coil cabinet is rusting away to oblivion. Now I pitch the pan to a corner and wire a float switch to the stat circuit. Thought about using the NO terminals for an LED but no need to get complicated. If there's a drain problem---air don't work!

Wayco Wayne

Mad Dog,

Look up a product called EZ trap. RE Michels sells it down here in MD. It has a clear P trap so you can see the build up of crud, (dust mixxed with condensate with a smidgen of algae) and has a safety switch built into the top of the trap that prevents the A/C from running if there is a clog. Pays for itself quickly the first time it prevents water damage. It even comes with a bottle brush to clean the trap with. What's not to like??? WW.

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