HVAC question
- Thread starter N80
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IkeRoberts
Bronze Member
There is a cleaning tablet that you are supposed to add to the reservoir on a regular basis. It cleans the float and prevents the algae. I forgot the name but can check my furnaces at the church and let you know, if you can't find it locally.
Bird
Epic Contributor
Instead of having a basement, our HVAC systems are in the attic, so condensate is supposed to flow out without a pump. Since I've had friends who had their drain lines grow algae and get plugged up, I go up there and pour a little bleach in the line once a month. Of course I don't know anything about those pumps, so I don't know whether a little chlorine bleach would help it or not.
kenmac
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You shouldn't have that many pumps fail. I hardly ever replace a condensate pump. If you're getting enough algae to stop the impeller from turning , then, the motor would burn up. I clean pumps on preventive maintenance but, rarely have to replace 1. Heck, I tend to clean my customers pumps more often than I do my own......I have to ask,, Is it warm enough in NC to have to run A/C ??? If not,, how did you find out the pump wasn't working if all the pump is for is A/C ??
Papasmirf
Silver Member
That's my question. If he has 80% furnace it should not require one. The only other situation is is he has a humidifier in the basement. Some humidifiers require pumps. I have had some success with the algae pills, especially in package units, some cooling towers that have a makeup water reservoir. He's did his system is 20 years old so I don't expect it's a 95% furnace. Could be but doubt it.
kenmac
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I had / have a 90+ furnace draining into my pump as well as the A/C so, My pump is being used pretty much year round. I've had this pimp for about 8- 10 yrs. I just installed a new system in my home (3 months ago) and I'm using the same old pump. off the top of my head,,I don't even know what brand pump it is
kenmac
Super Member
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- McCormick CX105 Kubota MX 5100 HST, Kubota ZD1021, Kawsaki Mule 4010 trans 4x4
I had / have a 90+ furnace draining into my pump as well as the A/C so, My pump is being used pretty much year round. I've had this pimp for about 8- 10 yrs. I just installed a new system in my home (3 months ago) and I'm using the same old pump. off the top of my head,,I don't even know what brand pump it is.
OP
N80
Super Member
All I know is that the unit sits in the basement and that the furnace part runs on natural gas. There is a fan unit outside. It produces condensate in the winter and in the summer but much more in the summer. I can tell when the condensate pump fails because it overflows onto the basement floor. My basement has a concrete floor and is not really a finished basement so the water doesn't really hurt anything, fortunately.
I'll look into the cleaning tablets or maybe try a little bleach in the future. Otherwise this has me totally stumped. If the pump wasn't rated high enough for the lift, distance and volume of condensate it seems like it would fail in the summer when volume was high.
Here is a picture of the unit. Hiel Quiet Comfort. Gas line is yellow. White PVC is condensate drain, I've removed the pump and put a plastic box lid under it to catch the water. The condensate tube exits the basement along with the gas line and black wrapped coolant line.
No idea why pic is sideways.
I'll look into the cleaning tablets or maybe try a little bleach in the future. Otherwise this has me totally stumped. If the pump wasn't rated high enough for the lift, distance and volume of condensate it seems like it would fail in the summer when volume was high.
Here is a picture of the unit. Hiel Quiet Comfort. Gas line is yellow. White PVC is condensate drain, I've removed the pump and put a plastic box lid under it to catch the water. The condensate tube exits the basement along with the gas line and black wrapped coolant line.
No idea why pic is sideways.
Loadstar
Platinum Member
Something is up. You should not be going through these pumps so often. I have seen them in some really bad environments where it looks like they are pumping beef stew. Are you sure your discharge line is of proper length size? Any restrictive fittings? Like another said a dose of bleach ever so often is not a bad idea, but these things can accumulate years of growth and operate okay. Also is your outlet ok with proper voltage? Something all of them have in common is a problem.
Papasmirf
Silver Member
Thanks for the pic. Your furnace is a 95% efficient and is called a condensing furnace. The design of the furnace extracts so much of the heat from the burners that it condenses moisture inside the totally enclosed heat exchanger. Now, you definitely should not be having these pump failures this often. Have you been able to determine exactly what stops working: pump, float switch? Is the power wired into the furnace or does it plug into a receptacle? It should not be wired into the furnace junction box. It should be plugged into its own receptacle. Have you noticed any corrosion in the pump housing?