HVAC question

[Papasmirf]

This pump, if your furnace is an 80% eff. furnaces do not require pump. Furnaces of 95% need a condensate pump even in winter. Clean pump and make sure float works freely so that it shuts off when it falls and turns on when it rises. Let me know if I can help.

 

[IkeRoberts]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[N80]

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.

 

[Loadstar]

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]

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?

 

[kenmac]

Yes , you have a 90 % furnace that produces condensate. The furnace condensate is highly acidic . That pump may not be made for furnace condensate

 

[milkman636]

you could add one of these 4720-06 - Nu-Calgon 4720-06 - PH Treat - Acidic Condensate Neutralizer in the tubing that drains the condensate from your combustion vent to the receiver. The condensate from combustion is acidic and should be neutralized before dumping down a drain, the condesate from your AC coil is just water and does not require neutralization.

Or there are pumps rated for acidic condensate:http://www.pexsupply.com/Little-Giant-553101-VCL-14ULS-200-GPH-Automatic-Condensate-Removal-Pump-w-Safety-Switch-14685000-p if you are not concerned with where you are discharging.

 

[jel1988]

The best way to deal with condensate is to chip a trench to the floor drain and install a PVC drain line make sure it runs downhill. Gravity works everytime.

 

[N80]

I let this current Little Giant unit dry out and now it is working again. I do not see any corrosion. Float switch moves freely. It has been plugged into the outlet on the furnace. There is a wall outlet nearby so I will plug it into that from now on.

I dismantled the previous unit and could not see any problems from the wiring, to the switch, to the tubing. Just wouldn't work. I do not know how to test electrical connections.

I've added a little bleach to the tank.

I remain stumped. Will look into a trench in basement floor but not sure how to get it past the basement wall to the outside. There is no floor drain and sewer line is higher than basement floor.

 

[Loadstar]

Then you are stuck with a pump.

 

[kenmac]

I looked up the specs for this pump and they state it is good for condensate from a high efficiency furnace. The plug shouldn't make any difference as long as the pump is receiving 110 volts. Like I said ,I rarely see a bad pump.. I've seen some old ones still performing.... Good luck

 

[Danno1]

I've added a little bleach to the tank.


.

Go easy on the bleach. Too much could rot your pump seals. Just use barely enough to kill the algae.


.

 

[Papasmirf]

That's right... Use only enough to clean and kill the algae. Chlorine is not a friend to plastics and seals and gaskets. Just an added thought: if you don't know tell all of your female friends, wives, sisters, etc. DO NOT EVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA. It will produce extremely toxic fumes and removes oxygen very quickly. Unconsciousness and death will occur quickly, especially in small rooms.

 

[N80]

My wife called Little Giant and they just said cut the cord off the old one and throw it away and they sent us a new one. But I needed one before it got here so I bought the only one that Lowes had. It was only $68 and seems far more robust and well made than all the previous ones including the Little Giant. It is called IntelliTech Pro. Has a one year warranty. Can find any mention of it on the internet. So now I have one hooked up and one for back up.........that should cover me for at least 18 months.:laughing: