no tractor involved, but...

[jimmysisson]

Hi all, need some help thinking this through. I have a heat pump water heater in the unheated (stays above 40F) basement below an apartment. The condensate has been draining into a bucket for now, but I'd like to get it outdoors. It's about a half inch line, and just drips.Trouble is, outdoors is barely a foot above the ground on the north side of the building. I'm concerned mud daubers will plug it up, or the drips will freeze in the pipe/hose (we see -20F most winters). I was thinking heater hose - it would pass through an 8" block foundation wall and copper would corrode, though it could have a sleeve around it I guess.Anyone have any ideas?Thanks, Jim

 

[coldsteelva]

Doesn't sound like it's worth the trouble. Can you have it drain into a shallow sump for pumping up into the existing household drain line?

 

[GLyford]

Use a condensate pump?

Little Giant VCMA-15UL 115-Volt Automatic Condensate Removal Pump-55441 - The Home Depot

 

[jimmysisson]

Do you think if I used a pump the condensate wouldn't be so likely to freeze? In other words, if it pumped out all at once rather than dribbling I might be safe. Sure would surprise the mud daubers!
Thanks, Jim

 

[GLyford]

No, I was also thinking into a household drain (washing machine, sink, etc.)

The hose for these is low pressure, can be 1/2" clear line.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

This is a very common situation with air conditioners. Lots of options, here are a few in order of difficulty:
1. gravity drain to sewer pipe
2. condensate pump to sewer pipe
3. condensate pump to outdoors

If there is a drain pipe running through the basement I would use that. If there is already a drain (like a floor drain) that would be the first choice. Otherwise, if you have a clean-out you can remove the cap and screw a fitting into it and add a standpipe there. If you don't have a clean-out, if you have plastic pipe it's pretty easy to cut out a section and put in a tee. Best case is your drain is below the level of the water source and it all just flows by gravity, you only need a quarter inch of drop per foot of run for it to flow.

Condensate pumps are very commonly used when there isn't enough drop for the water to drain by gravity.

If you have to run to outdoors, as long as your pipe slopes continuously from where it is in the heated part of the house to the outside water can't pool and it won't freeze.

 

[jimmysisson]

Actually there is a 4" sewer line w a clean out nearby. Only thing is, I'm not sure the condensate runs enough to keep a trap filled, and I don't want to use a trap primer. Sometimes the apt. is unrented and we turn the heater down. It runs maybe a gallon a month then. Maybe you're right - outdoors is too much worry. Thanks, all. Jim

 

[jfh28]

it will freeze......I've had it happen to me and I don't get anywhere near -20........I went with a condensate pump and ran it to a sink.......just remember that it can't be a direct connect to the trap......code around here has to be whats called an indirect connection which is to a drain which then goes to a trap and then into the sewer line......sounds complicated but they do it all the time with condensing furnaces......its so there can't be any sewerage cross contamination if there's a backup......you should check your local plumbing codes before doing anything.......Jack

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Actually there is a 4" sewer line w a clean out nearby. Only thing is, I'm not sure the condensate runs enough to keep a trap filled, and I don't want to use a trap primer. Sometimes the apt. is unrented and we turn the heater down. It runs maybe a gallon a month then. Maybe you're right - outdoors is too much worry. Thanks, all. Jim

If you fill the trap with mineral oil it won't evaporate. A slow trickle of water won't displace the mineral oil.

 

[jfh28]

the plumbing code use to allow over sized traps for this condition instead of requiring a trap primer........so if you had a 2" pipe you could install a 3" or 4" trap size....the theory being that there would be so much water filling the trap it wouldn't be able to fully evaporate........don't know how well that actually worked in practice but it was allowed.......I think it was in the national standard plumbing code......haven't gone thru one in a while so don't know if it's still in there or not......you could check your local codes to see whats allowable.......Jack