# Washer drain



## peloncito (Jun 12, 2007)

Ok, so our washer used to drain into the top of a pvc cleanout on the drain that goes from the sump pump to the main drain out of the house. I replaced the sump pump and it is much stronger than the old one. Water was splashing out of the top of the cleanout pipe, so I put a threaded plug on the end of the cleanout pipe and put the drain for the washer into the sump. When I ran the first load of laundry after doing this, the fill water drained right out into the sump rather than filling up the washer. 

Is this normal? I went to the hardware store to buy some supplies to run the water up into the drain pipe and the only washer drain said that it was supposed to drain down into the floor drain.

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to all of this stuff. Is there something wrong with my washer or is it supposed to drain like that?

Thanks!


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## 747 (Feb 11, 2005)

post a pic so we can see the washer drain pipe going to wherever you have it going.


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## HAASEMAN2003 (Feb 12, 2007)

Trying to understand but if you put the washer drain down into the sump I believe you need the hose to go up and into a pipe then drain into the sump or you just cause a siphon. Pictures would be great! You can put them on photobucket.com and link them from here.


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## peloncito (Jun 12, 2007)

Ok, I'll try to get some pictures, but my wife took the camera to work, so that'll have to wait. Maybe I can explain better. The sump is to the right of the washer and drains straight up and then bends 90° to the left and empties into the main sewer outflow, which is to the left of the washer. Just before the sewer outflow, there is a vertical cleanout. Previously with the old sump pump, the washer drain just hooked into the cleanout with just a loose drain and emptied into it. When I hooked up the new pump, it was so powerful, that the water shot out the top of the cleanout. I had to cap it. So I took the flex hose and just pointed it into the sump. It is not in the water, but rather hangs over the hole and the water drains down (no possibility for a siphon). The problem is that when the drain is lower than like three feet or so, the water just runs right through the washer and it doesn't fill. Right now I have it propped up on a metal folding chair so that it is high enough. I thought what I might do is get a piece of pvc and zip tie it to the other drain coming out of the sump. Then I'd put the hose into the top of it so that it drains into the top of the pipe and subsequently into the sump. 

My question, though, is this: is it normal for the water to drain like that, or is there something wrong with the washer? I went to the hardware store yesterday to buy a new hose and the only one said you were supposed to drain it into the floor drain.

Thanks!


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## HAASEMAN2003 (Feb 12, 2007)

Sorry peloncito that is what I was trying to say that the hose has to be above the tub or it will just run out. I think the only thing between the tub and the hose is the pump so if the hose is down then there is nothing to stop the water from going out (gravity and all). You could call a repair place but I think your on the right track just put the hose in a PCV pipe above the tub.


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## peloncito (Jun 12, 2007)

I figured out a solution. I just zip tied a pvc pipe to the existing drain from the sump and placed the washer drain inside it. It happily drains into the pipe and is pumped out by the sump pump.

Thanks for your help everybody.


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

> The problem is that when the drain is lower than like three feet or so


About 32" should work. Did you have the drain pipe squeezed in the pipe going to the sump with no air gap around it? If so, it could cause the ater to splash back, especially if the drain pipe has no vent pipe.


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## peloncito (Jun 12, 2007)

boman47k said:


> About 32" should work. Did you have the drain pipe squeezed in the pipe going to the sump with no air gap around it? If so, it could cause the ater to splash back, especially if the drain pipe has no vent pipe.


no, it's loosely fitted in the pipe going into the sump. Has been working great for a couple months now.


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