# Residential AC condensate drain by gravity.



## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Not enough hydrostatic pressure to over come the water in the trap. Or there is a vapor lock in your trap, your vent may not be positioned in the right area.


Writer’s information is for discussion purpose only and should be confirmed by an independent source


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Hardway said:


> Not enough hydrostatic pressure*to over come the water in the trap. Or there is a vapor lock in you trap, your vent may not be positioned in the right area.*
> 
> 
> Writer’s information is for discussion purpose only and should be confirmed by an independent source


I presume if there would be not enough hydrostatic pressure, then I would see the water in the hoses above the trap, but the hoses are empty

I have no vent, in my drain (hose) lines.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)




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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)




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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

you need a vent!


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

In other words, all structures with plumbing have a vented stack. Your connections are terrible and catastrophicly wrong.

You need to tap into the main vent stack in the attic or wherever the stack is accessible in coordination with your units. You may need a plumber to do this if you are inexperienced with it. 

They make special fittings to accomplish this. Your hose is illegal (3/4" pvc) and where it's connected at as well.


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

You may be able to get away with the connections where you are in the wall, changing them to pvc, and it may be as simple as adding a trap. You'd need to check the mechanical codes in your area.


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank you for the tip guys, unfortunately these are the only PCV pipes that can be seen in the wall. And there is no access to any others.
If I remove the Trap and put the hoses directly in the PVC pipe everything works fine, but then I get sewage smell coming from the pipe, that is why I fitted the trap.


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

If you have 80% gas furnace not 90 or higher then just run a condensation pump with the vinyl tubing out with line set's


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Tator1076 said:


> If you have 80% gas furnace not 90 or higher then just run a condensation pump with the vinyl tubing out with line set's


Dont want to use the condensation pump really, as they are lound and then I cannot use the AC at night.


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

Huh? Just put rubber cork blocks under the little giants. If that wakes you up then you need to find why you cannot sleep at night


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

*Utilitech 1/8-HP Thermoplastic 58 GPM Condensate Pump*

Item #: 313500 | Model #: 59907-UTL1


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

Sorry trying to show pic of it from lowes


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Tommorow I will try and remove one AHU hose from the 3piece fitting. If the water will drain from one of the AirHandlers, then I will fit one more 3piece fitting and run a hose up to the ceiling for ventilation purposes.


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## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

1. get rid of all the "hoses and clamps"
2. run every thing in 3/4 (or bigger) pvc
3. traps at the evaporator coils with mechanical fittings so they can be cleaned....put vent " T" right after traps
4. problem solved........thats if you follow what i have just told you.
good luck and have a nice day.


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Was thinking of fitting the 3piece in the location I have painted, and running a hose until the ceiling. What do you think?


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

harleyrider said:


> 1. get rid of all the "hoses and clamps"
> 2. run every thing in 3/4 (or bigger) pvc
> 3. traps at the evaporator coils with mechanical fittings so they can be cleaned....put vent " T" right after traps
> 4. problem solved........thats if you follow what i have just told you.
> good luck and have a nice day.


If it would be that simple, unfortunately all the walls are sealed up allready, and taking them apart will cost big $$$


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Where were the old drains from the a/c evaporator going to and what material was used as the drain?


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

This is a new installation, there where no previous pipes. And as the build was allready completed, the AC was added on a later stage.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Tator1076 said:


> *Utilitech 1/8-HP Thermoplastic 58 GPM Condensate Pump*
> 
> Item #: 313500 | Model #: 59907-UTL1


A bit much for an A/C.


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

I think you are better off the way I say before.


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

I know I was looking for little giant on lowe's. I was just showing him use a pump of some kind


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

*







*


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

Here we go sorry


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

Too bad. Call a gc to have a drywall crew come rip the walls out so you can do it to code. There is no other option. It was dumb on the builder's part to add a/c after the fact.

You might be able pipe it to the outside to a French drain. Check your codes, call your city's mechanical inspectors office.


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

I agree. That looks like crap :whistling2:


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## Doc Holliday (Mar 12, 2011)

http://www.checkthishouse.com/15/drip-pan-under-the-attic-installed-air-conditioning-coil.html


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Today I changed the trap to a vertically mounted trap with an open top, and just tugged the hoses in it. Water is draining fine now, and should be no problem.

Can anyone advise how many liters per hour does a Residental AC unit produce?


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

StudentGUY said:


> Today I changed the trap to a vertically mounted trap with an open top, and just tugged the hoses in it. Water is draining fine now, and should be no problem.
> 
> Can anyone advise how many liters per hour does a Residental AC unit produce?


It all depends on how much a load the a/c is in. That outdoor and indoor temp.


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## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

StudentGUY said:


> If I remove the Trap and put the hoses directly in the PVC pipe everything works fine, but then I_* get sewage smell coming from the pipe, that is why I fitted the trap.*_



sorry to say you will get sewer smells in your home via the drain tube.
You have a very illegal set up there. The code requires all drains go to a sanitary drain for an ac, not a soil drain.


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

hvac5646 said:


> [/b][/i]
> sorry to say you will get sewer smells in your home via the drain tube.
> You have a very illegal set up there. The code requires all drains go to a sanitary drain for an ac, not a soil drain.


As this is an apartment, there is no sanitary drain there at all. Even the drains in the floor tiles (bathrooms) are connected to the same soil drain. 

That is why I fitted the trap, so I would not get the smells up my rooms :whistling2:


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## StudentGUY (Jan 23, 2012)

Tator1076 said:


> It all depends on how much a load the a/c is in. That outdoor and indoor temp.


Lets say outdoor 30C and indoor 22C.

Ac unit is this size:


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## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

StudentGUY said:


> As this is an apartment, there is no sanitary drain there at all. Even the drains in the floor tiles (bathrooms) are connected to the same soil drain.
> 
> That is why I fitted the trap, so I would not get the smells up my rooms :whistling2:


No win situation for you- if you don't want to use a condensate pump.

You are about the only guy I have seen who was savvy enough to use a trap


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## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

Good luck buddy!!!


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