I have a newer Rheem RGRA gas furnace with a Rheem A/C controlled by a Honeywell T8600D thermostat, and an Aprilaire 760A humidifier. I would like to use the condensate pump's cutoff switch to shut down the A/C and the humdifier water supply, but not the furnace, to avoid a freeze condition. How can I wire the system to work? The alt.hvac guys were less than helpful. Thanks.
Maybe they weren't helpful because they didn't understand what you want to do. I don't understand.
Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Oct 19, 2003, 2:03pm From: snipped-for-privacy@rauth.com (Rick) I have a newer Rheem RGRA gas furnace with a Rheem A/C controlled by a Honeywell T8600D thermostat, and an Aprilaire 760A humidifier. I would like to use the condensate pump's cutoff switch to shut down the A/C and the humidifier water supply, but not the furnace, to avoid a freeze condition. How can I wire the system to work? The alt.hvac guys were less than helpful. Thanks.
Rick, tell em the whole story...
Your local Rheem tech is a moron.
Yo, CBHvac, you're out of your hostile environment here. Slink back to your alt. hvac shithole where you and your buddies all seem to enjoy flaming the "homemoaner's" and your colleague's "professionally trained" butts with insults instead of offering your valuable opinion. At least this group tries to be helpful, unlike what my thread experienced there. Who do you suggest I call that would be willing to visit and clean up this oversight... the Trane guy? How about the Maytag repairman? He could probably figure it out.
We all over in hvac had a nice e-mail discussion about that...its so hard...ummm....ahhh...wait...I am in the learning stages according to John, the ever powerful 40 year retired MechEng....hummmm....I am sure he can make it work on paper with about 30 more parts than needed, but any tech worth his salt can do it with the wires that are there existing.....kinda like most do now....its such haRd work.
Not sure about the freeze condition, but we all didnt tell him that you dont need 2 relays, but the freeze thing gets me...but...if he would simply wire that R line up, he would be hokey fine..
I was thinking of the more complicated relay route, but how about breaking the tied common side of the humidifier and the outside A/C unit with the cutoff switch? Would that work? The only helpful comment from the "professionals" at alt.hvac, one said that the furnace condensate is acidic and per some codes, the pump should always shut the furnace down. Since I am away usually only a few days, maybe the risk of frozen pipes is minimal.
To define my "freeze condition," meaning being away for a week during possible 0 deg weather, and the heater is shut down because of a $50 condensate pump failure. Since it is on a concrete basement floor, I'd rather that the furnace keep going, but again, I dont know how much condensate it generates. The Aprilaire, I know uses lots of water.
What is the opinion out there? Is it better to shut the furnace down to avoid acidic condensate from a high efficiency gas furnace, or put up with repairing burst pipes? By breaking the R line, I can shut down the furnace, humidifier, and AC unit, but not just the humidifier and AC unit.
Condensing units CAN generate alot more water than you think...
Profitts advice about dual pumps should be seriously considered.
And if the pump fails, you WANT the furnace to shut down, unless you dont mind the few possible gallons of water that the furnace could produce in a week.. Altho, its better than a few thousand gallons of broken pipes.
BTW, relays fail about as often as the pump...so its a coin toss..
Re: Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sat, Oct 19, 2003, 9:22pm From: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (HvacTech2) =A0=A0jw> Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Oct
19, jw> 2003, 2:03pm From: snipped-for-privacy@rauth.com (Rick) I have a newer Rheem jw> RGRA gas furnace with a Rheem A/C controlled by a Honeywell T8600D jw> thermostat, and an Aprilaire 760A humidifier. I would like to use jw> the condensate pump's cutoff switch to shut down the A/C and the jw> humidifier water supply, but not the furnace, to avoid a freeze jw>condition. How can I wire the system to work? The alt.hvac guys were jw>
less than helpful. Thanks. --Rick
++++++++++++++++++++ =A0=A0jw> John wrote: =A0=A0jw> No problem Rick, but you will need to add a relay or two. (snip) +++++++++++++++++++++++ HvacTech2 wrote:Actually he can do it without adding any relays. lets see if you can figure it out John. can you tell me how he can do this without adding any relays? =A0=A0-=3D> HvacTech2
Re: Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Oct 20, 2003, 5:23am From: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (HvacTech2) Hi john, hope you are having a nice day On 19-Oct-03 At About 18:18:47, john williamson wrote to All Subject: Re: Condensate pump wiring =A0=A0jw> 0006b3d From: snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (john williamson) =A0=A0jw> I gave him the answer to the question he asked. =A0=A0jw> Now you tell me how to do it the way he asked the question with out jw> any relays. =A0 On topic, be specific. Tell me. =A0=A0jw> John Williamson Are you telling me you don't know how to do it? =A0=A0-=3D> HvacTech2
Re: Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2003, 12:06am From: snipped-for-privacy@rauth.com (Rick) To define my "freeze condition," meaning being away for a week during possible 0 deg weather, and the heater is shut down because of a $50 condensate pump failure. Since it is on a concrete basement floor, I'd rather that the furnace keep going, but again, I don't know how much condensate it generates. The Aprilaire, I know uses lots of water. What is the opinion out there? Is it better to shut the furnace down to avoid acidic condensate from a high efficiency gas furnace, or put up with repairing burst pipes? By breaking the R line, I can shut down the furnace, humidifier, and AC unit, but not just the humidifier and AC unit.
Dont you have a floor drain or sump pump in your basenent, so when something springs a leak , and IT will , you will end up with a swimming pool , ruining everything. That must be addressed first. You are worried about a measly 50 gallons on the floor , when shuting down the furnace , bursting a pipe, could dump 50000 gallons in a week and cost you tens of thousands.. Gee Ask your ins co, Ill bet they dump you for your stupid ideas. Put in a house Sump . Put in 2 condensate pumps, Leaving when its zero out you need your furnace to run, not plan a shutoff, I would not wire a shutoff.
I misread your post thinking you wanted the furnace shut off
Snip>>>
"Since I am away usually only a few days, maybe the risk of frozen pipes is minimal." Over a few days I imagine the amount of water generated would not be excessive so why on earth would you ever want to take such a risk? I decided not to have my pump shut off in the event of a condensate system failure. I'll be away for as long as a month in the middle of winter and would, obviously, rather have water on the floor vs having to face frozen/busted pipes when I get home. I am currently going through the aftermath of a water damage problem that has so far resulted in approx $35,000 in rebuilding.remodeling costs. Happened while I was away, came home to running water from an over-flowing toilet and it's no fun. MLD
Well, from what I read of this snarl, it sounds like you don't want the humidifier draining water into the condensate pump if the funace is dead, and the house is cold.
On the humidifiers I've wired, the water valve is controlled in part by the blower fan of the furnace. So, if the furnace isn't running, the humidifier won't get any water. In short, it's a non issue. If the furnace isn't warm, it won't be blowing. If it's not blowing, the water won't be flowing.
You can switch the AC, if you want. That's easy enough. But I wouldn't bother to leave the central AC turned on if I wasn't home. Another non issue.
Have I been a bit reassuring? Hope so!
I've wondered in my quiet moments how CBH manages to stay in business? I mean, in the couple years I was on alt.hvac he was consistently rude. Does anyone else wonder?
Re: Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Oct 20, 2003, 4:23pm From: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (HvacTech2) Hi john, hope you are having a nice day On 19-Oct-03 At About 21:15:50, john williamson wrote to All Subject: Re: Condensate pump wiring =A0=A0jw> From: snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (john williamson) =A0=A0jw> Re: Condensate pump wiring Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Oct 20, jw> 2003, 5:23am From: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (HvacTech2) Hi john, jw> hope you are having a nice day On 19-Oct-03 At About 18:18:47, jw> john williamson wrote to All Subject: Re: Condensate pump wiring =3DA0=3DA0jw>> 0006b3d From: snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (john williamson) I gave h= im the =3DA0=3DA0jw>> answer to the question he asked. Now you tell me how to=
do it the w =3DA0=3DA0jw>> he asked the question =A0=A0with out j any relays. =3DA0 On topic, be specific. Tell me. =3DA0=3DA0jw>> John Williamson =A0=A0jw> Are you telling me you don't know how to do it? =3DA0=3DA0-=3D3D=
HvacTech2 =A0++++++++++++++++++++ =A0=A0jw> John wrote: =A0=A0jw> No I don't know how I would do it without any relays, tell me. Just jw> remember he asked that it not affect the heating capabilities if the jw> condensate pump failed. =A0=A0jw> almost done John Williamson
+++++++++++++++++++Hcac Tech2 wrote:
Well, there are 2 different ways you can do it. first you could just break the commons to the humidifier and a/c
++++++++++++ John wroteTo do the above, the Aprilaire would have to be using the same transformer as the furnace/ac and have to be 24vac of course. This I do not know but If that is true, you could do it that way. I would not prefer to do it this way but granted you could and be acceptable.
+++++++++++++++++++ Hvactech wrote:or you could put the switch between RC and R or RH whichever is needed and feed the humidifier from RC. =A0=A0-=3D> HvacTech2
So, if I twist the 24v commons from the humidifier and the outside unit together, and run them thru the switch to the C terminal, it would work? If the loads are truly isolated and not bonded to ground somewhere in the humidifer or condenser, I can see no reason why it would not. Thanks. I dont have an RC or RH terminal.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.