tying in a/c condensate drain into 1 1/2" PVC pipe from sump pump

To simplify things in my furnace room I want to tie in my A/C condensate drain into the 1 1/2" pvc coming out of my sump, and have it drain outside. I assume I need some kind of check valve for this? The A/C pump already has a built in check valve, but should I install another one? How is this normally done?

Reply to
Mikepier
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Why not just strap the smaller pipe to the larger pipe and let it drain into the sump pit. If it where you can see the water drip from the line, that would be good because condensate drains can often clog up.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Where does the condensate go now? To a condensate pump? If you want to eliminate the condensate pump, the usual procedure is to just route the condensate from the HVAC over to the sump pit. During dry periods not unusual for there to be no pump running at all. The condensate just drains into the ground.

Reply to
trader4

I thought of just eliminating the pump and let it go into the pit, but I was not sure if I was allowed to do that. The sump basin has holes all around and on the bottom, so the A/C condensate I assume just leaches into the ground? Is that ok?

Reply to
Mikepier

Hi, Being just a near pure water, what would be the problem as long as condensate keeps flowing.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Don't know where you are or what your local codes may or may not allow. But here in NJ it's done and it apparently passes inspection on new construction. I've also seen them routed to just a french perimeter drain, but I think that's more questionable. On new work I've seen it either going to sump pit or to condensate pump. From the condensate pump it either goes outside or to a sewer drain. Most of the HVAC guys I talked to preferred to go to a sewer drain because of worries about freezing. But I think that's probably more a worry than reality if you do it right.

Seems to me, the sump, if it's nearby, is the way to go. Less pumping, one less pump to fail, etc.

Reply to
trader4

it's not, it won't work that way. But you can let it drain into the sump itself.

Reply to
Steve Barker

In Baltimore Co. Maryland, my pvc pipe just goes down 2 or 3 feet, to the wall, to the floor, along the wall, and then out to the edge of the sump. The sump has a plastic lid that is sometimes in place, but it doesn't fit tight and the water just flows around the edge to the sump. (I don't think mine is ever dry, because I'm at the bottom of a hill, but it can go long periods without the pump running.)

Condensate is pure water, no vitamins or minerals except what it might pick up from running along the evaporator and pipe, but that's not much if anything.

Condensate pumps are used when there is no handy drain lower than the evaporator, when one has to go UP to the ceiling and across a doorway, hall, or open space to the sink. Someone I know has her furnace int he middle of hte basement, so it has to go up just to get to the sump pump, unless people want to trip on the tube or pipe going across the floor.

Reply to
mm

Huge potential for a problem. Condensate lines are prone to getting gunked up with glop and that could hold a check valve open. I can't imagine the mess it could create a year or three from now. Just drain into the sump.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Depends upon your local codes.

Reply to
Peter

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