condensate drains

[Edmund Forsthe]

is it okay to tie in the pan drain along with the sec drain pan into the vent stack in an attic install as long as you use a float switch. and how much will pvc deflect in the hot attic

[ckone180]

Depends on local building codes about the tying in part, what are you draining and venting in the same line?

[orlandotech]

most places don't allow condensate drains to be tied into the sewer vents. you need to try and get a few supports on the pvc to keep it from sagging over time.

[Edmund Forsthe]

its non permit job at the boss house here its accepted practice to drill into the vent tap a 3/4 threaded hole and screw the pvc or copper fitting into the abs vent pipe i just wanted to know in other areas whats the accepted norm

[orlandotech]

most of the time it's a no-no in fla but I have had a few commercial jobs where they spec'd it to be drained in a hub drain in the floor and it was allowed.

[hvacrmedic]

is it okay to tie in the pan drain along with the sec drain pan into the vent stack in an attic install as long as you use a float switch. and how much will pvc deflect in the hot attic

It may be legal in some jurisdictions, but it's never ok. Even with a trap, the trap will dry out after a period of nonuse and sewer gasses will vent into the living space. That is incidentally why it's strictly illegal here.

[Edmund Forsthe]

thats what i figured

[Mstrav]

it is 100% not legal. all drains must go to an air gap like whats behind a washing machine or under a sink tied into a tail piece, which is traped or even a planter. the vent you tie into "could" dry up and cause sewer gas to migrate into the attic. even if its not piped back to the unit it is not allowed, people do it as I see it all the time. secondary and aux drains need to dump in a conspicous place anyways where you are allerted by water driping and realize the primary is pluged. primarys usually go to a floor drain, mop sink, washing machine air gap box, under a sink tied into tail pice thats trapped and sometimes just dump in a planter. some citys dont want condensate added to the sewer as they have to treat the water and costs money. sewer use is based on water use and condensate is not in the formula so you would be dumping the water for free (citys want their money)


matt

[hvac hero]

it is 100% not legal. all drains must go to an air gap like whats behind a washing machine or under a sink tied into a tail piece, which is traped or even a planter.
matt

I think you meant to say its 100% not legal in your state. In memphis, we are required to tie the primary drain into the sewer line & have a deep seel trap in 1 1/2 inch pvc. The secondary drain has to be piped outside. They allow a float switch but frown on it if a secondary drain can be run.

[Mstrav]

is it okay to tie in the pan drain along with the sec drain pan into the vent stack in an attic install as long as you use a float switch. and how much will pvc deflect in the hot attic



people, I dont care where you are we do not do this, its a secondary of the pan and gas will build up in the attic. secondary to conspicous spot, it should never flow and when it does you need to know, not let it go down the stack. For primary oders will come into the unit and even with a trap at the evap coil the vent will let the gas smell into the attic which is not allowed. I know people do it but it is not allowed, yes it can tie into the drain system, but not the stack!!!!!


matt

[bmathews]

Tying a secondary drain into anything that cannot be seen defeats the purpose of doing what you're doing. Why even run one if you're not going to make it visual. It will take just as much time and effort to tie it into sewer as running it outside through side of house or out soffit. Cap the drain pan and hook up a float switch if you're not going to do it right.

[hvac hero]

Tying a secondary drain into anything that cannot be seen defeats the purpose of doing what you're doing. Why even run one if you're not going to make it visual. It will take just as much time and effort to tie it into sewer as running it outside through side of house or out soffit. Cap the drain pan and hook up a float switch if you're not going to do it right.


I definitely agree with this. We've started running a secondary drain & using a float switch just as a extra safety.

[bmathews]

We're at the point now where we have drain pans on horizontal units from 3 past the end of the supply plenum to past the end of the return plenum. Sometimes 3 large ones, as well as float switches on every drain pan, one screwed into the secondary of the coil and an inline on the primary. On the high end homes, they even make one that ties into your alarm system on your house that the builders will have installed. It lets the homeowner know of any moisture in the pan.

[Mstrav]

code is 3" minimum on all sides off the coil.


matt

[bmathews]

We do it usually 3" past the end of the plenums. We usually have 15 ft. of drain pans. We have found that when you go 3" past the coil, water will run 4" into the plenum and drop through the sheetrock. Most of our builders will also build a fiberglass drainpan on an upflow both under the unit and in the return plenum with drains in the slab going outside. With the full complement of float switches everywhere you can possibly put on. People in 5 million dollar houses don't understand the concept of why water ran on their floor or through their sheetrock, even though they haven't had maintenance done in 3 years.

[ArtThib]

The answer to the question, can I tie in the secondary drain to the emergency pan drain? is yes!

[bmathews]

You can tie the secondary to the drain pan, there is no problem with that. The issue was tying your secondary drain(s) into the vent stack in the attic. The consensus was that you might get sewer gases in your air distribution system without being trapped properly (i.e. a wet trap, one in the drain line will dry out when the A/C isn't running) You can do as you wish, but everybody here was hinting at not doing it that way.

[Mstrav]

is it okay to tie in the pan drain along with the sec drain pan into the vent stack in an attic install as long as you use a float switch. and how much will pvc deflect in the hot attic


people, please read the question, ansewr is still NO!!!!



can the secondary from the "coil", turn down and dump into the "aux drain pan" or "overflow drain pan" (which are the same thing), the answer is yes, but that is not the question!


matt

[allstar08]

NO...! ON THE VENT STACK FOR SURE.
You may however tie into the laundry box, or any utility sink, other drains are allowed, but they may require a primer depending on your local codes of course.

You can tie your secondary drain into your pan drain. I have been using the diversitech drain alarms, and they work very well.

I must admit that I have tied a condensate pump 3/8 drain line for a 90% furnace into a vent stack before and never had a problem. shhh....