a/c safety switch or just a second drain
#1
10-20-09, 05:35 PM
a/c safety switch or just a second drain
I just discovered that my a/c started dumping drain outside the normal path 
and ruined part of the garage ceiling.
Unit never had the secondary or whachamacallit emergency dump when primary is plugged, and it was plugged. I was going to install that secondary myself, to prevent this from happening in the future. A friend of mine says, no you should install a "AUXILIARY CONDENSATE OVERFLOW SAFETY SWITCH"
they run $15 + delivery & I have no idea how to hook it up. Compare to my $3 pipe it's a;lot and I am not sure about how reliable they are.
Any suggestions?
and ruined part of the garage ceiling. Unit never had the secondary or whachamacallit emergency dump when primary is plugged, and it was plugged. I was going to install that secondary myself, to prevent this from happening in the future. A friend of mine says, no you should install a "AUXILIARY CONDENSATE OVERFLOW SAFETY SWITCH"
they run $15 + delivery & I have no idea how to hook it up. Compare to my $3 pipe it's a;lot and I am not sure about how reliable they are.
Any suggestions?
#3
10-20-09, 07:33 PM
you also,need to open the primary drain.
depending on how accessable the drain line is-& how 'handy' you are with some pvc pipe /cut/splice/ repair-etc.-& what do you have as far as an air compressor.
where does the primary drain - dump?
where are you going to plumb the secondary drain?
depending on how accessable the drain line is-& how 'handy' you are with some pvc pipe /cut/splice/ repair-etc.-& what do you have as far as an air compressor.
where does the primary drain - dump?
where are you going to plumb the secondary drain?
#4
10-21-09, 08:09 AM
thanks!
Thanks a lot!
I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it
I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it
#5
10-21-09, 09:41 AM
Originally Posted by Newbie
Thanks a lot!
I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it
I am kind of "do it 200% guy" myself and considered doing both, although have a hard time imagining the benefit of having a switch on a secondary line - I guess only if that one plugs up as well. Is there any brand of switch you'd recommend more than others?
& yes I already opened a main drain dump, did have to cut the pipe to blow it open. It was dumping in the yard in the little gravel pit. No the best design but I am not redoing it. The secondary drain I was going to bring out about 4 feet from the garage door tot he house - just so nobody can miss it
if the primary also drips-outside an occasional back flush (for a few seconds) with a garden hose,will keep it open.
#8
10-21-09, 05:21 PM
yea, my only concern is that if we leave to somewhere and a/c is left on - unlikely but possible, it can leak trough the secondary all it want nobody will see it and turn it off. Since I really don't understand how the switch works, i assume that as soon as it gets any water it trips the circuit and shuts off the a/c. If it requires a complete fill up with condensate it's kind of redundant to put one in unless a mouse or something else crawls up the pipe and plugs it up - no?
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement
#9
10-21-09, 07:56 PM
Originally Posted by Newbie
yea, my only concern is that if we leave to somewhere and a/c is left on - unlikely but possible, it can leak trough the secondary all it want nobody will see it and turn it off. Since I really don't understand how the switch works, i assume that as soon as it gets any water it trips the circuit and shuts off the a/c. If it requires a complete fill up with condensate it's kind of redundant to put one in unless a mouse or something else crawls up the pipe and plugs it up - no?
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement
here is one i found for $10 on line
Amazon.com: Little Giant Model 4CS-3 599124 Overflow Safety Switch Voltage @ 60 Hz 125-250 # 3XY17: Home Improvement
