Secondary Condensate Drain Question
#1
06-28-18, 01:51 PM
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Secondary Condensate Drain Question
A year ago I had my evaporator coil replaced. I recently went into the attic and noticed the secondary condensate drain line had the original plug in it.
The unit is in the attic and a positive flow system. I've heard/seen mixed reviews on P-traps on it and while I agree that it would help the efficiency of the unit, I'm not ready to pay to re-plumb for that.
I know my old unit had the cap open for the secondary that just let it drain into the bottom pan. When I opened the cap on my new unit the hole was completely knocked out and open allowing a lot of airflow out. My old unit had the hole mostly filled with just enough opening for water.
It seems like even if I did put a P-trap on the secondary line, it would never fill up or would dry out quickly and be pointless.
I don't want to open it up completely in the event that something decides to crawl in it. Are there any partial caps you can put on the mimic what my old unit did to restrict the flow and possibility of things crawling in?
I have had my primary on the old unit overflow before so I am interested in getting the secondary opened up but don't want to bug my HVAC guy in the middle of the summer if its something I can easily do.
Thanks!
The unit is in the attic and a positive flow system. I've heard/seen mixed reviews on P-traps on it and while I agree that it would help the efficiency of the unit, I'm not ready to pay to re-plumb for that.
I know my old unit had the cap open for the secondary that just let it drain into the bottom pan. When I opened the cap on my new unit the hole was completely knocked out and open allowing a lot of airflow out. My old unit had the hole mostly filled with just enough opening for water.
It seems like even if I did put a P-trap on the secondary line, it would never fill up or would dry out quickly and be pointless.
I don't want to open it up completely in the event that something decides to crawl in it. Are there any partial caps you can put on the mimic what my old unit did to restrict the flow and possibility of things crawling in?
I have had my primary on the old unit overflow before so I am interested in getting the secondary opened up but don't want to bug my HVAC guy in the middle of the summer if its something I can easily do.
Thanks!
#2
06-28-18, 02:21 PM
Group Moderator
What you should do is install a float switch in the secondary port. This switch gets wired to shut down the condenser if the water level rises.
Several different brands available. You'd use something like this......
Rectorseal-97637-Safe-T-Switch-Model-SS2
Several different brands available. You'd use something like this......
Rectorseal-97637-Safe-T-Switch-Model-SS2
#3
06-28-18, 03:03 PM
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PJmax,
Thanks for the response.
It is definitely an option. I was really hoping to find a good way to open up the secondary and use something like https://www.rectorseal.com/safe-t-switch-ss3/ instead. I have a drip pan with a drain on it that goes outside so I am trying to avoid the primary drain clogging shutting down the entire system since the secondary drain does work. I had inadvertainly had it drain out of that in the old unit for a month before I realized why water was draining outside my master bedroom.
I am really not sure how the old unit has the closed up secondary drain and why I can't seem to find a plug to do the same thing. Seems like aside from an SS2, most just put an elbow on it and possibly a screen and call it a day.
Thanks for the response.
It is definitely an option. I was really hoping to find a good way to open up the secondary and use something like https://www.rectorseal.com/safe-t-switch-ss3/ instead. I have a drip pan with a drain on it that goes outside so I am trying to avoid the primary drain clogging shutting down the entire system since the secondary drain does work. I had inadvertainly had it drain out of that in the old unit for a month before I realized why water was draining outside my master bedroom.
I am really not sure how the old unit has the closed up secondary drain and why I can't seem to find a plug to do the same thing. Seems like aside from an SS2, most just put an elbow on it and possibly a screen and call it a day.
#4
06-29-18, 08:15 AM
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Doing a little research last night I'm tempted to use something like this
With it being narrowed, less air should escape and less of a chance of something crawling in. Looking at the primary, its a constant flow but not a large volume. The secondary on my old evaporator had a much smaller hole than 3/4" anyway but I have emailed my inspector to see what the code might require in the area.
With it being narrowed, less air should escape and less of a chance of something crawling in. Looking at the primary, its a constant flow but not a large volume. The secondary on my old evaporator had a much smaller hole than 3/4" anyway but I have emailed my inspector to see what the code might require in the area.
#5
06-29-18, 11:13 AM
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I ended up putting that type of connector on airflow loss was minimal. The air loss from having the hole wide open was less than I thought/remembered but the connector limited it even more.
I previously had a very knowledgeable inspector that lets me ask him random questions about anything related to my house and ran a few things by him. I wanted to share in the event it helps anyone else in my scenario with an attic unit and positive air flow.
He told me the P-trap on the primary will really only minimize air loss through the primary and people do it to cut down on the noise issue in the sink where it drains.
He also confirmed a P-trap on the secondary would be pointless as it would never fill up or stay filled. and that the above connector would be appropriate fix for this. Afterall my old evaporator didn't even have a connector, it just had an open port although it had a punchout still in it to restrict it quite a bit.
I previously had a very knowledgeable inspector that lets me ask him random questions about anything related to my house and ran a few things by him. I wanted to share in the event it helps anyone else in my scenario with an attic unit and positive air flow.
He told me the P-trap on the primary will really only minimize air loss through the primary and people do it to cut down on the noise issue in the sink where it drains.
He also confirmed a P-trap on the secondary would be pointless as it would never fill up or stay filled. and that the above connector would be appropriate fix for this. Afterall my old evaporator didn't even have a connector, it just had an open port although it had a punchout still in it to restrict it quite a bit.
#6
06-29-18, 12:15 PM
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A P trap is not just to reduce air loss. Depending on the type of air handler and how it's connected.... the P trap allows the air handler to drain without the negative pressure holding the water in the pan.
#7
06-29-18, 12:19 PM
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Correct and its good to reiterate that. I tried to indicate that in my posts that this was specific to positive air flow because you're 100% correct on negative flow. It is an interesting problem on a negative flow in regards to how does a secondary p-trap actually work. It probably doesn't which is why its just easier to put a float switch on it and call it a day.
