Central air conditioning system was installed about 18 months ago.
While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the drain for
the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine. We
recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger pump than
the old one because now water from the washer is going back up the a/c
drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from the
washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c drain onto
the ground in the crawl space?

On Apr 26, 9:53 pm, Mike wrote:
While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the drain for
the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine. We
recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger pump than
the old one because now water from the washer is going back up the a/c
drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from the
washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c drain onto
the ground in the crawl space?

Don't know where you are, but if it gets cold, a hose exposed to the
elements could freeze. Can you reposition the connection of the
condensate drain to the washer drain, so that the flow of washing
water doesn't go towards the a/c?

Have you checked whether the washer drain is blocked or the drain is
not sized adequately, causing pressure in the line and back-flow to
the a/c?

On Apr 26, 9:41 pm, Nexus7 wrote:
On Apr 26, 9:53 pm, Mike wrote:

While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the drain for
the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine. We
recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger pump than
the old one because now water from the washer is going back up the a/c
drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from the
washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c drain onto
the ground in the crawl space?

Don't know where you are, but if it gets cold, a hose exposed to the
elements could freeze. Can you reposition the connection of the
condensate drain to the washer drain, so that the flow of washing
water doesn't go towards the a/c?

Have you checked whether the washer drain is blocked or the drain is
not sized adequately, causing pressure in the line and back-flow to
the a/c?


Washer drain pipe was resized with new washing machine primarily
because of the power of the pump.
Would there be enought condensation in the winter to be concerned
about freezing. The a/c and furnace are on the main level of the
house and the condensation drain is approx. 3 feet long from the a/c
pan to the washer drain pipe. I guess my question is: Is there enough
condensation in a low humidity climate (Utah) to be concerned about
draining to a pail in the crawl space ?

it must drain outside . your talin about alot of water , on average 4-5
gallons a day.

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

On Apr 26, 11:03 pm, Mike wrote:
Would there be enought condensation in the winter to be concerned
about freezing. The a/c and furnace are on the main level of the
house and the condensation drain is approx. 3 feet long from the a/c
pan to the washer drain pipe. I guess my question is: Is there enough
condensation in a low humidity climate (Utah) to be concerned about
draining to a pail in the crawl space ?

Does it get below freezing there? It does for sure in Chicago, but the
installer still said it'd be OK to run the hose for the condensate
through the wall and draining onto the patio. The heat from the
furnace will keep it from freezing, I suppose. I, however, ran a line
to my plumbing drain.

The condensate is from the combustion of the gas (assuming you have a
condensing furnace, which the 90+% AFUE ones are). It wouldn't depend
on the humidity of the air, but how much gas you burn, that is, how
cold it gets.

How far does the washer drain go? If a few feet, you can extend the
condensate hose to that point.

On Apr 27, 8:00 am, wrote:
it must drain outside . your talin about alot of water , on average 4-5
gallons a day.

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm


I've never seen one routed into the sewer and would never do it that
way. Here, in NJ, the AC condensate is just routed to a convenient
spot outside via gravity or pump. Some may be routed to a sump
pump drain, etc via gravity. Also curious how it was plumbed so that
water can get from the washing machine back to the AC. If the end of
the condensate hose just goes downhill into the top of the drain pipe
for the washer, one would think that the water would be overflowing
from the washer drain pipe.

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
Central air conditioning system was installed about 18 months ago.
While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the drain for
the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine. We
recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger pump than
the old one because now water from the washer is going back up the a/c
drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from the
washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c drain onto
the ground in the crawl space?

Yes, if the drain is strictly AC condensate, than there should be no problem
letting it drain wherever. You don't use it in the winter so freezing is
not an issue. My A/C drain is piped outside and there has never been a
problem.
MLD

Nexus7 wrote:
On Apr 26, 11:03 pm, Mike wrote:

Would there be enought condensation in the winter to be concerned
about freezing. The a/c and furnace are on the main level of the
house and the condensation drain is approx. 3 feet long from the a/c
pan to the washer drain pipe. I guess my question is: Is there enough
condensation in a low humidity climate (Utah) to be concerned about
draining to a pail in the crawl space ?


Does it get below freezing there? It does for sure in Chicago, but the
installer still said it'd be OK to run the hose for the condensate
through the wall and draining onto the patio. The heat from the
furnace will keep it from freezing, I suppose. I, however, ran a line
to my plumbing drain.

The condensate is from the combustion of the gas (assuming you have a
condensing furnace, which the 90+% AFUE ones are). It wouldn't depend
on the humidity of the air, but how much gas you burn, that is, how
cold it gets.

How far does the washer drain go? If a few feet, you can extend the
condensate hose to that point.


He said it's the A/C drain.

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The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

MLD wrote:

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...

Central air conditioning system was installed about 18 months ago.
While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the drain for
the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine. We
recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger pump than
the old one because now water from the washer is going back up the a/c
drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from the
washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c drain onto
the ground in the crawl space?


Yes, if the drain is strictly AC condensate, than there should be no problem
letting it drain wherever. You don't use it in the winter so freezing is
not an issue. My A/C drain is piped outside and there has never been a
problem.
MLD


But route it where the sound/sight of dripping water won't be annoying.

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minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

AC condensation is just water, with a trace of dust. So, yes, it
can be poured into the ground. Will raise the humidity under the
house.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
: Central air conditioning system was installed about 18 months
ago.
: While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the
drain for
: the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine.
We
: recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger
pump than
: the old one because now water from the washer is going back up
the a/c
: drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from
the
: washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c
drain onto
: the ground in the crawl space?
:

But as mentioned, it can be a good bit of water - and water can do a lot of
damage if dumped in the wrong place, including mold, rot, bug and insect
infestation (termites need water to build their tunnels, and mosquitoes will
breed indoors!).

When I first installed my A/C I drained it into a 5gal bucket until I could
get the materials to get to the basement floor drain. It filled the bucket
after about half a day. Of course humidity levels very, but even so, a
gallon of water a day in the wrong place is too much.

Find a solution to the drainage problem or route the drain to another
suitable location where the water will be drained away from the home.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
AC condensation is just water, with a trace of dust. So, yes, it
can be poured into the ground. Will raise the humidity under the
house.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
: Central air conditioning system was installed about 18 months
ago.
: While under my house today (crawl space) I noticed that the
drain for
: the a/c is connected to the drain pipe for the washing machine.
We
: recently got a new washing machine that must have a stronger
pump than
: the old one because now water from the washer is going back up
the a/c
: drain tube. Can the drain from the a/c be disconnected from
the
: washer drain pipe (use a plug on the pipe) and have the a/c
drain onto
: the ground in the crawl space?
:

On Fri, 25 May 2007 23:59:01 -0400, mwlogs wrote:
When I first installed my A/C I drained it into a 5gal bucket until I could
get the materials to get to the basement floor drain. It filled the bucket
after about half a day. Of course humidity levels very, but even so, a
gallon of water a day in the wrong place is too much.

Yeah, and to make it worse, the higher the humidity the more condensate,
and the higher the humidity the more critical it is to keep any water
away from the "wrong place".

They sell condensate pumps. Easy, but not what I would call "cheap" and
I find them utterly unreliable. I cannot count the times a failed pump
has flooded my utility room in the past 10 years.

I'm currrently draining into a dry sump pit. This requires a PVC pipe
laid almost flat across about 6ft of floor. Works great. The ground
absorbs the water faster than the A.C. condenses it out. (Fill the pit
with water while the A.C. is running, the pit is empty in 30m or so.)

sdb
--
What's seen on your screen? http://pcscreenwatch.com
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

On May 28, 1:17 pm, sylvan butler
wrote:
On Fri, 25 May 2007 23:59:01 -0400, mwlogs wrote:
When I first installed my A/C I drained it into a 5gal bucket until I could
get the materials to get to the basement floor drain. It filled the bucket
after about half a day. Of course humidity levels very, but even so, a
gallon of water a day in the wrong place is too much.

Yeah, and to make it worse, the higher the humidity the more condensate,
and the higher the humidity the more critical it is to keep any water
away from the "wrong place".

They sell condensate pumps. Easy, but not what I would call "cheap" and
I find them utterly unreliable. I cannot count the times a failed pump
has flooded my utility room in the past 10 years.

I'm currrently draining into a dry sump pit. This requires a PVC pipe
laid almost flat across about 6ft of floor. Works great. The ground
absorbs the water faster than the A.C. condenses it out. (Fill the pit
with water while the A.C. is running, the pit is empty in 30m or so.)

sdb
--
What's seen on your screen? http://pcscreenwatch.com
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com



My ac condensation tube runs out into a flower bed. I live in FL
where there is high humidity but there is not a great deal of water
coming out of there. It probably wouldn't cause any problem to let it
drain into the crawl space ... I never heard of one of those drains
connecting to a washer drain. Sounds like somebody messed up.